Lawn mowing season at full swing.............

[Oldpath05]

This is the forth time I mowed my make believe lawn this year and my 2015-ish 22hp S. C. riding mower had the erratic motor running syndrome and the grass is on the high side so I called a Mechanic and Mr Marvel to try and get to run smooth without replacing the allusive and hard to find carburetor replacement. But after 4 hrs of operating I think it's fixed but for how long I'm not sure......

I just uploaded a couple videos of how it was running, it should play, the first video would've came out better if the first part of it videoed right side up, but was able to cut and splice another previous one, at around 0:48 the mower comes out of it's governor running up and down symptom from trying Mechanic in a Bottle and then hour later added some Marvel Mystery oil, the cause of this erratic motor running is still undetermined........

This is Saturday>>>> Riding mower with erratic idle til :49 - YouTube

And heres the mower running today>>>>>>>>>> Riding mower still running smooth - YouTube

 

[Oldpath05]

I was hoping I had my riding mower all set but two days ago while mowing it stopped, thought it ran out of gas, it was way down but dont think it was completely out, so filled it up and still no go not even fire once. I ran it out of gas before and if I choke it I could still get it to fire.

Next day hauled in the garage did some trouble shooting, as if I dont have enough to do now, I started with the feeling the mower wasn't getting gas. 1st check see if fuel flows out fuel pump, none, 2nd check see if fuel was flowing out of fuel filter, pours out, so my conclusion is fuel pump but this riding mower is only 3 years old. I ordered one off ebay with filter for $9.00, they sell anywhere from 5-20.00$$, under $8.00 and it's from China, if I went to Sear web site it would probably be $40.00. Should be here Sat then hopefully it runs then theres the belt issue.....................

 

[Oldpath05]

After much researching the first picture I guess is the right way the mower deck belt goes on but I noticed it's really loose that way after I change the blade spindle, so I put the belt on behind the blade brake thing, then noticed it made more noise that way.

So that's when I did some online looking, cant find the freaken owners manual, all I needed was one colored picture then I'd know, the digram on the mower deck doesn't help for people with diagram disorder syndrome. Then I measured the belt the best way I could, lay it flat bench, two vice grips on each end, wrap tape around it, I got 101-1/2", the headache continues. Now some more online searching for a new correct belt, model numbers and cross model numbers, sometimes seems endless, but what else is there to do after hours.

So now according to all the model numbers and cross references, mind is suppose to take a 101" so ordered that one $12.00, but think that's is going to be a whisker to long, have to wait and see, hopping it will be here by Sat. so if it is to long I can go to the nearest tractor place and maybe get a shorter one. One thing for sure all 42" mowers are not created equal.

 

[Oldpath05]

That middle idler pulley looks crooked, Bering doesn't seem wore out, so guess it's suppose to be crooked, to bad it wont slide back more that would take up more slack on the belt.

 

[hunt4570]

Hey Oldpath, looks like a good project.. and you have this thread to yourself.. well did have anyway! Sometimes I like those kind of projects, and sometimes not!

Just went out to start my brushcutter yesterday, worked fine when I put it up a week ago, yesterday... nothing! Dang!

 

[searcyfarms]

That middle idler pulley looks crooked, Bering doesn't seem wore out, so guess it's suppose to be crooked, to bad it wont slide back more that would take up more slack on the belt.
View attachment 612241

this picture is the correct belt routing, it also might be more straight when you engage the idler and the belt is over the engine pulley to take up the slack, its hard to tell how much slack there is until you have it mounted on the mower, looks like the idler assembly/bracket might be a little bent but i would look at it when mounted and raising the mower up/down and see if the idler has an angle on it to offset the angle of the track of the belt when installed to help it maintain its track on the idler - it doesnt look terribly out of whack since the paint is not worn off on one side of the idler it looks to be worn pretty much in the middle and if its not jumping off or hitting on the edge of the idler it wont be tearing up the belt, i dont see signs of that either. - regarding the fuel pump, those are an easy test to see if they pump fuel by just removing the hose and pumping into a jug/can or you cna bypass the pump and see if gets fuel by hooking the hose up to a jug and let gravity fuel the tank, if you pour a little gas in the carb and it runs you know is a fuel issue for sure

 

[Oldpath05]

Hey Oldpath, looks like a good project.. and you have this thread to yourself.. well did have anyway! Sometimes I like those kind of projects, and sometimes not!

Just went out to start my brushcutter yesterday, worked fine when I put it up a week ago, yesterday... nothing! Dang!

You talking about the reliable DR brush cutter?

 

[Oldpath05]

this picture is the correct belt routing, it also might be more straight when you engage the idler and the belt is over the engine pulley to take up the slack, its hard to tell how much slack there is until you have it mounted on the mower, looks like the idler assembly/bracket might be a little bent but i would look at it when mounted and raising the mower up/down and see if the idler has an angle on it to offset the angle of the track of the belt when installed to help it maintain its track on the idler - it doesnt look terribly out of whack since the paint is not worn off on one side of the idler it looks to be worn pretty much in the middle and if its not jumping off or hitting on the edge of the idler it wont be tearing up the belt, i dont see signs of that either. - regarding the fuel pump, those are an easy test to see if they pump fuel by just removing the hose and pumping into a jug/can or you cna bypass the pump and see if gets fuel by hooking the hose up to a jug and let gravity fuel the tank, if you pour a little gas in the carb and it runs you know is a fuel issue for sure

I just got the new fuel pump today so sometime this weekend after I go over my priority list I'll put it on, and I'll take another look at that idler pulley. I have a new deck belt coming, might get it tomorrow, because I think I stretched out the one that was on the mower from having the belt on wrong.

 

[hunt4570]

You talking about the reliable DR brush cutter?

Nah, my Stihl brush cutter, kind of a weed wacker on steroids..

Seems to be getting gas, I don't think its getting spark for some reason.. need to tear it apart.

 

[searcyfarms]

well good luck with the fuel pump and belt keep us posted

 

[Oldpath05]

Well I got the fuel pump on this afternoon, easy job. I first did the turn motor over test and fuel started pumping out, then hooked the line to the carburetor and the motor started right up. But,,, why is there always a but, the motor has gone back into the surging mode again and cant find the delete button. Guess now it's the carbs turn for attention, ordered a carb kit so when that shows up I'll see how far that gets on the new priority list next weekend, as if I dont have enough stuff to do, in the mean time I'll give it or me a workout tomorrow.

Sears riding mower - YouTube

 

[Oldpath05]

While I had the mower deck off and the motor wasn't running anyways, I decided to tweak the idler pulley so's to have the blade belt snug when engage. I advanced the square notch to end of bracket for carriage bolt, didn't measure but looked to be around 3/4" more. Then for the just in case problem, I added 1-1/2" more to the idler bracket and made another square hole, (side note), square holes are hare to make with round drill. As the afternoon was moving faster then I was I forgot to get a picture of added on bracket with square-ish hole, just imagine the same shape-ish bracket just a weee bit wider, then threw some black paint on while warm-ish.

Also another (side note} when changing one thing watch out for the domino effect, there is a little thin> (1/32-ish) belt guide clip that went on the bracket a certain way. Like a L shape, one end goes up by the pulley, the other end goes under pulley where the bolt goes up threw then L's towards the original end on pulley bracket, then a tab bent down to hold from moving. Well the end of bracket got moved. So quick fix is flatten that little tab, tack weld a nail on, cut to 1/2"long, drill 1/4" in bracket, now that pulley clip guide wont move.

 

[Oldpath05]

Nah, my Stihl brush cutter, kind of a weed wacker on steroids..

Seems to be getting gas, I don't think its getting spark for some reason.. need to tear it apart.

Can we now say ECHO.................................

 

[Oldpath05]

well good luck with the fuel pump and belt keep us posted

Belt didn't show up today like promised so's to avoid a trip to the money soaking tractor store I dub around with idler pulley bracket, after about a hour got the bracket rebuilt with new holes, now the not so old belt that I have is snug when engage...

 

[searcyfarms]

see i knew u could do it - got everything fixed but the surging, i had an old briggs that did that when idling but when WOT it ran fine under load - it was old school and the guy at the mower shop back then told me it was a warn governor shaft/gear etc....and it would have to be taken apart to fix, i opted to listen to it hunt like an old detroit diesel at idle but running mowing it was fine.

 

[searcyfarms]

Can we now say ECHO.................................

never owned an echo, i have been blessed with good luck out of my stihl stuff

 

[hunt4570]

Well I got the fuel pump on this afternoon, easy job. I first did the turn motor over test and fuel started pumping out, then hooked the line to the carburetor and the motor started right up. But,,, why is there always a but, the motor has gone back into the surging mode again and cant find the delete button. Guess now it's the carbs turn for attention, ordered a carb kit so when that shows up I'll see how far that gets on the new priority list next weekend, as if I dont have enough stuff to do, in the mean time I'll give it or me a workout tomorrow.

View attachment 612834 Sears riding mower - YouTube

Check out this video. this guy seems like a goofball but he knows his stuff.. helped me out a lot. He has lots of good videos on small engine stuff!

How Do I Fix a Surging Engine Video (Lawn mowers, tillers, pressure washers etc.) - YouTube

 

[hunt4570]

Can we now say ECHO.................................

Echo is fine by me! I have a little top handle Echo that I've had for years... love it.

If I remember right (and I may not) sawyer rob is the one that doesn't like Echo.

 

[CowboyRon]

Check out this video. this guy seems like a goofball but he knows his stuff.. helped me out a lot. He has lots of good videos on small engine stuff!

How Do I Fix a Surging Engine Video (Lawn mowers, tillers, pressure washers etc.) - YouTube

I've been watching his videos for awhile, and he seems to be the wizard for small engines.
He does have quite a comedic twist.

 

[hunt4570]

I've been watching his videos for awhile, and he seems to be the wizard for small engines.
He does have quite a comedic twist.

Yes he is very good at what he does..