Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Day to day, the job is testing small gasoline engines to find missing or broken parts, then taking them apart by hand and putting them back together. The engines belong to lawn mowers, chain saws, portable saws, generators, and compressors. You adjust points, valves, carburetors, and spark plug gaps with feeler gauges, replace magnetos, water pumps, gears, and pistons, and do routine cleaning, oiling, cylinder honing, and ignition tuning. After a repair, you reassemble the engine and log the work, time spent, and parts used. It suits people who like methodical small-engine work, close measurement, and keeping a clear record of each job.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$47'880
Median Wage Market Position
$47'880
What you might do
- Test small engines to find what's wrong
- Repair engines on mowers, saws, and generators
- Take engines apart and check parts for defects
- Set valves, carburetors, and spark plug gaps
- Clean, oil, and tune ignition systems
- Write down repairs, parts, and time spent
Skills that matter
- Setting points, valves, and plug gaps
- Using instruments to pinpoint engine faults
- Honing cylinders and oiling moving parts
- Fitting new pistons, gears, and magnetos
- Recording repairs, time, and parts used
- Picking the right gauge or hand tool
AI & the future of this role
Repairing mowers and chainsaws still centers on hands-on engine work and quick turnaround. Parts look-ups and basic diagnostics may shift toward software, but seasonal demand and varied equipment failures tend to favor experienced techs.
Does Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details