Boiling with rage because a small engine just won’t fire up? In the first of a two-part series, Andrew Pearce and Stihl’s technical services trainer Mark Hellewell offer basic troubleshooting tips.

Small-engine mechanics service home-related equipment such as lawnmowers and chainsaws. A mechanic in a boating community frequently works on outboard motors; while a small-engine repairman in a snowy ...