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Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics

Wages
In 2015, the average annual wage in a Alabama was $31,160 with most people making betweeen $21,400 and $47,900
Wages by Industry
  • Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Stores $29,400.00
  • Building Material and Supplies Dealers $27,800.00
  • Other Amusement and Recreation Industries $31,610.00
  • Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers $32,400.00
  • Other Motor Vehicle Dealers $29,310.00
  • Services to Buildings and Dwellings $33,250.00
Education Required
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Common Majors
  • Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician
About the job

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul small engines used to power lawn mowers, chain saws, recreational sporting equipment and related equipment.

What you'll do
    • Dismantle engines, using hand tools, and examine parts for defects.
    • Grind, ream, rebore, and retap parts to obtain specified clearances, using grinders, lathes, taps, reamers, boring machines, and micrometers.
    • Obtain problem descriptions from customers, and prepare cost estimates for repairs.
    • Perform routine maintenance such as cleaning and oiling parts, honing cylinders, and tuning ignition systems.
    • Remove engines from equipment, and position and bolt engines to repair stands.
    • Repair or replace defective parts such as magnetos, water pumps, gears, pistons, and carburetors, using hand tools.
    • Replace motors.
    • Sell parts and equipment.
    • Show customers how to maintain equipment.
    • Test and inspect engines to determine malfunctions, to locate missing and broken parts, and to verify repairs, using diagnostic instruments.
Things you need to know
    • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Abilities you'll need to have
    • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
    • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
    • Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
    • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
    • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
    • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
    • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.