Buying Advice Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR

   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #1  

gmccall

Bronze Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Messages
54
Location
Forney Texas
Tractor
kubota
STC52V 27CV Kohler ZTR Mower:mad:[


The first year my Scag mower was great. I would buy another if I could be assured it would continue to run properly.

Problems started last January when I got the mower out to mow the weeds ( I am in Texas).
Mower ran fine for awhile and then I killed the engine and took a break. When I tried to start the engine again, mower would not start. Nothing happend when I turned the key.
No sound at all. At first I thought I did not have all controls positioned to pass the many safety switches but that was not it. I researched the no-start issue and found a safety switch may be the culprit. I started with the seat safety switch, crossed wired it and engine started right up. I finished mowing and then took the mower to a shop in Mesquite Texas where I bought the machine.

I told the shop what I had done and that there is ALSO an oil leak and the engine has backfired since I bought the mower when I kill the engine.
A few weeks go by and I started calling (at least once a week) for a status. After 6 WEEKS go by, the repair shop actually called me to say the mower was ready. They had found the seat Saftey switch was corroded. They cleaned the switch and all was working, so they said. They did not find an oil leak and I forgot to ask about the backfire.
The shop did apologize for the delay on repairing my machine and said they performed some additional routine maintenance on the mower.

So.. I picked the mower up, mowed for 30 minutes, stopped the engine, it backfires as usual. OK that was never a real problem anyway.
30 minutes or so go by and I try to start the engine and.........nothing... no sound from the machine when I turn the key. :mad: 6 weeks in the shop and this happens all over again. I am not making this up.

SO I DECIDE TO TAKE MY MOWER TO ANOTHER SCAG DEALER SHOP.

I tell the second shop my story and the problems. Now the real circus stories begin with the mower.
All of my account may not be in the exact order of "events" but....

After a few days the second shop calls to say we have the mower running and are looking into the backfire. A few days latter, the shop tells me they are going to have to order another carburetor (for a mower less than a 2 years old and few hours). I call every week for a status. 4 weeks later the carb is installed and the shop says the mower is ready.
I drive to the shop to pick the mower up and the engine is not running smooth. I leave the mower. A week later the shop calls to say mower is ready.

(By the way in the middle of all this mower problems, I am having to borrow a mower to keep my yard mowed).

I pick the mower up on a Friday and drive 90 miles to my country getaway to mow there. I have a tractor with a mower, but I prefer the Scag ZTR.
I mowed the "usual" 30 minutes and the engine starts to surge........I had driven the mower off my trailer and never put the ramps up. I barely got the mower back on the trailer at which time it died and would not start again. The following Monday I return the mower to the repair shop. The shop said the mechanic was off but would have him look at the mower first thing the next day. I send emails to the shop asking for a status but very seldom get a reply. No call from the shop for a week or so, and then I get a call saying mower is ready for pickup, that they had found a "small twig ?) in the carburetor.
OK, I go to pick the mower up and come home to mow. Mower runs for a short time and begins to surge again and dies. Later I try to start the mower and get a no start. I have to jiggle the key and every once in a while the starter makes a noise. Finally the engine starts and I took the mower back to the shop the same day.
Later I was told there seems to be a solenoid problem with the starters and there may be a recall in the future.

So far I have driven to the shop to discuss the mower problems, pleaded for another mower and was told there is no Lemon Law with mowers. I even ask to trade the mower in and from my previous posts you see the insulting reply. Offered me $4000 against the $8000 I paid less than 2 years ago. I told the Dealer I would give them $2000 and my mower for a 61" Cheeta they had on the floor and was kindly told no way.

Several weeks ago I was told the mower was ready and I ask, "are you sure "? I was told yes.
Drove to the shop, the mechanic was off (it was a Monday) but mower is in the yard. I get on the mower, hit the key....nothing at first and then engine starts.
The engine Sounds like crap and when I go to move forward the engine nearly dies. I think well maybe the engine is cold so I go to drive the machine onto my trailer and it barely had enough power to get onto the trailer. I immediately drive the mower back off the trailer and into the shop. As you can imagine I am ticked off. Another mechanic checks the machine and says "something is not right.

The factory rep supposedly has looked at my mower several times, but I have not received any offers for restitution to date.

AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE A MOWER This day 05/27/2014
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #2  
not so much that Scag is crap but that the dealer's mechanics are not doing a good job diagnosing and solving the problem.
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #3  
I wouldn't buy a spark plug from that jack azz. You need more than a new machine.
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #4  
not so much that Scag is crap but that the dealer's mechanics are not doing a good job diagnosing and solving the problem.
I agree.
Sounds like the crappy dealers are more to blame here than the machine..
 
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   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #5  
Something is not right. Sounds like a bad dealer.

My mower (Dixie Chopper) which has a Koler engine, the operators manual says to let the mower idle for a little while before turning it off otherwise the engine will back fire. So on the way back to its shed, I run the engine slow. Back file is gone but if I turn it off to soon, it will also back fire.
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #6  
I have 2 Scags, they are by far the best built mowers available. They may not always have the best cut ( although they do cut very well ) I. Guessing that you have a Kohler engine. If so, that is the weak link in the equipment. Also,when you shut it off,it needs to be at full throttle. Doing this will stop the backfire. I have 1 Scag with a Kawi and 1 with a Kohler. .. The Kawi will run circles around the Kohler
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #7  
Does it have a Kawasaki motor on it ? I have JD 757 that had factory recall due to pushrod replacement and rough running and backfiring.
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #8  
Guessing that you have a Kohler engine. If so, that is the weak link in the equipment. Also,when you shut it off,it needs to be at full throttle. Doing this will stop the backfire.

Backfiring on shutdown seems to be a common problem with Kohlers. Used to have a Kohler powered JD mower that backfired like that... JD tech advised full throttle shut downs, which eliminated the problem.
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR #9  
Backfiring on shutdown seems to be a common problem with Kohlers. Used to have a Kohler powered JD mower that backfired like that... JD tech advised full throttle shut downs, which eliminated the problem.

Same with B&S, 2 ways to shut down. Full throttle or letting it idle for a minute or two.
 
   / Scag is crap Should have bought a Kubota ZTR
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Does it have a Kawasaki motor on it ? I have JD 757 that had factory recall due to pushrod replacement and rough running and backfiring.

My mower has the Kohler 27HP version. I have tried every way to shut the engine off to prevent a backfire. It has backfired in every way I shut it done.
Now with that said, The dealer said the backfire was due to a faulty solenoid on the carb. The factory warranty dept. would not let the dealer replace the solenoid alone and instead instructed them to replace the whole carburetor. Engine never ran consistently right again but the repair shop did not put "2 and 2 " together or at least until now. Yesterday they called to say the engine was running right now but wanted another day to make sure. The shop said they took the new carb apart and put it back together but don't see how that was the problem. The admitted they don't know what they did but it is running.

I don't have any faith in them of course I can hope.

I will post results about the mower if I ever get it back.
 
 
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