# Any of you guys drive your mowers



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

Might be hard to believe for some but it is true my boss was fixin to haul this mower to the scrapper. Said it would no longer start and the carb was prob. messed up. He has money so no appreciation for things. 

Anyway he gave it to me a couple days ago and I sorta pulled apart the carb and believe I found out where it was plugged and cleaned it out kinda. 

Electric start key still does not work and the batteries toast so I have to jump it directly off the starter. 

Fired right off pretty quick, drove it around the shop a bit and seemed to run fine. 

I could tell he regretted giving it too me and knew I better get it home but am in between trucks right now. 

I decided to drive it home, 15.3 miles and never gave me gave bit of problem. I had no idea how long the fuel would last in the tank so I strapped on an extra gallon behind the seat with the ole bunjy cord. 

Went thru approx 3/4 of that tank. not sure how many gallons it holds but I think thats pretty good gas mileage. 

Slow going though in high all the way, took between 2.5 and 3 hours to make the trip but it was worth it as now I have a new toy to fiddle around with, I plan to install a battery and see if that fixes the ignition problem, Ill get the lights and everything working and clean it up and wax it. 

They said they never changed the oil and I promised it before I started out that if it got me home I would give it a fresh change so that will be first on the list. 

I dont know if this would be seen as a good mower or junk but I would like to hear your opinions of it, I will never be able to say it is junk though.


----------



## Don L (Jul 14, 2012)

I think it passed the test by going 15 miles,if it cuts grass that would just be icing on the cake.I don't think I'd make it a daily driver unless you have too much time on your hands.
If you need parts for it the model number for the mower should be on a sticker on the underside of the seat,model,type and date code for engine parts should be stamped into the valve cover on the front of the engine if not on a tag on top of the engine.
I think you got a deal.:thumbsup:


----------



## Rentahusband (Aug 25, 2008)

Ones mans junk, is another's treasure. Those that have money just see it as disposable and buy new when it does not work. You drove it 15 miles. That was definatly a test and seems as though it passed, being you made it . A little tlc and you got a great deal. Nothing beats free!! A neighbor of mine was going to junk a snowblower as the repair shop said it had a burned valve. I offered to take it and look at it. Valves were fine. I cleaned carb, replaced muffler and sold it to another neighbor.


----------



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

I was told it cut grass like I couldnt imagine but was also told that one of the blades, I guess their are two, ( I havent even look under it yet ) will not come off, they say they put their biggest impact wrench on it, I am kinda afraid to look at this point. 

My plan was that if I ever had a cop go by me on a portion that I ran out of sidewalk and was on the main road ( and I thought hes gonna bust my chops ) to just drop the deck and start mowing so he would think I was a county worker maybe or the property owner. 

In hindsight I should have found and orange vest to wear or at least carried a garbage bag with a picker upper like the convicts do.


----------



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

I was told today that there is going to be possibly a bad ignition solenoid on this unit and that is why the key will not work to start it, can anyone tell me where this might be on the tractor and what to look for. I am hoping its not overly expensive to replace.

Also I would like to find the information pertaining to the make model ect of the mower so that I can maybe go on-line and find any info I may need in the future, any ideas on where I might find these numbers?


----------



## Don L (Jul 14, 2012)

In front of the seat there will be a cover with the forward/reverse shifter lever coming through it.Remove the knob from the lever by unscrewing it and remove the two phillips head screws holding the cover down and you can remove it by manuvering it a little.Might help to move the seat all the way back.The solenoid will be under this cover at the rear.To test hook a jumper wire to the positive battery terminal and touch to the small wire terminal on the solenoid.This bypasses all the safety switches and ignition switch.If it cranks the solenoid is good.I would also try pulling the deck lift lever back while trying to start as it's fairly common for the deck engagement safety switch to get out of adjustment.This is also located under the previously mentioned cover.
As far as the blade is concerned;
If worse comes to worse you can remove the large nut on the top of the deck spindle pulley and tap the shaft and blade out together and replace the shaft,blade and blade nut. just do'nt try to unbolt the aluminum spindle housing from the deck because the bolts will almost always snap off and then you will have to replace the spindle as an assembly.More$$$.This deck is'nt the easiest to remove but it is'nt that hard and if you have to do more than change blades I think its worth the trouble.
So far it sounds like you have fairly easy and inexpensive things to fix,you should be up and mowing soon.


----------



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

Don L said:


> In front of the seat there will be a cover with the forward/reverse shifter lever coming through it.Remove the knob from the lever by unscrewing it and remove the two phillips head screws holding the cover down and you can remove it by manuvering it a little.Might help to move the seat all the way back.The solenoid will be under this cover at the rear.To test hook a jumper wire to the positive battery terminal and touch to the small wire terminal on the solenoid.This bypasses all the safety switches and ignition switch.If it cranks the solenoid is good.I would also try pulling the deck lift lever back while trying to start as it's fairly common for the deck engagement safety switch to get out of adjustment.This is also located under the previously mentioned cover.
> As far as the blade is concerned;
> If worse comes to worse you can remove the large nut on the top of the deck spindle pulley and tap the shaft and blade out together and replace the shaft,blade and blade nut. just do'nt try to unbolt the aluminum spindle housing from the deck because the bolts will almost always snap off and then you will have to replace the spindle as an assembly.More$$$.This deck is'nt the easiest to remove but it is'nt that hard and if you have to do more than change blades I think its worth the trouble.
> So far it sounds like you have fairly easy and inexpensive things to fix,you should be up and mowing soon.


VERY nice Don, thanks for your reply...........I am not apposed to learning the hard way but life keeps getting shorter every day and sometimes it is nice to get a break from the hard way. 

Anyway I was able to find the solenoid yesterday on my own, I spent the day out there and feel like I got nothing accomplished but I did find the solenoid exactly where you mention, it was rusty and crusty, I did not even bother testing it but am just replacing it because of its condition, these guys that owned this mower really have too much money........

Anyway a 15 dollar part installed but not tested yet, I am still in the middle of replacing/fabricating a battery tray, the original again abused, what a dumb place to orient a battery, the pulley below the battery looks rough.....still serviceable though and I am sure it will be fine but also very rusty. 

I am also in the middle of trying to put a band-aid on the battery cables as I guess the ends fell off at one point and so I had to find new terminal ends and will be crimping them on this A.M. 

They had the wire just wrapped around the bolts that went thru the battery lugs. 

Also bought a new battery, they wanted 60 dollars at all the mower shops and while I try and patronize the small business as often as I can H.D had the same battery 10 dollars cheaper. 

There was no way EITHER of the nuts were coming off the spindles that hold the mower blades in place so I had to grind the nuts off, I ended up driving around many hours yesterday to various mower shops trying to get two of the correct nuts, those nuts are nearly 5 dollars a piece by the way, I like to replace original equipment with original equipment though so a plain old nut with a big flat washer and a lock was not what I wanted. 

I damaged just a little bit of some of the threads on one of the shafts yesterday by grinding down to far, the new nut did not have an issue going on and is good and tight though so I am thinking I will be fine but it is good to know that there is a way to replace the nut and shaft and you make it sound relatively inexpensive. 

I was also able to determine the model number yesterday by calling the manuf. It is Model # 13AM670G088, I need to see if an owners manual is avail free on-line, I bet it is. It is a 2000 model. 

I will have to very soon look into replacing both of what I am assuming are the original belts, I am shocked that the one belt used to get me home the other day made it, literally chunks missing from it. 

Do you know if I will have to pull of the deck to do this? Sure looks like it, replacing the belts does not looks like a fun job. 

Have changed the oil also already and am hoping to fire it up this A.M hopefully before lunchtime. Crossing my fingers it will still start, I dont see why it would not but you know how that goes.


----------



## Don L (Jul 14, 2012)

I forgot to mention checking the ignition switch terminals for corrosion.The battery terminal tends to rust,I suppose because it's always energized.
I think you can change the transmission belts without pulling the deck,however you will need to remove the engine pulley which may be rusted on.Be careful as they are easy to bend and ruin if you try to pry them off.On some mowers I remove the four bolts holding the engine down and lift the engine enough to work the belt on.I usually do this on mowers with an electric PTO clutch but it may be possible on yours.If you do get lucky and get the pulley to slip off I highly recommend applying anti seize compound to the pulley before reinstalling just in case you have to remove it again.I've had to cut a lot these pulleys off because they were damaged by someone trying to remove them.
I've had really good luck with Thermoid brand belts,a lot cheaper than original,great quality and made in the USA.Just be sure the part numbers match the original (a 754-0280 is the same as a 954-0280 ).A regular V belt won't work right,the original is flatter and wider.The Thermoid number would be REP954-0280,if it has an A or B after it that won't matter.These are just examples,I did'nt look up your belt numbers.
I've also had good luck with Jack's Small Engine,good parts lookup site,fast shipping and helpful fluent english speaking support when I could'nt find my model number online.
:wave:


----------



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

Don L said:


> I forgot to mention checking the ignition switch terminals for corrosion.The battery terminal tends to rust,I suppose because it's always energized.
> I think you can change the transmission belts without pulling the deck,however you will need to remove the engine pulley which may be rusted on.Be careful as they are easy to bend and ruin if you try to pry them off.On some mowers I remove the four bolts holding the engine down and lift the engine enough to work the belt on.I usually do this on mowers with an electric PTO clutch but it may be possible on yours.If you do get lucky and get the pulley to slip off I highly recommend applying anti seize compound to the pulley before reinstalling just in case you have to remove it again.I've had to cut a lot these pulleys off because they were damaged by someone trying to remove them.
> I've had really good luck with Thermoid brand belts,a lot cheaper than original,great quality and made in the USA.Just be sure the part numbers match the original (a 754-0280 is the same as a 954-0280 ).A regular V belt won't work right,the original is flatter and wider.The Thermoid number would be REP954-0280,if it has an A or B after it that won't matter.These are just examples,I did'nt look up your belt numbers.
> I've also had good luck with Jack's Small Engine,good parts lookup site,fast shipping and helpful fluent english speaking support when I could'nt find my model number online.
> :wave:


Thanks for the info, a couple of questions on some very good points you brought up, you said ..........The battery terminal tends to rust...........This is a major problem with mine where it ( the negative of course ) attaches to the frame, I can obviously grind the metal down to somewhat cleanliness but do you have any suggestions on a conductive coating to re-apply to the area to help prevent future or continued issues, maybe a die-electric grease? 

You also mentioned ..........remove the engine pulley which may be rusted on.Be careful as they are easy to bend and ruin............I have been wondering if there are special pullers for these pulleys, what are your suggestions for removing a stubborn unit? 


.......A regular V belt won't work ..............Good info, I would not have known otherwise. 

Couple of more questions.............I have an older craftsman mower at work, another one my boss literally had upside down in the scrap trailer, its a big wheel and a few years old, deck is like new......whole rolling chassis is like new, he said it was locked up, couldnt be fixed. It was not locked up for me. 

Since tinkering with it, cleaning out the carb, changing the oil, removing the blade which resembled a pretzel I have found that his thoughts of it being locked up prob. originated from the fact that there is major oil leakage past the piston, I am assuming at this point that there is going to be so much oil that it gives a hydro-lock impression eventually. 

I have pulled the head off and see no scoring of the cylinder although there is an area that looks like it got hot at one point maybe, maybe I am seeing it incorrectly, there is a dark stain on the jug, anyway I know the mower is not worth much from a material standpoint but what I might learn from it would outweigh any of that other non-sense. 

I am assuming like automotive there are at least two or three rings, I am assuming two compression rings and one oil ring......I am wondering if maybe we have a broken oil ring? 

I know without giving a model number or even type of engine it is very difficult to comment but I do not have these numbers avail to me at this time but will get them if need be. 

I thought ( just as a sidenote ) that lawnmower engines were split case like Volkswagen, this engine does not appear to be, it is just the standard average engine. 

I am wondering if I can just buy an oil ring, can I just by any of the needed rings separately like this. 

I know I am prob waay in over my head, beauty is that it never has to run again although it sure would be neat if it did. 

Ideally I would like to clean up the cylinder, ( I dont know if I would even go as far though as honing it out ) re-installing rings if that was what was needed and go from there. 

What do you think? 

I am also wondering is their a special puller typically to pull flywheels off of these lawnmower engines? 

P.S. I plan to post this very same question on another forum, I believe that there are many ways to look at different problems and its helpful to hear different approaches. Thanks for all your help


----------



## Don L (Jul 14, 2012)

There are spray can rust inhibitors for battery terminals,probably available at the local auto parts store.
A badly flooding carb can fill the cylinder with fuel causing it to lock up.We still have a large stain on our back door from the time I removed the spark plug from a single cylinder lawn tractor which was locked up and hit the starter switch.Suprising how far a 3" piston can shoot gasoline from a 1/2" hole.
If the engine pulley won't slip off I try to avoid removing it.If I have to get it off I almost always end up destroying the pulley so I try remove it as quickly as possible.I have'nt tried a cutting torch yet out of fear of melting the crankshaft seal and/or setting the machine on fire.I use an air chisel and die grinder fitted with a solid carbide bur to split the pulley along the keyway.The die grinder is'nt required but since I have one I use it.
If someone out there has a better method please share it,my method is time consuming,noisy and unpleasant.


----------



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

Ok Thanks


----------



## 1930 (Apr 14, 2013)

If any of you guys are interested I have another thread going on here http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119021

that might be of interest. 

I was planning on making the thread on both forums but there are at least a couple of guys on this forum that are really doing a great job of keeping me informed and up to date on the situation and my picture deal on this forum is running out I guess. 

I do however appreciate all the nice people on this forum and so thought I would share what I think is another interesting topic.


----------

