schiker
Silver Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2007
- Messages
- 151
- Location
- Anderson, SC (Northwest part of SC)
- Tractor
- Ford 3000, 1972 LCG, JD 5603
I have a 15 yr old AYP Statesman lawn mower. It is 20 hp 50" cut. The other day I went to cut grass and the motor sounds labored. I am guessing one of the spindles or more is worn out and dragging. I have replaced one idler and V belt last year. There is no where to grease any of the deck's rotating parts.
So, I changed the plugs, new air cleaner, new fuel filter, and sprayed the carb out with cleaner. It did not seem to help this labored sound when the deck was engaged at full throttle. But the engine did run better. If I turn the deck off the engine revs easy and sounds unloaded normal.
The engine idles fine and revs fine. I can engage the deck at idle and it sounds fine. I can rev and idle and it sounds ok climbing and falling rpm but at near or full throttle sounds labored. I don't hear any belt squeal or smell burning V-belt etc . Just that the motor sounds labored without actually cutting grass. The blades are not bent and everything spins by hand freely back and forth.
So What to check and do next? Does that sound like a deck issue? I can't repeat the labor sound driving up a steep hill without the deck engaged. I can increase the laboring sound severity with cutting taller grass.
I looked on Ebay and I think I can get spindles and idler pulleys (deck rebuild kit) for about $300 ish iirc. A new deck was $800 or more and too much $$$ for this age of mower. Any luck with deck rebuliding or is alignment and fitment an issue with out OEM parts and fixtures to align everything???
The deck is straight and ok. Its worn and been used but works. Its not a heavy duty or top of the line machine but is functional. Its actually a base model no frills cheaper machine I think. I cleaned the deck last year and put a coat of flat rustoleum on it when I replaced one idler pulley.
So, I changed the plugs, new air cleaner, new fuel filter, and sprayed the carb out with cleaner. It did not seem to help this labored sound when the deck was engaged at full throttle. But the engine did run better. If I turn the deck off the engine revs easy and sounds unloaded normal.
The engine idles fine and revs fine. I can engage the deck at idle and it sounds fine. I can rev and idle and it sounds ok climbing and falling rpm but at near or full throttle sounds labored. I don't hear any belt squeal or smell burning V-belt etc . Just that the motor sounds labored without actually cutting grass. The blades are not bent and everything spins by hand freely back and forth.
So What to check and do next? Does that sound like a deck issue? I can't repeat the labor sound driving up a steep hill without the deck engaged. I can increase the laboring sound severity with cutting taller grass.
I looked on Ebay and I think I can get spindles and idler pulleys (deck rebuild kit) for about $300 ish iirc. A new deck was $800 or more and too much $$$ for this age of mower. Any luck with deck rebuliding or is alignment and fitment an issue with out OEM parts and fixtures to align everything???
The deck is straight and ok. Its worn and been used but works. Its not a heavy duty or top of the line machine but is functional. Its actually a base model no frills cheaper machine I think. I cleaned the deck last year and put a coat of flat rustoleum on it when I replaced one idler pulley.
