The Mower Bench

[GardenKit]

Hi GK

Thanks for the advice etc. I hope to do the swop out of the deck myself. The model /serial number of the mower is HRB425C QDE, MZCF 8141354. It is a push mower with the rear roller. I would appreciate an accurate price.

 

Thanks

You require deck, part number 76110-VG8-850 @ £117.83 plus vat (£141.40)

 

Much simpler to change on a push mower than on a self propelled.

[Hanser]

GK

Thanks for the part no/pricing. I had hoped the deck for the 'push' version might be cheaper. I'll pass for now and try strapping it with a bit of thin stainless/aluminium. See if it lasts awhile.

[DuncanW]

Hi guys, what should I do with this?

[GardenKit]

Hi guys, what should I do with this?

Sorry for the long delay in replying Duncan. I expect you have it fixed by now, but just in case you have not you need to buy a front RH stub assembly.

[GardenKit]

Its strange how we dealers have to take the blame for everything that happens to a machine after we have serviced it.

I don't mind accepting liability for things we may have not done correctly, or not noticed needed doing. Thats only fair after all.

 

But what is not fair is when we get the blame for operator induced problems.

 

Today a mower was brought in that we serviced 2 months ago.

"it was only serviced two months ago and we have not used it but the engine is hunting badly. i want it sorted" said customer.

 

So I had a look. The mower was caked up underneath with grass and the blade was blunt. There was paint missing all over the front and sides but the cause of the hunting was bits of grass in the petrol in the carb bowl and main jet. A quick clean got it going well but customer not inclined to pay as he said he had not used it since service.

 

The thing is, our services always include a thorough clean of the machine, the blade is sharpened obviously, and the underside of the deck power washed then wax oiled. The topsides are cleaned and resprayed over any missing paint. And the fuel tank is drained and blown out with airline. The carb bowl and jet are blown out and then the machine is filled to the brim with Aspen.

No way was any grass in the fuel system, or anywhere else on the mower when it left us, and it had obviously been well used, the Aspen had all been used and refilled with petrol.

 

Why do the customers think they can lift my leg with their lies?? Do they really think I am daft enough to believe their claims?

Rant over, calm now.

[agg221]

Since you have now calmed down...

 

Anyone happen to have any ideas where to get a main drive double pulley for a very old Wheel Horse? It's a good machine otherwise but currently languishing in a shed since the pulley collapsed.

 

Alec

[GardenKit]

Since you have now calmed down...

 

Anyone happen to have any ideas where to get a main drive double pulley for a very old Wheel Horse? It's a good machine otherwise but currently languishing in a shed since the pulley collapsed.

 

Alec

Alec,If you let me have the model number and product code I will have a look on the IPL's and see if its still available.

 

Barrie

[pycoed]

If you mean the pulley that sits on the nose of the engine & drives the mowing deck, then the bearing can be replaced very simply. Just remove the bearing & take it to a bearing shop to match up for you, or read the bearing number on the original & ask for that.

[tomlt]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm new to Arbtalk, but have been a long time lurker. I'm a chainsaw fanatic normally, but dabble in other things and used to work on Ag Machinery, these days I work in the construction sector.

 

Anyway, last week my Hayter Heritage 13/30 (Briggs 210000 OHV) ride-on started playing up whilst mowing, coughing/spluttering when under load, I immediately knew something wasn't right so stopped mowing and put her in the shed. Now then I've replaced and checked a lot including:- Deck rebuilt with new Jackshaft as the bearings in the old one were showing some signs of wear (but not dead yet), but that didn't cure anything (much to my wallets annoyance).

 

Further investigation showed that the mower was getting really hot, really quick even from stone cold, as little as 10s running the exhaust is >100 deg C. This would normally indicate lean running I thought, so off comes all the filters, cleaned/replaced (Air, Fuel) - not better, so new spark plug - still no better and finally all new fuel (perhaps not the most logical of orders). Anyway after all this it's still the same. Starts and runs fine for 1-2mins until it's really rather warm and then starts to splutter (at which point I've been turning her off to prevent cooking it). It also won't idle at low idle setting which is something it always used to be fine at, it'll idle for maybe 5seconds before dieing.

 

So back to diagnosing this, after all the above I'm starting to suspect the carb is causing it to run lean, so Nikki carb comes off, stripped, checked and given a liberal soaking in carb cleaner, nothing obvious amiss, reassembled and mower fires up right away, but 30s later its starting to miss and getting toasty again.

 

So lastly I'm thinking it must be a valve issue, so check the engine compression in case we have some stuck/leaking valves, compression = 130psi!!!! Quite a bit higher than I was expecting, but more is usually better.

 

So next valve clearances are adjusted per spec (.005" and .007" accordingly) , still no better. Right, so off comes the head and I'm greeted with 10 years to relatively sooty black carbon build up (not too surprising really), so now it's all been cleaned (head, piston & valves) and all back together...fired it up and still the same! GRRRR!

 

I'm at a total loss now beyond trying to find a complete new carb (which seems very expensive), doing a further engine strip incase it's a Camshaft issue (hard to believe given it starts so well) or taking it to the local mower centre and paying £32/hr for them to sort it which I'm a little loathed to do on something I should be able to fix myself being an engineer!

 

Would appreciate anything obvious I might have overlooked.

 

Thanks very much, Tom.

 

PS. This forum is awesome, Gardenkit and Spuds threads have helped me rebuild several saws saved from the scrap pile!

[GardenKit]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm new to Arbtalk, but have been a long time lurker. I'm a chainsaw fanatic normally, but dabble in other things and used to work on Ag Machinery, these days I work in the construction sector.

 

Anyway, last week my Hayter Heritage 13/30 (Briggs 210000 OHV) ride-on started playing up whilst mowing, coughing/spluttering when under load, I immediately knew something wasn't right so stopped mowing and put her in the shed. Now then I've replaced and checked a lot including:- Deck rebuilt with new Jackshaft as the bearings in the old one were showing some signs of wear (but not dead yet), but that didn't cure anything (much to my wallets annoyance).

 

Further investigation showed that the mower was getting really hot, really quick even from stone cold, as little as 10s running the exhaust is >100 deg C. This would normally indicate lean running I thought, so off comes all the filters, cleaned/replaced (Air, Fuel) - not better, so new spark plug - still no better and finally all new fuel (perhaps not the most logical of orders). Anyway after all this it's still the same. Starts and runs fine for 1-2mins until it's really rather warm and then starts to splutter (at which point I've been turning her off to prevent cooking it). It also won't idle at low idle setting which is something it always used to be fine at, it'll idle for maybe 5seconds before dieing.

 

So back to diagnosing this, after all the above I'm starting to suspect the carb is causing it to run lean, so Nikki carb comes off, stripped, checked and given a liberal soaking in carb cleaner, nothing obvious amiss, reassembled and mower fires up right away, but 30s later its starting to miss and getting toasty again.

 

So lastly I'm thinking it must be a valve issue, so check the engine compression in case we have some stuck/leaking valves, compression = 130psi!!!! Quite a bit higher than I was expecting, but more is usually better.

 

So next valve clearances are adjusted per spec (.005" and .007" accordingly) , still no better. Right, so off comes the head and I'm greeted with 10 years to relatively sooty black carbon build up (not too surprising really), so now it's all been cleaned (head, piston & valves) and all back together...fired it up and still the same! GRRRR!

 

I'm at a total loss now beyond trying to find a complete new carb (which seems very expensive), doing a further engine strip incase it's a Camshaft issue (hard to believe given it starts so well) or taking it to the local mower centre and paying £32/hr for them to sort it which I'm a little loathed to do on something I should be able to fix myself being an engineer!

 

Would appreciate anything obvious I might have overlooked.

 

Thanks very much, Tom.

 

PS. This forum is awesome, Gardenkit and Spuds threads have helped me rebuild several saws saved from the scrap pile!

Welcome to the forum Tomit

 

Interesting problem you have there.

 

Just a few thoughts in no particular order.

 

How are you testing compression?, You should not really be able to get 130 psi at cranking speed because of the decompressor on the camshaft.

 

If its running lean you will have a very light grey/white plug so thats worth a check, but if it is lean running thats the problem you should be able to smooth out the engine with the choke partly on, this could help to diagnose.

 

Running lean could get the engine hot, but in reality if there is fuel starvation there won't be much power so not much heat build up. Exhausts do get very hot very quickly so yours may not be over hot and you may be reading too much into it.

 

These engines are prone to head gasket failure. It usually manifests as burning oil though, and as you have had the head off you should know if the gasket was OK, I guess you did fit a new one?

 

Carbs are not too expensive, but you need to be sure thats the trouble before fitting a new one.

 

Make sure the fuel tank is breathing OK, try it with the cap removed. Also check the fuel flow through the primary fuel hose twixt tank and filter, just in case its partially blocked. It could be that it runs OK on the first full float bowl which does not then fill fast enough to keep it running.

 

Might be just worth checking the timing (flywheel key) and the magneto to flywheel gap.

 

Barrie