I have a 3 yr. old gas log splitter that had stopped running so I took it to the Blairsville Ace Hardware small engine shop on Tues. 9/11/2018 and paid a $25.00 deposit .Not having heard anything in a week I called on 9/19 and was told they were way behind but would "try to look at it " by Friday, 9/21.
Again not having heard anything I called on 9/26 and was told that they still hadn't looked at it and that their average turn around was one month?????? I suggested they tell customers that before they take in a piece of equipment for repair (along with a $25.00 deposit).
Again not having heard anything I called on 10/5. At this point they had had the splitter 24 days. I was told there were 4-5 people still ahead of me. At that point I asked to be transferred to the store manager Brenda. I complained to Brenda about the lack of service and she said she would have the shop look at the splitter today.
Brenda called me later in the day to say:
* They found diesel in the gas tank. I found this very interesting because before I took the splitter to Ace Hardware I drained the carburetor and the gas tank and put in fresh ethanol free gas. The only way diesel fuel could be in the gas tank would be if Ace Hardware put it in.
* She said I also needed a new carburetor and that it would cost me $150.00 plus labor.
* Brenda told me that the splitter was also low on oil.
* Brenda then told me the engine compression was half what it should be and it would cost me $250.00 in labor for them to take the engine apart to determine the problem and then I would have to pay for whatever replacement parts were needed.
Brenda then suggested that, since I was looking at $600.00 to $700.00 in potential parts and labor I might want to consider just buying a new splitter for $1100.00.
The sad thing is I almost took her advice.
Instead I told her I would come and pick up the splitter.
The next day (Saturday) I took the splitter to a friend who knows a little bit about small engines. He isn't a "trained technician" like they have at Ace Hardware.
It took him about 45 minutes to remove and clean the carburetor.
It now runs like it did when it was new.
* No diesel
* No low oil
* No bad carburetor (except for a clogged jet that took 5 minutes to clean)
* No low engine compression (my friend has a compression tester also)
* No need to buy a new carburetor
* No need to buy a new engine
* No need to buy a new $1100.00 splitter
*
One more thing. On Friday I called the store where I purchased the splitter to see where they recommended having their splitters repaired. They suggested Ace Hardware in Dawsonville, Ga. When I told them there was an engine repair shop in my Ace Hardware here in Blairsville the said "don't go there".
I'm not sure if the Blairsville Ace Hardware small engine shop personnel are incompetent or dishonest or both but I can promise you this:
* There was no diesel fuel in my splitter when I took it in
* The engine compression was not low
* The engine oil was full to the very top of the dip stick
* The only thing wrong with the carburetor was a clogged jet that took 5 minutes to clear.
In case I haven't made it clear enough, Never ever under any circumstances use the small engine repair shop at Nelson's Ace Hardware on Old Blue Ridge Hwy in Blairsville, Ga. read more
