My old Craftsman riding mower broke down. I bought a nearly new Honda...against my better judgement. Seemed fine. Everytime Ive used it in last month its broke down. Carb is screwed up, usually have to pour gas down it to start it. Lines and choke are working fine. When it runs, its ok. It scalps grass when you cut and turn. I had to dismount, clean rim and remount 2 of the tires that wouldnt hold air. Parking brake quit working. Belts burnt up. Today im cutting again after 1/2 hour of getting it started. Nearly done and it suddenly stops moving with smoke out the rear. Looks like the transmission gave up. Never convince me to buy any Asian vehicle ever again. I should have known better...but what can you screw up with a lawnmower right. Apparently everything. Still half a tank of gas...having a bonfire tonite. What dont melt ill toss in the dumpster. The search is on for a good old reliable American made mower.
I'll never forget the first time Dad's John Deere LA165 broke down. I traced the problem to the starter solenoid. Printed on the coil was simply 'Made in India' Seriously, JD? Replacement from the JD dealer was 'Made in Mexico' so I think they may have had a few issues with the Indian units...
How about a nice used 318? That's what I'll be looking for when I buy my first house.
[This message has been edited by RWDPLZ (edited 05-18-2017).]
Never convince me to buy any Asian vehicle ever again. I should have known better...but what can you screw up with a lawnmower right. Apparently everything. Still half a tank of gas...having a bonfire tonite. What dont melt ill toss in the dumpster. The search is on for a good old reliable American made mower.
Your Honda mower was most likely made in North Carolina. There are probably exceptions but most of them are made there.
usually have to pour gas down it to start it. Lines and choke are working fine
Pretty common ailment. Usually from sitting more than a month or 2 with fuel in the tank and carb.
The JDs had a spate of bad solenoids at one time, and oddly enough it was one of those "They catch fire don't they?" things.
Mostly seemed to be the L100 series.
As much as I hate MTD, I have to admit, the little 38" Yard Man lawn tractor I bought at Lowes in 2011 has been bulletproof except for a battery in 2013, couple of deck belts and 3-4 sets of blades, and I am HARD on a mower. I cut a full acre of Pensacola Bahia, both sides of 1/4 mile of private road and the ditches on average every 9 days from mid March to mid December and several times/year cut around the pond so the Boy Scouts and 4H can come fish without wading thru knee high grass. Ran over oak tree roots, stumps, branches and more than once got tangled in barbed wire. 12 1/2 hp B&S engine. Got my $800 out of it for sure but hope to keep using it another year or 2. (I do know the PTO engagement cable is stretched--I just took it loose at the handle and tied a knot in it to take out some slack) Just got done mowing this afternoon late otherwise, it would be parked under my house where it always is when I'm not on it. Not fancy, manual 6 spd vari-drive transmission, not terribly comfortable, but has been really reliable.
Still a Honda. Lets say a reliable American BRAND . It was 5 months old. I took the carb bowl off when it first didnt start good. Inside was spotless, fuel lines were great and I drained and flushed the tank. So it wasnt fuel related. It ran fine once it started. Choke opened and closed properly. Transmissions dont go out from setting...It locked up and cooked the belt while it was moving. It does go into gear and neutral, just wont move...dont even try...with a new belt. It rolls in neutral like its supposed to and cant push it when its put in gear, so I know theyre going in and out of gear. Maybe a differential or something is busted inside. Running in gear is like neutral but lots of smoke...no noises.
Just my experience, but stay away from Aierens. Never had a problem with the tractor itself, but the mower deck is a wonder of modern ****-up-ery.
There was NOTHING that could be done to keep the drive belts in place for more than 10 minutes. Best use for that thing was to toss the deck in a scrap heap and use it as a utility tractor.
Replaced it with an 8hp Snapper for $300 used and that thing never once hiccuped. We moved 3 years later and left it behind for the next guy and last time I was by that place (2 years ago) it was still going.
Originally posted by rogergarrison:...decided to cut the grass for the first time this season. Battery in tractor is no good so bought a new one. Cut 4 swipes in the yard and the motor went kappow and wont start at all, just backfires cranking it.
Did you try to diagnose your old one or just put it out to the curb?
If it has a Kohler command engine it needs a new coil - I've fixed a few that were out at the curb for the exact same reason.
A lot of things say or claim, Made in America that should say Assembled in America by American Workers. (In some cases, Assembled by Illegal Aliens in America.)
The different parts and assemblies come from the cheapest source which is not normally an American producer.
Sad but, it is, what it is.............
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun....
Open your frigg'n minds, think about all the other tools that can be made into WMDs.
If you wish to upset a Conservative, lie to him. If you wish to upset a Liberal, tell him the truth.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 05-19-2017).]
The starting issue was livable. Im not putting a $700 transmission in a $900 mower that still has starting issues. Also im apparently not the only one that calls them junk. Turns out the motor in them are not even Honda at all.
Like a lot of people, I took the chance they are good because of what others seem to be saying. I dont google every item I buy to see what others have to say. I hear bad stories on things like HP products and I accept that as fact and wont buy anything with HP on it. My limited experience with them backs what Ive heard so I dont have to google it. Everyone seems to praise Honda for quality, but never had any experience until now. I made the mistake of believing what Id heard. Wont do that again. Ill go with my own instincts from now on. Nothing I ever buy now will have Honda on it. Learned first hand.
On a different note, my Dodge van finally had its first issue since I got it 4 years ago. The muffler burned out. I didnt mind since its really the only thing thats needed repaired in 120K. Ill also have to buy tires in a year or two.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 05-19-2017).]
Over 90% of our engines and products are manufactured in the USA.
The only exception would be the Vanguard horizontal shaft, V-Twin and 3-cylinder liquid cooled engines (All Vanguard vertical shaft single cylinder engines are made in the USA). The Vanguard horizontal shaft and V-twin engines have many of its components made in the USA and are assembled in Japan.
I'm having issues with our Kubota. We've got a T1400H, with the HST transmission - and the transmission is nearly shot. I'm trying to track down a used replacement for it, and we're coming up empty.
I'm half tempted to part out this Kubota, and go find another tractor myself.
[This message has been edited by Deabionni (edited 05-21-2017).]
I USED to hear nothing but good things about John Deere too. Lately Ive been hearing nothing but bad. My sister has one of the larger lawn tractors and has nothing but problems with it. For one thing the carb is bad on it...no kit to service it, only a new carb for $600. They told her that may not even fix it since they dont have anyone smart enough to diagnose it. They also want to keep it for 2 months...not going to happen in the middle of grass growing season. It quits after a little while of cutting. She just cuts till it quits, then continues later that day where it stopped or next till shes done. Pretty much my requirements were just cutting width and as much US made as possible. One guy made a joke I should look for one with a Mopar drivetrain and I surprised him when I told him Id LOVE that. Friend had an old Chris-Craft wooden boat with a Mopar engine and it never quit in 40 years.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 05-21-2017).]
I USED to hear nothing but good things about John Deere too. Lately Ive been hearing nothing but bad. My sister has one of the larger lawn tractors and has nothing but problems with it. For one thing the carb is bad on it...no kit to service it, only a new carb for $600. They told her that may not even fix it since they dont have anyone smart enough to diagnose it. They also want to keep it for 2 months...not going to happen in the middle of grass growing season. It quits after a little while of cutting. She just cuts till it quits, then continues later that day where it stopped or next till shes done.
Most likely cause is a bad coil. It's a known problem with JDs with Kawasaki and Kohler engines.
2nd most likely cause is light crap in the tank (or carb bowl) plugging up an orifice. As fuel flows, the sediment piles up against the orifice entrance until the engine starves for fuel. Lettig it sit, allows the sediment floats or spreads away from the orifice, which then allows fuel to flow again. Probably at the float valve orifice.
Another likely cause would be valve lash too tight. Runs when cold, but as the engine heats up, the valves elongate and don't close completely. It's common with hyd valve trains in small engines.
Also, check for a partially plugged muffler.
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 05-22-2017).]
LOL, im no greenie. I dont think I could use that on 2 acres at 70 years old. I got the Tesla to be fast and save gas money. Ecology had absolutely nothing to do with it. Econuts buy Prius and Volt.
First thing a Deere service guy did was remove and clean the bowl and since it didnt fix it, told her it needed a new carb. They had it for a few weeks to just get that far.
I never seen anything with rubber fuel lines vapor lock. My old cars did with metal oem lines running where they got hot on intake and exhaust manifolds. Replacing with rubber stopped all of them from doing it. My V8 Fiero had a problem when I finished it with the carb getting hot and purculating the fuel out of the bowl and stalling. Wood composite spacer fixed that.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 05-24-2017).]