325, how much $ to put i it

[gmcman6000]

sorry for the long post, but its decision time. i currently cut with an old school 285. just turned 600 hours. 50" deck, liquid cooled kawi. it has no issues other than wont idle down when it's hot. great looking mower for its age. needs nothing but a seat one day. i have obtained a 325. 444 hours, and was put out to pasture to rot for unknown reason. i got it home, and charged the battery and it holds a charge. cleaned the gummed up carb out and fired it up. it runs ok, but will need a lil tuning on the carb, or maybe just ran a while.

here's the dilemma..... the 325 has no top hood piece. the bottom hood part is busted. grill & headlights are there n look good. seat is trashed. but the floor pan, dash, fenders, and tires and wheels are great condition. tires even hold air. hearing the roar from a bad idler pulley bearing on the drive belt, i tore it down. ends up needing all 3 drive belt idler belt pullys and the double ribbed belt. those aren't cheap either. has one bad idler pulley on the deck belt too. needs a full service kit, as the pre air filter & the primary filter is old, and the oil needs changed. might as well service the tranny too, and that filter isn't cheap.

with the above mentioned parts needed, its pushing $250 without a seat or hood parts..

should i drop several bucks in it to replace my old 285???? or sell it as is for a fixer upper and keep the old school 285? i like a good lookin mower, so running it missing hood pieces isn't an option.

thanks for any input y'all might have.

 

[Richard001]

i currently cut with an old school 285. just turned 600 hours. 50" deck, liquid cooled kawi. it has no issues other than wont idle down when it's hot.

If the Kawasaki engine starts and runs good and doesn't burn oil, then stick with that.

I idle problem could be a governor or carb adjustment. Worst case you have to buy a new carb. Still less than the $250 you are looking at for that other tractor.

My two cents.

Richard

 

[Zebrafive]

Does your 285 have the plastic cam gear? If not, I would keep the 285. The other bad for the 285 is most parts for the trans/axle assembly are NLA. But the 325 is not what I would replace the 285 with either, it's air cooled IIRRC? . I would want at least a 1999 (no plastic cam gear) or newer 345.

 

[gmcman6000]

Thanks guys. Both are kawasaki. 285 is liquid cooled, the 325 is air cooled. I assume the 285 has the plastic cam gear. I will be selling one or the other. Lol. But each has good & bad points about them.