First year with my JD LA100 comes to an end

16 years ago

Cutting season is now over here in CT when i finished bagging the leaves this past weekend.Here is a bit of a review for my first year with my new tractor.Except for the one time that it wouldn't start and i had to unstuck the engine!all went well.Since i mow about 1 acre with about 1 hr each time i put on about 30 hrs this year.80% of the time i bagged and the other 20% mulched.I removed the deck and gave it a real good cleaning for winter storage.I did notice a few places underneath where the paint peeled off and had some surface rust in a few spots.Not sure if its normal to see only after 1 year!I did clean with the hose after each cutting but later in the season i just used the blower.I will be putting a fresh undercoat of paint in the spring!unless maybe my warranty will cover a fresh new coat.No rust anywhere else and the belts still look like new.I drained the gas and ran it dry.!battery is still connected!will disconnecting the battery and storing it in a warm place help it last longer??.Well! 1 year done and hopefully many more to come.

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Comments (6)

rustyj14
16 years ago
2 mistakes!!
1. Running it dry. Doing that leaves some fuel in the carburetor bowl, which jells, over the storage period. Then, when you put in new gas, it loosens up the bit of old gas that didn't get burnt up completely, and that stuff clogs the jets, and no start is the next song you are singing! Use Sta-bil in the gasoline you put in it, all of the time, winter and summer, and next spring it will start!
2. As for the battery: There is a "Battery Tender/ Minder", that you can buy. Costs around 15-20 bucks. Runs on house current, puts out a wee amount of charge, keeps the battery charged, and active. Motorcycle folks use them on their batteries-saves batteries, saves from having to buy a new one every spring. Keep it in the garage, with a bit of heat, or just out of the really bad cold air. Mine last around 2-3 years with that treatment.
deerslayer
16 years ago
"2 mistakes!!
1. Running it dry."

I run the tanks of equipment that I put into storage dry. I've been doing this for over 30 years. I haven't had a single problem. BTW, most owner's manuals recommend running tanks dry OR using a fuel stabilizer when putting equipment into short term storage. For long term storage, running the the tanks dry is recommended. IMO, running tanks dry also is better for short term storage. The main advantage of fuel stabilizers is that you don't need to run out your fuel.

I agree that battery tenders extend the life of batteries.

-Deerslayer
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duke88
16 years ago
I just made my last rounds mulching leaves and put the LT away (in garage)for winter. It was nice today (Monday 19th in 60s) but snow flurries to 1" of snow on Wed. Tomorrow I will fill tank w/Sta-bil added and also have battery float tender. String trimmer & blower put away for winter and snow blower started and ready to go. Think I'm all set.
marineguy
16 years ago
The only mistake he made was washing the mower with the hose. There shouldn't be any rust on a one-year-old mower. As for running it dry, that's how I was raised to treat seasonal small engines. For my pressure washer and generator, I use Sta-bil and run the carb dry (by shutting off the fuel). For my push mower, which has been used maybe five times (backup mower), I drain the tank and run it dry. I should probably remove the oil too for as infrequently as it gets used. For my JD, I start using Sta-bil in late summer, and keep a battery maintainer on it while it sits in the shed over the winter, used once a month or so for tilling, leaf collection or cart hauling. Chainsaw sits year-round with a dry tank till needed. Trimmer gets run dry in late fall. I also try to keep the car and truck at least 2/3 full to reduce the condensation which builds up in the ullage of the tank, preventing fungus from growing or water in the lines. But I don't know if that actually does anything.
engine_tech
16 years ago
Paint wearing off under the mower deck usually isn't covered under warranty. Give it some paint in the spring.
dynamike59
16 years ago
Clean and paint the underside of the deck in the fall.
This gives the paint all winter to harden up.

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First year with my JD LA100 comes to an end

Comments (6)

rustyj14

deerslayer

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duke88

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