My mower sounds like this, is it done?

[LittleLebowski]

http://youtu.be/5Tih8oKVm7U

[Joe in PNG]

Pack it full of tannerite and shoot it from @20 yards.

[LittleLebowski]

Pack it full of tannerite and shoot it from @20 yards.

I hit my quota for shooting related injuries a long time ago.

[SecondsCount]

That just sounds like a bad running engine.

Does it have a knocking sound? Is it blowing black or blue smoke?

[Joe in PNG]

I hit my quota for shooting related injuries a long time ago.

You also have the intelligence to know why that's a realllly bad idea.

[LittleLebowski]

That just sounds like a bad running engine.

Does it have a knocking sound? Is it blowing black or blue smoke?

It sounds like chunks are moving around in there. I was mowing and heard a ticking become the sound of chunks and then it died and won't start now. Happened quickly.

[SecondsCount]

It sounds like chunks are moving around in there. I was mowing and heard a ticking become the sound of chunks and then it died and won't start now. Happened quickly.

It is probably done. Drain the oil and see if there is metal flake in it.

[Malamute]

Is it a rider?

The chunky sounds sound bad.

May not work for you or a rider, but I was renting from a guy years ago and mowed the lawn as part of the deal. The mower died. I was mortified. The guy said "Don't worry about it, I buy them at estate sales for $5 or $10, when they go, I just get another one out, I have 3 or 4 more in the shop".

[SecondsCount]

Is it a rider?

The chunky sounds sound bad.

May not work for you or a rider, but I was renting from a guy years ago and mowed the lawn as part of the deal. The mower died. I was mortified. The guy said "Don't worry about it, I buy them at estate sales for $5 or $10, when they go, I just get another one out, I have 3 or 4 more in the shop".

In my younger years I typically had 8-10 mowers in my garage. It started out that I needed a part for my mower and found one in the trash like it with the part I needed. Next thing I knew I had a whole bunch and was keeping friends, family, and neighbors supplied. It was enough of a side business to pay for my ammo and a gun every year. Most mowers only required the carb cleaned and an oil change.

[RevolverRob]

It sounds like chunks are moving around in there. I was mowing and heard a ticking become the sound of chunks and then it died and won't start now. Happened quickly.

I had that happen once...it was mowing and then a rod went through the block...If it died and won't start, consider yourself lucky. Lawnmowers aren't exactly solidly built for high velocity parts escapage...

[Malamute]

In my younger years I typically had 8-10 mowers in my garage. It started out that I needed a part for my mower and found one in the trash like it with the part I needed. Next thing I knew I had a whole bunch and was keeping friends, family, and neighbors supplied. It was enough of a side business to pay for my ammo and a gun every year. Most mowers only required the carb cleaned and an oil change.

Someone parked a mower next to the dumpster near a place I lived for a while. Being the curious sort, I went and looked at it,...pulled the rope a few times, nothing. Got looking closer,...had the handle you had to squeeze before starting, and would kill the mower if you took your hands off it. The cable needed adjusting. After adjusting it started right up. Gave it to a GF that needed a mower.

Another mower thing, many have a low oil kill switch. If it dies (not the chunking sound), check the oil. Had a generator once that kept dying as I was building a place. It just leaked oil and would shut off now and then. Had me worried the first time.

[LittleLebowski]

Yeah, something definitely broke inside. There goes the suppressor and reloading budget... Been looking at smaller zero turn mowers but will prolly get a clean, used riding mower.

[GJM]

LL, I thought you loaned your lawnmower to a buddy? Ever considered a dude from Wyoming might not know how to properly care for a lawnmower, in that WY has like no grass except a patch in Lander.

[LittleLebowski]

LL, I thought you loaned your lawnmower to a buddy? Ever considered a dude from Wyoming might not know how to properly care for a lawnmower, in that WY has like no grass except a patch in Lander.

I loaned my push mower to an SME here, it's still fine. The Wyoming lawns have been hurting with the damn rabbits undergoing another decade-ish population surge.

[Hambo]

Yeah, something definitely broke inside. There goes the suppressor and reloading budget... Been looking at smaller zero turn mowers but will prolly get a clean, used riding mower.

If it's not mortally wounded you could have the engine rebuilt.

[LittleLebowski]

If it's not mortally wounded you could have the engine rebuilt.

I'm told that this would easily cost $200-$300, thoughts?

[Hambo]

I'm told that this would easily cost $200-$300, thoughts?

1-How long do you think the rest of the mower would last if nothing had happened to the engine? If the whole thing is on it's last leg, look for another mower.
2-Who built the engine? IIRC some are worth rebuilding, others are not.
3-Can you live without a mower for whatever time it will take?
4-Assuming 1, 2, and 3 are positive, I'd tear the engine down. Usually with small shops, they don't charge to look at your crate of parts and say "junk" or "yeah, I can fix that."

Of course you may get to #4 and be looking for another mower, but in Hambo Math: suppressor>lawn mower=find a way to salvage can budget.

[SJC3081]

I had a similar sound from my log splitter. The blower cover is the part that you bolt the pull start assembly too there are 4 bolt studs and 10nm nuts that secure the pull start. Sometimes the stud breaks loose and gets caught blower cooling fins and makes a terrible noise, grinding metal. Those blower covers are of a universal design and those studs break often.

[Slavex]

find the ID plate on the engine, google what it says, download the manual for the motor, grab some wrenches, tear into it, find the broken part, replace, use manual to put it back together. Bet you spend less than $100.

[NEPAKevin]

Maybe the mower got depressed seeing all the attention the new chainsaws were getting? BTW, if that is a Toro with a Kohler Command, and if the engine is blown but the tractor is in good shape, a new engine may also be an option worth looking into.

[LittleLebowski]

Mower is dead, boys. I mean, it's clearly broken on the inside. I just bought a used Troybilt 17.5HP off of Craigslist and of course after I started it, looked it over, and bought it; it started dying under a load when mowing yesterday. I replaced the fuel filter and hosed out the carb (without taking it off) but it still kept on dying under load. I was this close to first taking off the carb and cleaning it out (clearly fuel related) and then secondly just buying a new carb off of Amazon (bolt on) if cleaning the carb didn't work but then I remembered the miracle worker....

A quarter can of Sea Foam cleaner (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002JN2EU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0002JN2EU&linkCode=as2&tag=ratio07-20&linkId=OG73O5UQ2N5S63JU) and some fresh 89 octane gas fixed everything. I still can't believe it. Less than $10, well spent. I mowed over an acre last night w/ my son in my lap (wearing earpro) and it ran like a champ.

This mower should last me until I decide if I want to drop the coin on a zero turn.