GSX1400 Owners .org

General => Off Topic => Topic started by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 02 March 2020, 09:38 AM

Title: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 02 March 2020, 09:38 AM
lm distraught....... l seem to have more pieces of metal in my lawnmower engine than it started with.
Two weeks on a cruise ship and the wife and l get sick.
Never thought the mower would get sick and die too !!
:facepalm:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: KiwiCol on Monday, 02 March 2020, 09:53 AM
Mate, the technical term for that engine is,  'Rooted'    :happy1:

Could always send it to Lawrie I suppose . . .

What part let go?  Briggs & Stratton engine?
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 02 March 2020, 10:00 AM
Yeah, Briggs and Stratton.
Each end of a conrod had a disagreement and decided to go their separate ways.    :furious:   
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: steve porter on Monday, 02 March 2020, 01:17 PM
JB Weld
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: KiwiCol on Monday, 02 March 2020, 01:59 PM
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Monday, 02 March  2020, 10:00 AM
Yeah, Briggs and Stratton.
Each end of a conrod had a disagreement and decided to go their separate ways.    :furious:   


You must have tough grass up that way Col!  :stir:  Look on the bright side, now you get to choose a brand new mower, 23hp, diesel, ride on.  :boogie: That oughta do it.  :onya:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 02 March 2020, 03:22 PM
That was a 24hp 54inch cut Husqvarna !!
They want 3100 nz rupee for another engine
:facepalm:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: KiwiCol on Monday, 02 March 2020, 03:56 PM
$3100, bit steep for 1 of those I'd of thought.  Ya can get an old car for less & whip the engine out of that.  or how about a couple of sheep then?
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: grog on Monday, 02 March 2020, 05:59 PM
Its a mess Col. What size Briggs was it? Guess you have to toss up new mower cost v repower.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Monarchjock on Monday, 02 March 2020, 07:01 PM
Is everyone here missing the elephant in the the room.

"Two weeks on a cruise ship and the wife and I get sick"
  ??? :whistling:  :shocked:  :doh:

:rofl2:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: grog on Monday, 02 March 2020, 07:15 PM
Mate, i am. Dont understand at all.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Monarchjock on Monday, 02 March 2020, 07:33 PM
Google "Diamond Princess coronavirus" Grog.  ;)
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Mick_J on Monday, 02 March 2020, 07:43 PM
Looks like too much time on the red line, let the bugger warm up full before giving it the beans Col.  :lol:
Hope you and your good lady get through your sickness quickly.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Andre on Monday, 02 March 2020, 07:52 PM
Sure you can get a hardly used 14 engine for less $. Has plenty of torque for tough grass :8:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 02 March 2020, 08:29 PM
Quote from: mjgt on Monday, 02 March  2020, 07:43 PM
Looks like too much time on the red line, let the bugger warm up full before giving it the beans Col.  :lol:
Hope you and your good lady get through your sickness quickly.

I do make light of getting sick on the cruise ship but l did ring the hospital to check before taking the wife to the emergency a/h doctors. Never seen her so unwell.
As for my mower.....its a black armband day. Very unhappy indeed.  Can get a chinese engine for 1700-1800 nzd.
Might have to sleep on this one for a while.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Roo on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 05:26 AM
My baby Husqvana,  briggs engine .She's 10 years old now. Expensive here in NZ  at $7500.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: DP1400 on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 06:04 AM
Briggs/Husky combo, excellent - never seen one implode like that before ???

Hope you are your wife are both A1 again real soon.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Will14 on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 07:25 AM
Looks like you have done a good job there! When I worked in the Tool Hire industry they were know as Briggs and scrapthem rather than Stratton  :doh:  Hope you get sorted

Cheers

Pete 
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Taniwha on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 11:17 AM
Maaate! Perfect time for a repower.
Head down to the local bike wreckers and pickup something noice.
GP wreckers in Katikati have a wrecked GSX on hand. 😉😁😁
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: KiwiCol on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 01:20 PM
105hp oughta sort that tough grass out!  Hope the hydraulics are up to it.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 01:49 PM
Quote from: Taniwha on Tuesday, 03 March  2020, 11:17 AM
Maaate! Perfect time for a repower.
Head down to the local bike wreckers and pickup something noice.
GP wreckers in Katikati have a wrecked GSX on hand. 😉😁😁

They are not far away if anyone needed any bits off it.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: grog on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 06:14 PM
They certainly charge for Briggs in NZ. 27 hp here $2000.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: VladTepes on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 07:08 PM
Busa repower.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: lawrie on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 07:38 PM
Don't knock Briggs & Stratton guys, I bought this new way back in 1989, only thing changed has been : new tyres, seat, battery, & cutting-deck casing due to it rusting through in places, NOTHING done to the engine at all apart from annual oil changes, & unbelievably, it still has all the original drive-belts & it starts on the button & drives like new.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: grog on Tuesday, 03 March 2020, 09:54 PM
Totally agree on Briggs. Had self propelled 5hp Rover mower, Briggs motor. Only ever broke a couple of start ropes. Was a month off 30 yrs when retired. Reckon mustve done about 800 hours. Burnt valve at about 300, then again when i ended its life. Would still be going if id repaired it. Maybe 3 oil changes ever. Not bad for a motor with no oil pump, terrible air filter set up, didnt blow smoke or use oil. Started 2nd pull whole time.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: DP1400 on Wednesday, 04 March 2020, 06:28 AM
I suppose you guys `down under` will be using Victa mowers for cutting smaller areas(?) - brilliant machines......fitted with B&S engines of course :) :stir:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Mick_J on Wednesday, 04 March 2020, 07:37 PM
My  Rover mower with a Briggs & Stratton engine is at least 26 years old now and still works perfectly, changed the oil yesterday, probably it's third or fourth change in it's life.  Brilliant bit of kit.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Wednesday, 04 March 2020, 07:47 PM
l think my engine may have been made by a 9 year old in China.  Seems the older the engines are the more reliable they are. Sounds like l changed my oil more than all of you put together, perhaps that was the problem.   :confused1:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Eric GSX1400K3 on Wednesday, 04 March 2020, 09:19 PM
Ok, ill jump on the "which mower have you  got" bandwagon, bit weird for a suzuki mc forum, but anyways.

Ive got an ex jims mowing honda buffalo ezystart push mower, starts first go everytime, doesnt blow smoke at all.  Need to replace the governor at some stage, but it only gets used for 30min every 2-3 weeks. Its Probably  done about 500 hours still going strong.

My dad had a b&s self propelled, absolute p.o.s. i hated it. Engine was rubbish.  He traded his old original victa in for it, the ones with the victa engines, bulletproof.  Nowadays victas are also  b&s powered, so i wont touch one of those.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: VladTepes on Wednesday, 04 March 2020, 10:00 PM
I've got a Honda buffalo too
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Andre on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 12:20 AM
I don't even know what I am pushing over the lawn. Cheapest my landlord could find. Oil level has been steady for years. Won't change the oil. When the sucker breaks he buys a new one. Good enough for me :coffeescreen:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: DP1400 on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 06:27 AM
Before I took early retirement I had a fleet of 200+ mowers. Over a 45 year period they were re-newed every 3 years or so. During the last 15yrs the `Hayter` ride-on range were far superior to anything else available in terms of economy, performance, build quality & reliability. Arguably the best pedestrian controlled rotary mower available currently is, yep you`ve guessed it, the `Hayter Harrier Pro` @ around £900. Worth every penny :onya:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: lawrie on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 06:50 AM
Quote from: DP1400 on Thursday, 05 March  2020, 06:27 AM
Before I took early retirement I had a fleet of 200+ mowers. Over a 45 year period they were re-newed every 3 years or so. During the last 15yrs the `Hayter` ride-on range were far superior to anything else available in terms of economy, performance, build quality & reliability. Arguably the best pedestrian controlled rotary mower available currently is, yep you`ve guessed it, the `Hayter Harrier Pro` @ around £900. Worth every penny :onya:

And the engine is????    Let me guess! :grin:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: DP1400 on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 06:57 AM
HONDA :shocked:!
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: lawrie on Monday, 06 April 2020, 02:05 AM
Quote from: lawrie on Tuesday, 03 March  2020, 07:38 PM
Don't knock Briggs & Stratton guys, I bought this new way back in 1989, only thing changed has been : new tyres, seat, battery, & cutting-deck casing due to it rusting through in places, NOTHING done to the engine at all apart from annual oil changes, & unbelievably, it still has all the original drive-belts & it starts on the button & drives like new.

Me & my big f*****g gob.  Got the tractor out today, started it up, a few seconds later, it started belching thick-oil smock & spluttered to a halt, got the push engine'd 'spare' cut the grass, then had a go at the tractor again, it started ok, then thick smoke & stopped.
BUGGER, something else to strip down now, where do I go to complain about a 30 year old B&S engine. :embarrassed:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 06 April 2020, 03:53 AM
Thats a bugger Lawrie. Sorry to hear that.
I've decided to do the Chinese repower on it. Can buy a 24hp Loncin for $1500. 2yr warranty. Can buy 2 for the price of a B&S. Should fit straight on they say.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Irish in Oz on Monday, 06 April 2020, 05:21 AM
@Kiwifruit
Still buying Chinese  :stir:

Honda Buffalo for me, but I haven't cut my lawn for also 2 years, he is a good neighbour.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: KiwiCol on Monday, 06 April 2020, 05:36 AM
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Monday, 06 April  2020, 05:21 AM
@Kiwifruit
Still buying Chinese  :stir:

Honda Buffalo for me, but I haven't cut my lawn for also 2 years, he is a good neighbour.
It'll be more than a box of beers for 2 years of lawn mowing!
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Monday, 06 April 2020, 06:53 AM
Yes it pains me to buy Chinese.
Where l can l will buy anyrhing but Chinese.
We should all be doing our bit to support local industry or at least that of nations with a similar ethical beliefs.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Irish in Oz on Monday, 06 April 2020, 05:36 PM

[/quote]It'll be more than a box of beers for 2 years of lawn mowing!
[/quote]

He has got a good deal out of it, full workshop and storage space for cars and trailers.
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: lawrie on Monday, 06 April 2020, 06:24 PM
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Monday, 06 April  2020, 03:53 AM
Thats a bugger Lawrie. Sorry to hear that.
I've decided to do the Chinese repower on it. Can buy a 24hp Loncin for $1500. 2yr warranty. Can buy 2 for the price of a B&S. Should fit straight on they say.

Thanks for that, I decided to do some research & they seem a good replacement, £580.00 in the UK.

Did a bit more research & found that the UK distributor is  all of 5 miles from me!! :grin:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: lawrie on Wednesday, 08 April 2020, 02:07 AM
Whey-hey, pulled the engine, on the bench, drained the oil & out came a gallon of black petrol!!!  WTF, Stripped it down & found nothing wrong, 30 years old & virtually no carbon, valves good, slight scoring in bore, but nothing really.
I think that I put it away last season with a tank of fuel, & during the winter it must have seeped past the carb float-needle valve, into the head via an open inlet valve & eventually past the rings & into the engine case.
Draining  it  must have cleaned the innards really well!! 
The fuel tank was obviously empty, new oil, new fuel & shes up & running again, I did however, drain the tank, just in case it happens again & have ordered an in-line fuel tap for future use, I also noted that later tractors now HAVE in line fuel taps, so this is possibly a common problem, phew, a cheap fix for once!! :clapping:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Andre on Wednesday, 08 April 2020, 02:47 AM
Great news! :cheers:
Title: Re: My lawnmover appears broken.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Wednesday, 08 April 2020, 04:31 AM
Thats good news Lawrie, bit of a win there  :onya:

Got to work on my chainsaw yesterday. Damn thing would not start.
So after having a brief discussion with it l found the choke lever had popped out of its socket. Easy fix.
I do like pruning !!