General Lawn Tractor Talk

16 years ago

Hello all. I have browsed through this forum a few times, and I figured I'd say hello. There are many people here who deserve to be thanked for their help and patience, so I thank you in advance. I feel confident that I could come here and get some good advice if I needed it. So thank you guys/gals, you know who you are.....

Now on to my tractor. I just bought a used craftsman LT4000, 38" cut, with a 16hp Briggs Vanguard Twin. (It originally had the 14hp vanguard if you're confused). I put a new battery on it, and figured I better check everything out real well, and make sure she's ready to go for the season. What I found was that the original owner had absolutely no respect for maintenance. The oil filter was dented so bad from pliers (I think) that it was leaking everywhere, it had almost no oil in it (and it was black and burnt). So I changed the oil and slapped on a fresh purolator filter. Next was the fuel filter. I took the old one off, and it was black. It actually had blades of grass poking out of the end of it! Unbelievable. Then on to the air cleaner. Can you believe it was a factory air cleaner? Also black. I'm guessing that's why I was running so rich when I test ran it(black smoke seems to be gone now :).

I can't believe that some people can do so little in the preventative/scheduled maintenance of a tractor. I guess that's why it doesn't have it's factory engine, right?

This is an example of why maintenance is so important. I'm not a freak about it, either. I actually let things go a little longer than they probably should, but this kind of neglect WILL kill your tractor WAY before it's time.

So if you've never done the things I mentioned above, do them now. You'll get a lot more life out of your equipment.

BTW, is it true that people actually dump gas in their oil fill, and vice versa? I've seen several post about what to do if this happens. Wow.

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Comments (5)

rustyj14
16 years ago
Well, i've not seen gasoline in the engine, but i did get a traded in push mower, that the owner had poured oil into the engine, to the very top of the dipstick tube! Never did get it to run! Installed another engine!
I do "the mower set out for the garbage man" thing, every night, or in the morning! Have gotten some nifty mowers that way. Heck, a few dollars could have been made, from cleaning the air filter foam, some fresh fuel, a new spark plug, but, no, give the rope a couple yanks, it don't start, and out it goes, to set beside the garbage can on garbage morning! And, along comes Rusty Jones, in his junky old truck! The ramps come out, in goes the mower, in go the ramps, and it's away to a new home! MMM'HMMM!
nobule
16 years ago
i recieved a ariens push mower when my parents left the midwest for texas. my dad had always said what a great mower it was except it used alot of oil and told me to make sure i fill it to the top of the dipstick tube. he said for some reason it always had oil bubbling out of the dipstick tube, nice ey? well he was right, cause i used 90 wieght in it at the proper level and it did work for a year. the year after i could mow for about 20 minutes and it would blow all the oil out and lock up. but i made it thru the year with it anyway. it would always cool down and restart. and i never even filled it back up again till i was done. the rings were out of this mower for years and it still ran. i later made fun of my dad, since he was an engineer and all, i had too.
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You should not hose out the mower deck after each use.Water gets in behind the grass munure and creates rust. There are products you can buy to treat the mowerer deck.That supposibly help keep the grass from sticking.I have tried Slick plate.Its a graphite based paint.It did not help much if at all. The best way to care for the mower deck.Is to remove it and scrape the grass out.I use a ice scraper like used on a car windshield.But sometimes you still have to use a metal objects like a putty knife.Just becareful not to scratch up the surface to much. During the wet season even when the grass feels dry.It still makes a wet grass mess under there.The water is in the grass blades.Because of this I remove the deck a few times a season.I stand the deck up clean as much by hand as I can.I then use a pressure washer and clean it well.Being careful not to direct the stream toward the bearings.This is also the time when I sharpen and balance my blades.After its all dry you could and I do apply some primer paint followed by Slick Plate both for rust prevention and to perhaps slow the sticking. I remove my mower decks often.That is why I went with lawn tractors that have a fast removel and reinstall set up.Rather then pins to loose and belt pulleys to pinch my fingers.If its easy to remove you will do it.If its not you will try to just clean the best you can with it attached.I hope yours is the easy to remove type? The tractor I use my leaf blower or Compressed air.To blow the complete tractor off after each use.Blowing air to clean the grass and dirt away from the Hydro fins and fan will keep the hydro running cool.A cool hydro is a happy hydro.Same with the engine.Complete tractor and top of deck. Changing the oil and filter and keeping the air filter clean is a must. Make sure to grease all the grease fittings often both the tractor and deck.A little grease often is better then to much to seldom.The tractor and deck will thankyou for it.Because if you over grease you risk damaging a seal.If you grease a little more sparingly you will not damage a bearing and will not make a mess and doing it often every thing has grease all the time. The best way to protect it is to keep it inside after each use.In a nice dry area.Rather then outside under a tarp.
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How about some specific model and type numbers from the engine? "Briggs 20 HP Twin OHV" is still too vague and you can't get to a Briggs site manual without Model & type numbers. Magneto??? Generator??? Your engine has both, and each serves a different goal. Magneto creates the spark for the spark plug ignition. Generator (alternator) provides electrical power for keeping the battery recharged and to address the 12 volt loads of the electric PTO and lights. Magneto problems will not affect the PTO or the operation of the starter. Generator problems will not affect spark. Generator problems certainly will have an influence on whether the PTO works, and whether the battery stays charged to crank the engine. When we get the model & type numbers from you we will be able to look at the IPL and see if your engine has a fuel solenoid. The reason for "need to know" on that is because a Briggs engine that does not have a fuel solenoid will happily continue to run after the fuse you're thinking of blows. In that case, the PTO would quit but the engine would run on. But the next time you tried to start the engine, the blown fuse would prevent the starter from working. IF....the engine DOES have a fuel solenoid, the engine would have died the moment the fuse blew. In fact, the engine dying would probably have been at the top of the complaint because you would have failed to note that the PTO quit. Looking like a problem in the charging system, or a blown fuse to me. But remember, a fuse does not blow without a reason.
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macguy
16 years ago
I guess you assume the average homeowner will attempt to work on their own equipment. When they buy a Walmart special push mower for $109 and 3 years later a mower repair shop wants to charge you $40 for a "tuneup" what do you think the customer will conclude? Fix it or buy a new one? The time you spend finding them, the fuel you use driving around looking and the parts you buy to get it going how much are you really making on them?
kiddranger
16 years ago
Im sorta glad most peeple dont maintain thier tractors, otherwise i couldnt get em at such a good deal. All 15 in my fleet were non runners, most in bad shape. The checklist i use before starting them is pretty short, just basic cleaning, maintenece. I add some Lucas oil into the fresh oil change to help lube the internal pieces up. The basic lack ive seen is cruddy ,nasty oil, sometimes pretty low from not checking. One of my worst tractors at purchase, around 20 years old, still runs on its original motor with original internals. The newest one i own is a 1996, the oldest is a 1969. Kinda ironic. The worst part of most tractors? The decks. Most are fulla rust holes, seized spindle berings, non functional. These i totally go thru, removing everything, rebuilding, replacing peices as needed, cleaning/sanding/painting the deck to look and run like new to make a decent, solid running lawnmower. Gotta love those good deals,even if its just for parts.
Kidd
briggsandcraftsman
Original Author
16 years ago
I hear you, kidd. lol. I just don't have the time to gather them all up. We have a free classifieds paper in my area that I'me sure you would love. It comes out on Tues, and by wednesday almost everything is gone, though.
I just bought this craftsman w/ the vanguard for $250. About $25 later (well, $50 with the diehard on sale), I know I have a tractor with some life left in it. It's fate was much worse with the last guy. As far as decks go, that was very important to me when I picked this one. Almost no rust on the deck, and one new mandrel (said his wife hit a rock). I think what sold me on it was the homemade push bar, though, that someone welded together and bolted to the front end. And then with the engine upgrade, I knew it was y kind of mower. I call it the "sleeper". lol..

General Lawn Tractor Talk

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rustyj14

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