20 Most Recent Mantis 2-Cycle Tiller - Page 3 Questions & Answers

Is the motor running and increasing power with movement of the throttle lever? If so then something is possibly caught in the worm gear mechanism.

Put the tiller in a vise clamping on the bottom of worm gear housing. Remove worm gear housing cover. Clamp the worm gear at the top with a vise grip (I think Kuya Jon is correct in that you could skip this step because the transmission won't move when unscrewing, but I did it anyway just in case). Put a pipe wrench on the left tine shaft and unscrew it like it was a normal bolt. It's in there tight and it will take some force. When I unscrewed mine, the left bearing seal retainer, left bearing seal, and left bearing all came out with it. I just needed to replace the seals. I went to the right side, and with a screw driver carefully pried out the retainer. Then it's easy to just pull out the right seal with your finger. Put a new right seal in and insert the right retainer. Make sure the retainer is facing the correct way. I used a block of wood to tap mine in once I had it positioned because I was afraid to hit the retainer with a hammer. Now I put the tine shaft back in while holding the worm gear with the vise grip. Screw the shaft as far as it will go by hand and then go the rest of the way with a pipe wrench. Now came the tricky part. The right bearing did not slide right in. There was some resistance. I had to use a 1/2" threaded pvc pipe (not sure it needs to be threaded but that's what worked for me) longer than the tine shaft that was sticking out. I slip the pipe over the shaft against the bearing and tapped with a hammer. This drove the bearing in all the way. It needs to go in far enough to leave room for the seal and retainer. The plastic pvc allowed for this. Now put the right seal in. If the outer edge of the seal is only flush with the housing you did not tap the bearing in far enough. I made this mistake on my first try and tried to force the retainer in. Take it from me. It won't work. You will end up ordering another retainer to replace the one you mangled. Once in properly I slid the retainer over the shaft and then put a washer over that to tap against. The block of wood doesn't work on this side because the shaft is in the way. I used my pvc pipe again to tap against the washer and, wala, it worked like a charm. I hope this helps someone. All the other posts really helped me. Thanks!

If you don't have a manual, could can read/download it at this link. If the engine stalls under load, the mixture may be too lean. There should be a mixture screw on the carburetor. Note its position, and turn it counter-clockwise 1/8 of a turn to see if there is any improvement in engine performance. Repeat this but don't exceed about a half turn. The tank has a vent and this should be kept vertical under the cylinder cover in the small "pocket" in the cylinder cover. Lack of power can be caused by a dirty air filter or blocked muffler screen. See the article below for troubleshooting 2-cycle engines String Trimmer Won Work 2 Stroke Engine and Carburetor Troubleshooting

The float in the carburator might be stuck and it is flooding.

Check first whether you are actually getting a spark. Remove the plug, re-attach the spark lead and place the body of the plug in contact with the engine block. If the engine has a cowling which makes this difficult, you can use a socket from a socket wrench set or something similar to bridge the gap. Alternatively get an assistant to hold the plug against the engine with a plastic clothes peg. Pull the cord and check the spark is ok. It may be easier to see it in the shade or indoors (Don't run an engine too long indoors). Problems with 2-cycle engines are often due to fuel flow issues in the carburetor. If the engine has a primer, make sure it is sucking up fuel. Look inside the tank and check that gas runs out of the return line when the button is pressed (the line without the filter). Clogged jets can cause problems. These can be cleaned with a carburetor cleaning aerosol. The valve in the gas tank cap can become clogged with particles of dirt. Check this is clear. For a pictorial guide to cleaning a carburetor on a 2-cycle engine (used on string trimmers, chain saws, hedge trimmers and some lawn mowers), see my guide at the link below String Trimmer Won Work 2 Stroke Engine and Carburetor Troubleshooting

hello mike, the high is longer the low is shorter,

The wire insulating rubber is cut back about one inch. The wire is bent around the insulation and the connector is crimped onto the insualtion.

i have your solution guaranteed, I fixed mine yesturday remove H L screw plastic caps and on high 11 threads exposed and on the low side 8 threads exposed. removing the plastic caps allows u further adjusting these wear out or move soo just take them things off and you will be rolling

Dissembling the clutch uses special tools to prevent damage to other parts. A trusted shop would be able to do this cheap, then you can reassemble without special tools

remove top starter assy. cut grip from old rope ease rope into spool, when slack remove center screw and carefully pull out spool, tie knot in rope and thread into spool, wind rope [make sure correct size rope] around spool until full,carefully turn spool into spring 1 turn then replace screw. put rope into notch on spool and wind up 3-6 turns, replace grip

clean or replace carb.

look for H and L cast on carb. body near screws

special tools to prevent damage----don't use hammer!

Check valve in primer body stuck with debris, cannot clean, buy replacement

Check the air filter and ensure it is clean, replace if necessary.Foam filters can be washed in hot water and detergent, paper filters need to be replaced.
Ensure the throttle cable moves freely and the choke is turned off after starting.