I got this mower for free about 4years ago. We keep it at the farm property to more the 1-2 acres of grass around the house when were there in the summer. There is no working electronics on it. I just jump it off each time. It had a major malfunction before I got it and was not worth it to me to put it back. Also was missing the hood. Well this time one of the spindles was totally shot, so I brought it home to do the work. One spindle had zero bearings in it and the other the bearing came off the shaft and were spinning free and everything just came apart once it was removed. The list of repairs was... New bushings on both front tires 2 new spindles 2 new blades Oil/filter change New tie rod (replaced one i bent years ago) Carb clean rebuild New hrdrostat belt New blade belt( last time used) New plastic deck wheels New deck bolts (others were half worn through) New bolts on blades and spindles Wire brushed the deck and gave it a coating of the only paint I had (massey Ferguson red) Welded a piece of rebar on the deck lip where it was ripping. The mower is a 1995 model and I think that was the original hydro belt!! I think thats the whole list?
There is a hole thats worn/rusted through on the top center of the deck but I had already started painting g and did not want to booster my pretty paint so I will do that latter after it either starts peeling from lack of prep, wears or I have just used it a few times. Plus I needed it this weekend to go to the farm thursday and stopped at what I had done so far. I will cut some sheet metal and bang it to shape a bit and weld it on the bottom side or just push some quick steel junk in there ?? I dunno?
Don't really see an issue with the 1995 belt. My garden tractor is a 98 6 speed with original belt. I have slipped it a few times (where it was smoking!) trying to ram snow berms but it still works just fine. I have 26" ITP Blackwater tires on the rear which are liquid filled, 100lbs of wheel weight and 200+ lbs of hanging weights off the rear. It takes quite a bit for a tire to slip!
Nate the original belt had a crack 80% of the way through the belt about every 1/2". It was smaller in diameter from slipping. 2 years ago the adjustment pull y bearings seized and it just burnt through the pulley before I caught it. I just put belt back on. And it was s reached about 1.5" s larger than it should be. Was hard to get tight. For $15 and half the stuff out of the way I might as well go all the way. Yea I would say it was not kept up the best. And I dont do as well as I should either but the thing cuts amazing for what it is!! And for only 15hp that kholer engine is strong. Its getting a new tarp or put under the shed this time round!
I just noticed that the axle bushings were worn esp on steering side and the shaft was metal on metal wearing the hole out. Luckily there the same as the wheel bushings. So I took the old wheel bus hi gas and putting them in the axle as there eat better than what's there. Also the carb was fooding the engine??? Maybe some trash in the seat not letting needle close? The float is plastic so I can't bend it to close earlier. Possibly just trash as the fuel inlet nipple had a scale of rust on the inside maybe some of that did not all come off in the carb cleaner and got wed get in the needle/seat?
I'll guess needle has rubber viton tip. See if it has a groove worn in it from the seat. May be a good idea to just replace. Also install a inline fuel shutoff and get in the habit of shutting off gas when not using.
It is a new needle. The old one do sent have more that 2 years and 20 gallons of gas through it. And I told my wife I will just use the shut off now every time. I put the shutoff on for when I leave for weeks at the time as I was getting crystal deposits in the bowl and seizing the old needle as the fuel evaporated. So I will just cut the fuel now. The think ran better than ever after the rebuild this time and I am just tired of fooling with it. I will do as I and you had concluded and just going to cut fuel for any long term period of non use...say for more than 39 mins?
You can actually see the cutoff in the pic from the left side of the mower. Its forward of the fuel tank about halfway up the motor in the gap between it and the green sheet metal. About level with the oil filter vertically and almost directly below the oil filter box on top of the motor. Its red.
I have a toro rider with a briggs and have rebuilt the carb and still use the shutoff. I feel just holding back that pressure from the tank full of gas can help. Pics are small on my iPhone. I missed shutoff.
Yea I'm on my phone too. I can see it once I zoom in, plus I know where it is I was thinking the same too about the pressure cause it was a full tank of fuel which is like a gallon and a half. Plus this carb body the AL has some pitting from water corrosion so no telling if the bras has some small pits or is worn out larger than it should from years of use? Its a fixed seat so I can't change that.
That's most likely a Walbro LMK carb on that Kohler. They are notorious for leaking needle valves. Replacing the needle and seat will stop it for a while. I highly recommend a shut-off valve on all gravity feed fuel systems.
The seat is non replaceable. Have to buy the carb body. Good call it is the LMK carb. I bought the walbro repair kit. All I used is the needle the float shaft and bowl gasket. I got the whole rebuilt kit a few years ago with a new float.. this time I soaked it I'm cleaner.
The viton tipped needles can get a groove worn into them and that will prevent them from sealing well.
That should read the old one is viton? The new one is most likely viton too. Its an oem part and every thing I have seen in needles is viton. The old one I did not see a groove and it was only a few yrs old.
