"Lawn Mower repair from H***"
This is for Members who do their own repairs and for those who pay to have the work done, especially those who are paying someone to do the repairs.
The 2084 Cub Cadet made in 1991 and purchased in 1992 that I use to mow the sides of the driveway decided this was the year it was going to give me ulcers.
The saga started back in the early spring; I noticed hydraulic oil leaking from the hydro unit on the rear. An examination disclosed bolts holding the drive unit to the frame had sheared off inside the housing. I removed the transaxle assembly, disassembled it, drilled and extracted the broken bolts, got new bolts, gaskets and hydraulic fluid, re-assembled and re-installed.
The next time I mowed I notice oil leaking from a steel line going to the power steering. Removed the line, not in stock had to order of course. Two weeks later it arrived. I installed the line thinking I am ready to mow again.
To test the installation, I mowed one pass around the garage and the motor starting running on one cylinder.
I pulled the air cleaner, gas being blown back through carburetor. I stopped the engine, and pulled the valve cover on the number one cylinder. Now that is not right, where is the push rod. What is the rocker arm and valve spring doing lying in there like that? Where is the intake valve?
So, I pulled the engine, disassembled it. Found the valve, resting on the top of the piston, pushrod and the valve spring keepers inside the engine. I was very fortunate in that the valve did not drop into the cylinder until the engine was stopped. Examination of the keepers disclosed one of the keepers had worn, allowing it to slip off the valve and turn everything loose.
I ordered a new valve and keepers, one week later here comes UPS, I have a new valve and keepers. I started installing the valves and discovered the valve guide in head was warped and would not allow the intake valve to seat properly.
Off to the machine shop. The guy looked at the head and said, never seen anything like that before. After about thirty minutes he advised time to purchases a new head.
The new head was ordered; one week later here comes UPS. Put valves in head, lapped the valves in, cleaned the head, re-assembled re-installed on engine, put shrouding back on engine, put engine back in, what now it would not start.
Removed spark plugs did a compression test. The Number two cylinder is now giving a funny reading. Pulled the valve cover and close examination revealed the rocker arm stud for the exhaust valve was loose.
Further examination revealed the rocker arm keeper bolt hole had stripped. Where's the phone time to call the Machine Shop again. The Machine Shop advised time to order head number two.
One week later here comes UPS. Went through the lapping and installing valves again back on goes the head, the shrouding, push the engine cradle back (Started just pulling the engine forward instead of removing it) installed bolts, hook up all the wiring, ready to start.
Engine spun over two or three times, backfired and made a strange noise. The engine would only then rotate about one half of a revolution and lock up.
Back out came the engine. A total complete tear down was done. The governor had broken into small pieces and one of the metal fly weights was on the cam shaft preventing the engine from rotating.
Next repair step order new governor. I purchased that locally after they ordered it and I picked it up a week later.
The next day after receiving, I installed the new governor, put engine back together and back on mower. I am getting to be an expert at doing this by now.
The engine turned over two times, fired off and ran like a well-oiled sewing machine. I let the engine run for 45 minutes or more to make sure no problems again. I would occasionally engage the mower to insure the governor was working properly.
Thinking I am finally a happy camper I turn the engine off, go to the house and take a shower. The next day I start the mower with the intention of mowing the sides of the driveway. I mow out one side and start back and smoke start billowing from underneath the hood. I raise the hood and the smoke is coming from the front of the engine. Back to the garage I hurriedly go, need to be near water in case flames erupt.
Pulled hood and side panels to find out where the smoke and strong plastic smell was coming from. Discovered that the Electric PTO clutch was where the smoke was coming from.
Removed the PTO clutch assembly and discovered the coil assembly inside the clutch had decided it had been working hard since 1992 and the time had come to give up the ghost.
Well looks like I will have to purchase the complete PTO clutch. I did a Web search on availability using the part number for the PTO Clutch, Messick's name popped up as having two of the units.
Ordered the PTO unit on Monday morning, received an e-mail the unit had shipped around lunch time with an expected delivery date of Thursday. Thursday morning here comes UPS down the driveway. Talk about service.
Installed the clutch and mowed with the unit. The engine did not blow up again nor did anything else break.
Hopefully, nothing else will break. Now gentlemen being human and truthful, if I had taken the unit to a repair shop and the chain of events that I have outlined occurred, there is no way anyone would have been able to convince me the repair shop was not "Milking" the repair. Bottom line, I invested over $900.00 dollars in parts to do a self repair on a 1992 mower.
Parts used:
Six grade eight hex head bolts in transaxle
Gasket set for transaxle
Eight quarts hydraulic fluid
One hydraulic filter
Two cylinder heads
Two complete engine gasket sets
Eight new head bolts
Four new rocker arm bolts
One new engine governor assembly
One pre-formed steel power steering line
One tube RTV
One case of Mobil-1 10-30 oil
One Kohler engine oil filter
Two spark plugs
One PTO Clutch Assembly
This is for Members who do their own repairs and for those who pay to have the work done, especially those who are paying someone to do the repairs.
The 2084 Cub Cadet made in 1991 and purchased in 1992 that I use to mow the sides of the driveway decided this was the year it was going to give me ulcers.
The saga started back in the early spring; I noticed hydraulic oil leaking from the hydro unit on the rear. An examination disclosed bolts holding the drive unit to the frame had sheared off inside the housing. I removed the transaxle assembly, disassembled it, drilled and extracted the broken bolts, got new bolts, gaskets and hydraulic fluid, re-assembled and re-installed.
The next time I mowed I notice oil leaking from a steel line going to the power steering. Removed the line, not in stock had to order of course. Two weeks later it arrived. I installed the line thinking I am ready to mow again.
To test the installation, I mowed one pass around the garage and the motor starting running on one cylinder.
I pulled the air cleaner, gas being blown back through carburetor. I stopped the engine, and pulled the valve cover on the number one cylinder. Now that is not right, where is the push rod. What is the rocker arm and valve spring doing lying in there like that? Where is the intake valve?
So, I pulled the engine, disassembled it. Found the valve, resting on the top of the piston, pushrod and the valve spring keepers inside the engine. I was very fortunate in that the valve did not drop into the cylinder until the engine was stopped. Examination of the keepers disclosed one of the keepers had worn, allowing it to slip off the valve and turn everything loose.
I ordered a new valve and keepers, one week later here comes UPS, I have a new valve and keepers. I started installing the valves and discovered the valve guide in head was warped and would not allow the intake valve to seat properly.
Off to the machine shop. The guy looked at the head and said, never seen anything like that before. After about thirty minutes he advised time to purchases a new head.
The new head was ordered; one week later here comes UPS. Put valves in head, lapped the valves in, cleaned the head, re-assembled re-installed on engine, put shrouding back on engine, put engine back in, what now it would not start.
Removed spark plugs did a compression test. The Number two cylinder is now giving a funny reading. Pulled the valve cover and close examination revealed the rocker arm stud for the exhaust valve was loose.
Further examination revealed the rocker arm keeper bolt hole had stripped. Where's the phone time to call the Machine Shop again. The Machine Shop advised time to order head number two.
One week later here comes UPS. Went through the lapping and installing valves again back on goes the head, the shrouding, push the engine cradle back (Started just pulling the engine forward instead of removing it) installed bolts, hook up all the wiring, ready to start.
Engine spun over two or three times, backfired and made a strange noise. The engine would only then rotate about one half of a revolution and lock up.
Back out came the engine. A total complete tear down was done. The governor had broken into small pieces and one of the metal fly weights was on the cam shaft preventing the engine from rotating.
Next repair step order new governor. I purchased that locally after they ordered it and I picked it up a week later.
The next day after receiving, I installed the new governor, put engine back together and back on mower. I am getting to be an expert at doing this by now.
The engine turned over two times, fired off and ran like a well-oiled sewing machine. I let the engine run for 45 minutes or more to make sure no problems again. I would occasionally engage the mower to insure the governor was working properly.
Thinking I am finally a happy camper I turn the engine off, go to the house and take a shower. The next day I start the mower with the intention of mowing the sides of the driveway. I mow out one side and start back and smoke start billowing from underneath the hood. I raise the hood and the smoke is coming from the front of the engine. Back to the garage I hurriedly go, need to be near water in case flames erupt.
Pulled hood and side panels to find out where the smoke and strong plastic smell was coming from. Discovered that the Electric PTO clutch was where the smoke was coming from.
Removed the PTO clutch assembly and discovered the coil assembly inside the clutch had decided it had been working hard since 1992 and the time had come to give up the ghost.
Well looks like I will have to purchase the complete PTO clutch. I did a Web search on availability using the part number for the PTO Clutch, Messick's name popped up as having two of the units.
Ordered the PTO unit on Monday morning, received an e-mail the unit had shipped around lunch time with an expected delivery date of Thursday. Thursday morning here comes UPS down the driveway. Talk about service.
Installed the clutch and mowed with the unit. The engine did not blow up again nor did anything else break.
Hopefully, nothing else will break. Now gentlemen being human and truthful, if I had taken the unit to a repair shop and the chain of events that I have outlined occurred, there is no way anyone would have been able to convince me the repair shop was not "Milking" the repair. Bottom line, I invested over $900.00 dollars in parts to do a self repair on a 1992 mower.
Parts used:
Six grade eight hex head bolts in transaxle
Gasket set for transaxle
Eight quarts hydraulic fluid
One hydraulic filter
Two cylinder heads
Two complete engine gasket sets
Eight new head bolts
Four new rocker arm bolts
One new engine governor assembly
One pre-formed steel power steering line
One tube RTV
One case of Mobil-1 10-30 oil
One Kohler engine oil filter
Two spark plugs
One PTO Clutch Assembly
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