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Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Why Should I Hire a Certified Technician To Repair My Lawn Mower?

With the ever increasing technology that is being delivered in today’s lawn mowers, the technicians that repair them must be well educated to that technology. Fuel injection is now working its way down to riding lawn mowers and will soon be on smaller mowers such as self-propelled machines.

Electronic Fuel Injection requires a different set of tools and equipment t repair them. A computer, software and cabling plus the knowledge to use those new tools is mandatory to repair these machines. In fact, many shops don’t have those tools and are unable to properly troubleshoot them.

The leading engine manufacturers such as Briggs and Stratton, Honda, Kawasaki and Kohler all have EFI controlled engines. These engine builders all have their own unique certifications.

Briggs & Stratton – Master Service Technician

Honda – Master Service Technician

Kawasaki – Kawasaki Engine Certified

Kohler – Expert Level Certified

These are the top level certifications and with them comes a great deal of knowledge and experience working on the engines.

By hiring a Certified Technician to work on your lawn mower, you will have the best trained individual with experience in their field to ensure the repairs are done properly and accurately.

Do you need a professional lawn mower repair shop in your area? Click here to find one Lawn Mower Repair Shop

 

 

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

How To Winterize Your Lawn Mower

It’s that time of the year when the lawn mowing is winding down and it is time to put it away. I know some of you are glad to be through with mowing while others find it as a way to relax and get away from the world for a while.

To make your lawn mower last as long as possible, your end of season storage procedure will help extend its life so let’s get started.

1. Clean the entire lawn mower. If you have a leaf blower or air compressor, open the hood and blow out all the grass and dirt. Next blow all the grass clippings, sticks and leaves off the mower deck. Lift up the seat and then blow the dirt from under it and off the transmission as well.

2. Clean and scrape the deck. If the blades need sharpening, now is a good time to accomplish this.

3. Fill the tires to their proper pressures. For most riders that is 10psi at the rear and 15 in the front.

4. Grease all the fittings for the steering, wheels and deck.

5. Check the deck and drive belts for wear, cracking or splitting and replace as necessary.

6. Change the air and fuel filters.

7. Put fuel stabilizer in the tank and mix according to the directions.

8. Clean the battery terminals and apply battery terminal protector.

9. Start the engine and let it warm up.

10. Change the oil and filter.

Now your lawn mower will be ready for next spring and it should start and run great. If you have a battery tender, it’s a good idea to put the battery on it so it will provide a trickle charge all winter long.

Happy Mowing!

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

One Drive Wheel Stopped Turning on My Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

 

Today’s self-propelled lawn mowers either have steel or plastic drive gears. The steel gears never seem to wear out but their spring loaded woodruf keys that are on the axle can rest and stick in place. When this happens, one side or both can stop working.

If you have a plastic drive gear on the wheel, it can wear out and stop pulling the drive wheel.

In either case the drive wheels will need to be removed and the drive system inspected. While you are at it, inspect the drive belt for wear. If it is loose or rides deep in the groove, it is time for a replacement.

Carefully inspect the drive gears to make sure they are not missing any teeth or are worn out. Grass clippings can also get into them and fill the grooves between the teeth. Clean them out good and replace any worn parts. Also check the drive shaft on models that use the spring and woodruf key. Clean out the slots and ensure everything is dry and free of grease and dirt.

If this project is more than you want to tackle, visit our Locations page for a self-propelled lawn mower repair shop near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My Lawn Mower Blades Wear Out Quickly

Lawn mower blades normally last a long time and if yours are wearing out quickly, there are probably some external factors that you might not think about.

My first question is, are you cutting your grass when it has dew on it or is wet from rain? Water is very tough on lawn mower blades. Water is a solid and when the blade hits it, it quickly dulls the blade and begins to wear it out. Wait until the grass dries before you mow each time and this will place a lot less wear on those lawn mower blades.

Do you have tough grasses in your area? If you live in the south, this could be your problem. Thick lush grass will quickly wear out those lawn mower blades as well. Try cutting it more frequently or change to a different blade that is designed to handle these types of grasses. Better quality steel is the answer here.

Is there a lot of sand in your lawn? Sand is the big killer of lawn mower blades. You can upgrade to a better grade steel, but the sand is going to continue to wear out those blades.

For help selecting a lawn mower blade in your area, visit our Locations page for a small engine repair shop near you.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair

The Pull the Cord on my Lawn Mower Won’t Move

Are you trying to pull the cord to start your lawn mower and it just won’t budge? You try to yank on it and it is just stuck?

It could be something very simple that is causing this problem or something a little more in-depth.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that you are pulling down on the Safety Brake Cable. If the brake is engaged, it makes it much harder to pull the starter rope.

If that doesn’t do the trick, remove the spark plug boot from the spark plug and check to see if a stick or rock is not bound up in the blade.

Still a problem? Remove the dipstick, wipe it off and then re-check the oil level. If it is very low or you don’t see any on the dipstick, the engine could be seized up due to a lack of oil.

The other possibility but it is not likely is that the pull starter itself is bad. You will have to remove it to test it.

If you need help with your pull cord on your lawn mower, visit our Locations page for a lawn mower repair shop near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

I Turn the Key on My Riding Lawn Mower and Nothing Happens

This can be frustrating when you have a yard that needs mowed and you get nothing when the key is turned.

Let’s see if we can turn some of that frustration into a mower that starts and runs.

Check easy first.

Is the mower in gear? If so, place it in neutral. Is the PTO switch engaged? If so, disengage it. Do you have the clutch pedal pressed completely down? If not, press it in further. Are you sitting on the seat? You must be in the seated position on some mowers before they will start.

Is the main fuse blown? You can find it either under the hood or under the seat near the battery. It will always be located near the battery in almost all riding lawn mowers.

If the fuse is good, have the battery tested at your local parts store or check for voltage with a volt meter or VOM. Also check the battery terminal connections to ensure that they are clean of any corrosion and tight.

If the problem still persists, it is time to call in a professional riding lawn mower repair technician. Check our Locations page for one near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

How To Prepare Your Lawn Mower For Spring

If your lawn mower has sat all winter long, there are some items that will need to be accomplished to ensure that it is ready for a year of mowing.

The first item should be a thorough tune-up. The oil will need to be changed, so start the mower and warm it up for about 5 minutes. Now change the oil and use what the manufacturer recommends.

The next times would be the air filter and spark plug. After you change them, blow off the dirt and dust off the engine and deck using compressed air. Lubricate the control cables with a dry film lubricant such as dry silicone.

Remove the spark plug cable and then remove the lawn mower blade and scrape the deck. Sharpen and balance the blade and install it and torque it to the manufacturers specifications.

Check the drive wheels and lubricate them with dry silicone as well. Remove the nut or bolt that holds the wheel on and lubricate both the axle and the drive gears.

Re-install the spark plug cable and  fill the mower with fresh gas and then test it to ensure that all of the functions are working properly. If everything works like normal, you are ready to mow your lawn!

If you need a professional in your area to ensure your lawn mower is ready for spring, visit our Locations page for help.

 

Outdoor Power Equipment Reviews, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair

Why should I buy a Honda Lawn Mower?

That is a very good question and when you compare Honda lawn mowers with other brands, the reasons become pretty obvious.

The biggest reason in my opinion is quality. You are going to pay a little more for a Honda lawn mower, but I have seen them come into my small engine repair shop that are more than 20 years old. You won’t see many other brands that will come even close to lasting that long.

Honda starts out with a very dependable engine. Their self-propelled and push mowers typically use a GCV type engine in 160 or 190cc. This is plenty of power to mow your lawn and pull the mower up hills easily. As long as you keep the oil changed and do the required maintenance, these engines are pretty bulletproof.

The decks on a Honda are either steel or plastic. Both of these are pretty rugged and the steel decks will almost never rust through. As long as you keep the deck scraped of the wet grass buildup, rust will not be a big issue.

The controls are pretty intuitive and are built fairly well. They require some lubrication and maintenance and the cables will go bad in them just like any other self-propelled or push mower.

Drive systems are a big one and Honda spares no expense here. They use steel on steel gears instead of a steel drive gear and a plastic mating one on the drive wheel like a lot of competitors.

Honda uses a Twin Blade system on some of their mowers. This cuts the grass very fine and helps to mulch it as well. This is another plus to a good looking lawn.

All in all, Honda puts quality in every aspect of their lawn mowers and it is money well spent to keep your yard looking great.

Riding Lawn Mower Repair

When I Start My Riding Lawn Mower it Throws Oil Everywhere

You talk about a mess…yes this is one mess maker for sure. You turn the key and start your riding lawn mower up and then spots of oil appear all over your deck and the ground. But what could be causing this?

Well, there are a few things that can cause this. The more common one is the crankshaft oil seal at the bottom of the engine. To check this, a mirror and a flashlight are helpful to be able to see if it is leaking. Oil will normally pool in the drive pulley that is connected to the bottom of the crankshaft. When the pulley starts to turn during starting, the oil is centrifugally slung out of it and spews everywhere.

If the leak is not there, you can move onto the oil drain plug. It could be a square drive plug in the bottom of the crankcase or a twist lock style with a cap on it. These have a tendency to unscrew over time and loosen up. Check them for tightness.

Next check the crankcase seal itself. There is a seal between the two crankcase parts that must be intact and tight to prevent oil from leaking. If that is good it is onto the oil filter. Make sure that it is not leaking as well.

Another possibility is the valve cover gaskets or the cylinder heads themselves. So check them to be sure that they are not leaking.

When you find the source of the leak, contact a riding lawn mower repair professional on our locations page for assistance.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Mower Will Not Move

If your riding lawn mower will not move under power, check the following things to see if you can discover why it is not moving.

First check the tow rod to ensure that it is pushed in. It is normally located at the back of the rider and is a small wire rod that pushes in and pulls out.

Make sure the gear selector is in gear and any Hi or Lo levers are not in neutral.

Check the brake to ensure that it is not set to on.

If you have checked all those and it still doesn’t move, look under the mower and check to see if the belts are on their pulleys and that the belt has not broken. There are either one or two belts in the drive system. One goes from the engine crankshaft pulley to the transmission and another may go from a separate pulley to the transmission.

If everything looks fine, then it is time to call in a lawn mower specialist to look at this problem and resolve it. Check our locations page for a small engine repair shop near you.