Hydro problem with new Lazer HP

[biglawn]

I have a new (less than 12 hours) Lazer HP (52" w/ 23 Kawi) that seems to have a possible hydro related problem.

After cutting for about an hour, I start to lose power in the right side and fluid begins to leak out of the reservoir cap. If I put the right side into reverse, I get little to no movement unless I coax it by putting the left into reverse a bit. Going forward, I need to push the right side lever much farther forward than the left in order to track straight, and I end up going much more slowly. Again, this occurs only after it is hot, about an hour or so into the cut.

The dealer looked at it and thought there might be in air in the hydro and serviced it, but problem re-occurred immediately. In addition, wouldn't air in the system affect both sides and not just the right?

I am only cutting my own lawn with the machine (about 3 acres) and it has very low hours, so I am wondering if it is possible that the right side hydro is defective? It is currently in the shop, but I think that they are a bit perplexed about the problem. (It only occurs after about an hour or so of use, and only in the right side.)

Any insight you have would be really useful.

Thanks!

[eXmark]

Biglawn,

The problem is most likely air. It is not unusual for air to effect one side more than the other. It would also not be unusual for air to effect one side and not effect the other at all.

The way the hydro system is set up, it won't allow air or contamination to migrate from one side to the other. This is great because if you ever do have one pump or one wheel motor fail it is impossible for any of the debris created by a failed component to effect or damage the other side.

The fluid leaking out of the reservoir cap is a good indicator of air in the hydro system.

With 12 hours on the machine you should have already purged any air left in the system during from production. You also said that it seams to get a little worse as you run it. Both of these could be indications of a sucking air leak on one side of the hydro system.

A sucking air leak is in the feed side or low-pressure side of the hydro drive system. More than likely the leak is somewhere between the "T" in the feed line, where it branches off to each side, and the fittings at the pump.

The difficulty in finding these is they are on the suction side and will suck air in instead of pumping fluid out. Often after the mower has been shut down the negative pressure in the line will deplete and you'll get a little fluid ooze from the leak. More often than not your dealer simple checks each fitting to see if it is tight, finds the loose one and the problem is gone.

I'm guessing they'll find it fairly easily and the problem will be resolved when you get your mower back.

Thanks

Terry

[myers508]

i'm having the same problem only it is in reverse and not forward

[biglawn]

My problem was solved to the exact problem Terry described - air being sucked in to the system via a loose connection.

Works great now!

[eXmark]

BigLawn,

GREAT! This hydro system has been around a while so it's not only reliable but the tech guys, lab guys and so on have seen a great number of things over the years that allow us to diagnose them pretty quick.

Thanks and you shouldn’t have any further problems unless the leak re-opens.

Terry