Category: Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair, Zero Turn Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Lawn Mower Backfires After I Turn The Key Off

Most likely the back fire is coming from the exhaust when the key is turned off and it can be pretty violent. A loud bang sure can scare the heck out of you when it happens!

But why does your lawn mower backfire when you turn off the key?

The reason it does is because there is a solenoid on the bottom of the carburetor that shuts off the supply of fuel when the key is turned off. If this valve fails in the open position, it allows raw fuel to be pulled into the carburetor and the combustion chamber and then it ignites from the heat of the exhaust pipe. Pow!

An easy way to tell if your valve is working is to turn the key to the on position and you should hear a small click from the solenoid valve. You can also hold onto the valve while you turn the key and you will feel it move the solenoid to the open position.

You can remove this fuel solenoid but you must shut off the fuel flow or you may end up having a tank full of fuel on the floor or ground. Hose pinch pliers work well for this.

A test to ensure it is getting 12VDC power to it is also something good to do. Sometimes this valve will get stuck because of the fuel gelling up as the ethanol begins to separate from the gasoline. You can clean it up and then retest it for proper operation.

If you need a professional lawn mower repair shop in your area, visit our Locations page for assistance.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Lawn Mower Moves When in Neutral

A riding lawn mower can move in either forward or reverse direction when in neutral and it can become quite annoying. Creeping is common when the drive linkage is out of adjustment or the transmission has a problem.

The drive linkage on many riding lawn mowers is pretty flimsy in their drive to reduce the cost of the mower. This is the first area to inspect to make an adjustment and check for any debris that may be causing the linkage to bind up.

Sometimes mud will build up in the shifting rod on the transmission, so check for that and a buildup of grass on it as well. Also check to be sure that the linkage is not bound up by rust and will move in its full travel.

Make any adjustments that are necessary and then try to operate the mower normally and see if it still creeps. If it does, it is probably a good time to call in some professional help to get the transmission figured out.

You can find a riding lawn mower transmission repair specialist on our Locations page.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Lawn Mower Dies While Going Uphill

Are you mowing a steep hill and the mower starts surging or popping and then it suddenly dies? That is kind of a scary feeling as now you have to freewheel downhill and hope that the brakes work.

So, if you made it down to the bottom of the hill alright, let’s take a look at a few things that will cause this problem.

The first item that is easy to check is the fuel quantity. If you tank is getting low, the fuel pickup tube may be sucking air and causing the carburetor or fuel injectors to not get fuel. Fill your fuel tank and try to mow up that steep hill again and see if this corrects the problem.

You could have an obstruction in the fuel tank, fuel line or fuel filter. These items will need to be taken apart to visually inspect them for dirt, grass clippings or other debris. As you are mowing up a hill, it is harder to pull the fuel up from the tank and through the lines and filter and any obstruction will prevent the fuel from getting to the carburetor or fuel injectors or fuel pump.

The next item that can cause this problem is the fuel pump. A weak fuel pump cannot maintain the vacuum necessary to pull the fuel as it normally does. Check the vacuum line that connects to the fuel pump for any cuts or cracks and ensure that it is connected well.

Fuel flow can also be tested for what is coming out of the fuel pump while cranking the engine.

If you need a lawn mower mechanic to repair this problem, visit our Locations page for a lawn mower repair shop near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Lawn Mower Deck Belt Keeps Breaking

Are you mowing along and your deck belt starts squealing or smoking and then snap! Yeah….you just broke another one.

But why does this keep happening? In a lot of cases, it is the deck pulleys that are freezing up and causing the belt to slip. When they slip, the rubber burns off of them and before you know it, they break. There could also be some misalignment in the pulleys that is causing the problem or the belt could be routed incorrectly.

Remove the deck to check the pulleys for ease of rotation, proper alignment of the belt and proper routing. Do you have the correct belt for the riding lawn mower? Is it a good quality belt such as an OEM and not an aftermarket one? Some aftermarket belts are made from inferior materials and are not the exact same size as the original OEM one. Even a fraction of an inch can make a difference on some models.

If everything looks good, check the PTO pulley and make sure that it looks in good condition. Check the deck belt guides on the frame and near the PTO. They can come loose and cause the belt to rub. Are you installing the belt correctly around these guides?

If everything checks out and you still have a problem, visit our Locations page for a riding lawn mower repair shop near you.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Lawn Mower Pulls to One Side

When your riding lawn mower pulls to the left or the right or has trouble making tight turns, the front end is obviously the place to start looking.

The first easy thing to check is the tire pressures. On most riding lawn mowers, there should be 15lbs of air on each side. If one is low, it will pull to that side.

The next thing to check is for any bent suspension parts. The tie rods are a common item that gets bent when you hit something with the tire. These can be adjusted or replaced if they are really badly bent.

Also check the wheel bushings or bearing to be sure that they are not worn out. Most riding lawn mowers use an aluminum or brass bushing in a steel wheel with a steel axle. This bushing will wear out before the axle does. It is cheaper to replace bushings than axles.

Sometimes you will get an issue with “toe in” where both wheels are pointing inward. This will tear up the grass and cause the tight turns to tear up the grass as well. You can adjust this with the tie rod adjusters and correct that problem.

If you are still having problems with your riding lawn mower pulling to one side, visit our Locations page for a shop near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding Lawn Mower is Making Blue Smoke

If you are seeing blue smoke coming out of your riding lawn mowers engine, that means it is actually burning oil. This means that the oil is getting into the combustion chamber. It can enter past the piston rings, valve guide or through the crankcase breather.

The first and most simple thing to do is just check the level of the oil to make sure that it is not overfilled. When the oil is overfilled, it will come out of the crankcase breather and into the carburetor throat and then move into the combustion chamber.   And of course when it is in there it will burn and create the blue smoke. Wah Lah!

The problem must be corrected though as it will foul out the spark plug and the engine will die. It will also carbon up the inside of the cylinder and create more problems down the road.

A riding lawn mower repair shop is what you will need to resolve this problem and correctly troubleshoot the issue. Visit our Locations page for a shop near you.

Your riding lawn mower can be repaired and back to good running condition with the right mechanic.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair, Uncategorized

Riding Lawn Mower Brakes Not Working

If your riding lawn mower has some years on it, your brakes may be wearing out. Most riding lawn mower brakes are a very small brake disc and a brake pad.

This system can be prone to getting clogged up with dirt and grass debris. Normally cleaning this debris out will fix the brake problem. If it does not, you will need to adjust the brakes.

There is a small gap in the brake pad holder that will allow you to see if the pad is worn out. If it is, find a replacement brake pad and remove the nut that holds the brake arm in place and replace it. Carefully clean out the area that holds the pad with compressed air.

To adjust the brakes, it is normally just turning the nut in and out. Turning it in makes the brakes firmer and will grab quicker. If you are mowing on hills, your brakes will wear out quicker and the pad may need to be replaced more often.

If you need a lawn mower repair shop to help with your riding lawn mower brakes, visit our Locations page.

With a good brake system your riding lawn mower will work better and result in a better maintained yard.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair, Riding Lawn Mower Repair, Zero Turn Lawn Mower Repair

Lawn Mower Repair Shop Near Me

Are you in need of a lawn mower repair service or shop to work on or fix your lawn mower? When your lawn mower is broken or needs it’s spring service, a good repair shop is what you need to get it repaired or ready for spring.

Your lawn mower works hard for many months of the year and it needs to be in great shape to perform its job. A spring tune-up and a fall storage service is a good idea as well to keep your engine and mower running well all season long.

Our national lawn mower repair shop listing will help you locate a lawn mower repair shop near me and get your mower up and running soon.

Visit our Locations page and check your state and city listings for a lawn mower shop near you.

Fighting a bad running or cutting lawn mower is a pain and when yours is in good shape, it takes the hassle out of your lawn cutting. You don’t have to deal with that and a good lawn mower repair shop can take care of all that for you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair, Riding Lawn Mower Repair, Zero Turn Lawn Mower Repair

Lawn Mower Repair Service Near Me

Are you looking for a local shop to repair your push, self-propelled, riding or zero turn lawn mower?

Visit our Locations page for a shop near you.

Small engine repair shops have been getting harder to find as the older mechanics have been retiring over the years. There are some larger shops but their wait times are often in terms of weeks rather than days.

Our referral site has a lot of smaller shops that can help resolve your small engine problems. The grass doesn’t stop growing just because your lawn mower is broken down, so speed is something that is important. Waiting weeks only means that you will have to borrow a lawn mower or just wait and have a jungle to try and cut when it is ready.

A good lawn mower repair shop takes pride in their work and wants to do a good quality repair. A local shop has their reputation on the line in their community.

Be sure to check for reviews when you are looking for a lawn mower repair shop near you. Check their Google reviews, Facebook and the Better Business Bureau to name a few. After checking the small engine repair business out, call them to see if they can resolve your problem and get a feel for them over the phone to see if they are a right fit for you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

My Riding Lawn Mower Won’t Shut Off With The Key

If your riding lawn mower keeps running in the off position, the key switch may have gone bad or the ground in the ignition coils may have a break in the wire. Mice can also chew these wires and cause this condition. All it takes is for them to chew through the gray or black wire and then the ignition coils will no longer receive a ground signal to kill the spark.

The ignition switch can do the same thing. You turn the key to the off position and if the switch is not working correctly, it will not allow the circuit to connect to ground and kill the spark. All you are doing is providing a path to ground and that is what makes the ignition coils ground out so to speak.

Check the ignition switch first by ohming across the off terminals to see if you have continuity to ground. If you do, the switch is good. If not, replace it.
Remove the blower cover to access the kill wires. Check the wire on top or bottom of the ignition coils and trace it back to see if it has any cuts or breaks in it. You can also ohm it out to ground and to the ignition switch to see if it is a good wire.

If you still cannot figure out why the riding lawn mower won’t shut off with the key, visit our Locations page for a lawn mower repair shop near you.