$2700 FOR GRAVELY (ENGINE PROBLEM)

[ZTR ROOKIE]

I have am about to purchase my fisrt ztr mower. I found a 2006 model gravely z44 with 125 hrs, kaw 17hp, fab deck(44in cut) for $2700.00. Do you agree that it is a steal of a deal. I got to take it home for 2 days to test it out. It cut great for about 30 minutes then it would act like it is about to run out of gas for a couple of seconds then go back to normal sound. It did it that evening and also the next morning. champion cj8y looked good, filter clean (grass particles around inside of carb), foam filter on outside of carb filter was dirty(now washed). A friend told me to blow thru fuel filter and I did. The fuel filter looked like there was some black looking build up inside when I looked thru the hole. The mower has not acted up since I had blown thru the fuel filter. Keep in mind that when it was acting up it took about 30 minutes to do it, then after the first time it would start doing it more often. It went dead on me one time, but cranked right back .I probably ran it about an hour and1/2 since the fuel filter was taken off and blown thru.Any responses from you guys would be appreciated. This forum is where I got my ztr education from.

 

[shot_gun]

Could there be plastic shavings in the fuel tank getting sucked up into the fuel intake tube? We see this every now and then.

 

[ZTR ROOKIE]

I went thru with the purchase. The dealer put on a new fuel filter, air filter,foam filter, oil had already been changed but still gave me an extra oil filter, sharpened my blades, ordered me new blades, put on a rubber grommett where fuel line goes into gas tank, all for 2700.00.I believe my initial problem was because of the broken fuel line grommett. The mower had been traded in like that. It was outside for three weeks in rain and so forth, so possibly dirt and water had gotten in the tank causing my engine problems. Im assuming whoever traded it in had been cutting grass with the broken grommett. My mom had taught the salesman in school several years ago, but they had a 2800.00 sticker on the mower when anyway. Great deal? Good deal? Ok deal? Any responses would be appreciated. Problems are gone!

 

[AlanB]

Sounds like you got a good deal to you, and a dealer you can work with.

As a general rule you will find that if you take off a fuel filter, it is often worth just changing them out.

Take care of that mower and it should last you a long time.

 

[Legdoc]

ZtrRookie, I have a similar problem with a 252ZTR 54" that has been a decent machine but I have a similar problem. The problem appears sometime after running over rough ground. It sputters, loses power. Think there is trash in either the fuel tank on carb bowl that gets stirred up.
Legdoc

 

[ZTR ROOKIE]

LEG DOC, it could also possibly be electrical. Im not much of a mower mechanic, but I would have it full of gas and go over the rough terrain to see if it still acts up and also if your mechanically inclined , pull the fuel line out to check the screen in the tank.