Can you help me with my Murray?

[SpotsyMatt]

Hi there,

So, I'm trying to get my Murray 42572x8A (2000 model that has 42" cutting width and a hydrostatic transmission, bought at Home Depot) to run and I'm frustrated. This could be an easy thing that I'm overlooking but at this point, my frustration level has exceeded my ability to restrain from throwing a tool across the garage. Perhaps you can help.

The mower has been in the shed for several years unused. I had lost the square key for it when I removed a wheel to fix a flat. Had some personal medical issues and fast forward a few years and now I have need to get it running again. I move it from the shed to the garage, jacked it up, took off the wheels, reinstalled the keys on both wheels (I had taken the one I didn't lose out so I could get the local shop to cut me a new one) and put a new battery in it. I tried to then back it up out of the garage by disengaging the lever under the seat ( so the rear wheels spin freely ) and it wouldn't budge.

I jacked it back up and the wheels are rolling in opposite directions when I spin one of them. Now, I read somewhere - forgive my ignorance - that this is expected normally but when the disconnect lever is switched to "push" mode, they should spin freely.

It won't. Now, it appears that the lever is moving but it doesn't have any effect on my ability to move the mower manually.

Any ideas?

Thanks much,
Matt

 

[billbill1]

Matt, I have a Husky that does the same thing, sometimes it will roll and sometimes not. Will it start? If you can get it to run and you use the hydrostat, it will free up and work. Probably the release valve is gummed up is all that is wrong. My brake lock will stick sometimes too, I hope you have better luck with yours, mine is basically junk.

 

[Tig]

My Murray does the same thing when it wants to. I was out in the garage this morning to identify where my brigs is belching engine oil. It's the base gasket. Sigh....

 

[SpotsyMatt]

Matt, I have a Husky that does the same thing, sometimes it will roll and sometimes not. Will it start? If you can get it to run and you use the hydrostat, it will free up and work. Probably the release valve is gummed up is all that is wrong. My brake lock will stick sometimes too, I hope you have better luck with yours, mine is basically junk.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I got it to start, surprisingly it did so without too much coaxing. At first it wouldn't got forward or back, then I got it to inch forward (thought it sounded horrible) and then got it to go backward maybe 2 feet, but it was sluggish and still sounded horrible. It is a groaning sound. I shut it off and am now not sure what to do next. I really hate the thought of junking it because the motor seems fine, the body is in good shape and the deck works OK.

I thought about breaking it down and taking the transmission apart and seeing if it can be fixed. I don't know if that would be wasted effort or not.

 

[SpotsyMatt]

Thanks for the reply... yeah, it is frustrating when you spend over $1000 on something and then have issues with it. I've read that a lot of other folks have had issues with Murrays. I guess they aren't the best made things, but I'm still bothered that it won't run.

 

[NuBota]

Spotsy,

My guess on the sluggish movement and groaning is that the drive belt is loose. Should just need adjusting. Mine does the exact same thing towards the end on the mowing season and/or after winter storage. Just PM'd my machine last weekend and it was doing the exact same thing till I adjusted the belt. If you don't have the instructions I can copy the page from mine

The "push mode" thing is not unusual. Mine made it 6 years before doing this. I just rock the mower back and forth a bit to get it to disengage.

Based on your name, I am taking a wild guess you may be in Spotsylvania, VA? If so, and if you think the tranny is shot, I just happened to notice a guy in So. MD selling a Murray rear transaxle with wheels/tire for 50 bucks. Planning to call him friday and snag it for spare parts (since Murray is all but gone). I will forward the link to you if interested though.

People bash the Murrays, some with good reason, but mine is on its 7th year mowing 1.5 acres of steep hills weekly. Plus, before the BX aquisition, major hauling of heavy loads up and down the hills. Really work it hard and still runs great. But I keep up the maintenance.

-Eric

 

[Tig]

Has the tranny ever leaked oil on the left side at the input shaft seal? That will cause noises too.
Mine is 15 years old and it was worked into the ground commercially by the previous owner.

 

[diesel_nut]

Had 2 Murrays(one I bought, one I inherited). Loved the engines, hated the rest of them.

 

[SpotsyMatt]

Spotsy,

My guess on the sluggish movement and groaning is that the drive belt is loose. Should just need adjusting. Mine does the exact same thing towards the end on the mowing season and/or after winter storage. Just PM'd my machine last weekend and it was doing the exact same thing till I adjusted the belt. If you don't have the instructions I can copy the page from mine

The "push mode" thing is not unusual. Mine made it 6 years before doing this. I just rock the mower back and forth a bit to get it to disengage.

Based on your name, I am taking a wild guess you may be in Spotsylvania, VA? If so, and if you think the tranny is shot, I just happened to notice a guy in So. MD selling a Murray rear transaxle with wheels/tire for 50 bucks. Planning to call him friday and snag it for spare parts (since Murray is all but gone). I will forward the link to you if interested though.

People bash the Murrays, some with good reason, but mine is on its 7th year mowing 1.5 acres of steep hills weekly. Plus, before the BX aquisition, major hauling of heavy loads up and down the hills. Really work it hard and still runs great. But I keep up the maintenance.

-Eric

Eric,

Thanks for the response.

Definitely the belt is needing an adjustment. I'm going to spend some time this weekend messing with it and see if I can get it running better. Fortunately it isn't a 'must have' mower, but it would be very convenient to have it running well. I've got a couple tractors that I generally use, but for tight spots, the Murray would be better.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[SpotsyMatt]

Resolution:

I took off the back metal cover, removed the battery, disconnected the spark plug and move the pulley/fan around above the transaxle until I could get to the plug. The fluid was low - someone elsewhere had wrote about a similar problem - and I added some to it. I adjusted the belt and then ran it for a bit.

I forgot how loud this mower is - good thing I wear ear protection, because that engine noise is annoying.

While I was fixing things, I leveled the deck and it seems to cut pretty well.

Thanks to all for the replies!