Riding Lawn Mower Repair

Riding lawn mower repair can cost a lot. A lot of issues however can be resolved pretty easily. We will show the most common problems below and how to repair them. Riding lawn mower repair will require some basic knowledge of parts and the location of them in order to replace and clean them.

To start you first have to diagnose the problem:

Riding Lawn Mower Has No Power

• At the end of the season you should always remove the left over gas in your mower. Do not start the new mowing season with left over gas. Same goes for old engine oil, check the oil and change if needed.
• After that check the spark plugs and replace those which are old or damaged.
• Check if the air filter isn’t clogged or dirty. If so clean or even replace if needed.
• If your mower isn’t properly oiled lubricate it.
• Double check if the valved and piston rings are properly sealed
• The choke must be clean. If it’s clogged clean it.
• Head gasket can wear out or even blown. Check yours and replace if needed.

 Lawn Mower Vibrates or Overheats
Vibrations are caused due to not properly mounted engines. Unscrew, balance and remount the engine. It can also vibrate to a lack of counterbalance or bent crankshaft. These conditions are hard to repair. So if the vibration isn’t solved after properly mounting the engine this will most likely cause it.

If the engine is making a knocking sound the engine could be overheated. Double check that the connection rod and flywheel are secured. Another reason an engine is overheating is due to carbon that has built up. This can be easily cleaned.

Lawn Mower Dies After Starting

• Start with cleaning your fuel if your lawn mower dies after starting it
• Clean the muffler if it’s clogged.
• Double check the air filter and clean or replace if needed.
• Check the shut-off valve to see if it’s closed.
• Fuel tank vent could be blocked and if so requires proper cleaning.

If the points above don’t fix it it’s most likely a bad caburetor. Check youtube as there are various how-to cleaning movies to be found.

Riding Lawn Mower Will Not Start at All

• Check if the ignition switch is turned on. Some mowers have a safety cutoff switch and the mower will not start if its defective.
• Check the fuel level. After you tried starting it a few times the engine might be flooded. Turn of the fuel and restart the mower, after restarting turn of the fuel.
• Check your throttle settings to see if you started your mower in the correct settings.
• Check the fuel tank for water.
• Check that the terminal covers are covering the spark plugs. Clean the spark plugs if needed and replace the defective plugs.

It’s fun to ride around the yard on the mower, watching scrubby grass (and weeds) turn into trimmed lawn. However, when the grass looks as bad after you mow as it did before, or the mower doesn’t want to start, riding mowers aren’t as much fun. We have the solution for the most common problems.

How Does It Work?

Components of a typical riding lawn mower.
A riding lawn mower is a gas-powered machine for cutting grass. The engine turns a rotating blade that cuts the top off the grass blades to a specified height. The operator sits atop the mower on a tractor-type seat with speed and height controls nearby. Riding mowers also can be used to pull small utility carts for other yard jobs. Other grass cutters include the reel lawn mower and the rotary lawn mower.

What Can Go Wrong?
The mower may cut poorly or unevenly. The V-belts may slip or come off during use. The belt may squeal or wear quickly. The mower may vibrate excessively when the clutch is engaged. The mower may be hard to shift or may not move when the clutch is engaged. The engine may not start, may lose power, or may die during use.

• How Can I Identify the Problem?
  If grass is poorly or unevenly cut, try mowing at a slower speed and adjusting the engine speed with instructions in your owner’s manual. Scrape away any dried grass and other debris caked under the mower deck. Sharpen or replace dull or bent blades (see the Rotary Lawn Mower Fix-It Guide). Check and replace a worn belt.
• If the V-belt slips or comes off during use, clear any debris in the belt area, adjust the drive-belt tension (see below), or have the belt replaced. Adjust and tighten pulley fasteners or have a service center replace worn parts.
• If the belt squeals or wears excessively, adjust the drive-belt tension (see below) and look for obstructions around the belt. If that doesn’t work, take the mower in for professional service.
• If the mower vibrates excessively when the clutch is engaged, scrape away any debris accumulated under the deck. Balance the blade (see the Rotary Lawn Mower Fix-It Guide) and replace the blade if needed. If that fails, adjust drive-belt tension (see below). If you find that the drive belt, pulley, or other belt-drive part is damaged, consider having it replaced by a professional.
• If the mower is hard to shift or doesn’t move when the clutch is engaged, adjust the drive-belt tension (see below). Also make sure the mower is lubricated according to the owner’s manual specifications. As needed, have the mower serviced for damaged or maladjusted clutch/brake pedal linkage.
• If the engine doesn’t start, loses power, or dies during use, see the Small Engine Fix-It Guide for additional suggestions.

What Parts, Materials, and Tools Do I Need?
Replacement parts are available from lawn mower repair services or the manufacturer. Tools needed to fix a riding lawn mower include these:

• Screwdrivers
• Wrenches
• Scrap lumber
• Leather work gloves

What Are the Steps to Fixing It?

Remove the mower deck:

1. Make sure that the parking brake is locked.
2. Place scrap lumber under the front and rear of the deck.
3. Use the deck lever to lower the deck.
4. Remove attachments from the deck.
5. Remove the blade drive belt from the front pulley.
6. Remove the front and rear deck fasteners, following instructions in your owner’s manual.
7. Use the deck lever to raise the deck.
8. Remove the scrap lumber.
9. Remove the deck from under the mower.

Adjust the drive belt:

1. Remove the belt from the large idler pulley.
2. Remove the belt from the adjustable idler pulley.
3. Carefully remove the spring-loaded large idler pulley.
4. Loosen the adjustable idler pulley and move it slightly toward the rear of the mower to tighten it–or move it toward the front to loosen it–and retighten the pulley.
5. Replace the belt.
6. Check belt tension and readjust as needed

Tips

• Save yourself some time and money. Pull out the owner’s manual for your riding lawn mower and determine what regular maintenance is needed, then mark the jobs on your calendar. Taking care of your mower will pay off by ensuring a longer working life at lower costs.
• Larger riding mowers typically have a safety switch that stops the engine if the driver leaves the seat with the transmission in gear or the parking brake off. If the engine won’t start, test the switch.