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Mower seized up and leaking oil from engine

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166324

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello,

I was push mowing a very overgrown lawn with grass 1'-2' high with my self propelled 22" Toro push mower. I just filled it with oil. It kept shutting off while mowing which it usually doesn't do. It was getting harder to pull but started. Then I kept mowing.

It shut off and I tried to pull it to start again. I ripped the pull string in half and it will barely budge when trying to pull start it. The engine is leaking oil from the side as well?

Any ideas what the problem is? Easy fix? lol

I had to finish the lawn with my back up mower... About to buy a 42" Walk behind. Should I ride it out with the back up push mower for a few days and scrap the self propelled mower?
 
#2 ·
Well, did you give it more than it could handle to the point that the engine rpm was way below normal operating speed? If it was working extra hard, but only getting say half the cooling, that would have caused huge overheating.If so it sounds like it overheated and an overhaul or a new engine would be in order.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
So yeah I did keep on checking the bottom for the grass but it actually wasn't clogging up and yeah I beat the heck out of to much on that one I'm assuming. Learned my lesson.

Took it to the scrap yard today and they gave me $9 for the metal lol
 
#8 ·
Another case of wrong tool for the job. Its not a bush hog. You might get away with taking a 6" swath with each pass. You probably overheated it and/or wrapped grass around the crankshaft tearing the seal and creating a leak and/or overfilled the engine. I'm sure you probably figured out now mowing grass that high was and always will be a bad idea with anything less than a heavy duty mower operated in a responsible manner.
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Discussion starter · #9 ·
Yeah it wasn't 2 cycle. I put in 10W-30 I believe. Also, I most likely over filled the oil. The predator looks nice but it had 6.5 HP before, the predator is only 5.5 HP. I do wish I didn't through it out though because the frame was aluminum.
 
#10 ·
herler said:
Shoot, depending on the model I might have kept it for the frame, throw a 5.5hp Predator at it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/engine...enerators/gas-engines/55-hp-173cc-ohv-vertical-shaft-gas-engine-carb-69731.html

Wonder what kind of oil you had in it, wasn't per chance "2-cycle oil," was it?
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I would've did the same. If it was just a small mower and I was just going to use on the side once I got a big mower that predator engine would have been a good candidate. They run $119. with the common HF 20% coupons one of them engines can be had for under a c note. I threw the predator on a reel mower when the old honda seized up, that thing has never missed a beat and runs and idles smoother then the old honda. :laugh: That's what they've been compared to for a long time, many call them the "honda clone."
 
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Discussion starter · #11 ·
Oh okay. Now I bought it used so it had a lot of wear and tear. Spent $140 on it. I got over $600 worth of sales from it. And didn't really think it had much life left in it lol. Back tires need to be replaced too. One of the twist knobs fell out due to vibration. Constant beating from lifting it from the pick up and putting it on the ground. It wasn't worth the effort. Sadly I had to put it to rest. RIP Toro Self Propelled
 
#12 ·
supperdude16 said:
Oh okay. Now I bought it used so it had a lot of wear and tear. Spent $140 on it. I got over $600 worth of sales from it. And didn't really think it had much life left in it lol. Back tires need to be replaced too. One of the twist knobs fell out due to vibration. Constant beating from lifting it from the pick up and putting it on the ground. It wasn't worth the effort. Sadly I had to put it to rest. RIP Toro Self Propelled
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I've had one of those Toro Self Propelled's that has lasted me years of abuse although it doesn't get used anymore and just takes up room, that thing has never failed. I do change the oil in it WAY earlier then needed also. Same with the air filter. It doesn't have a meter, but the oil probably got changed on it every 20 hours. :laugh:

But as far as that mower making you $600.00 for $140. paid, that's not too good of an investment to be honest. If your charging $50.00 an hour that thing only lasted you 12 hours of mow time or work time. Let's just say that god for bid you were charging $25.00 an hour, it still only lasted you 24 hours of mow time / work time. Your next step is a commercial mower, hopefully you find you a machine that can make you $25,000-$100,000. :drinkup:
 
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Discussion starter · #13 ·
Oh wow. Good to know. That is incredible that one machine can make me that much money! I am looking around for a walk behind. It can't be a 48" because that wont fit in my truck and I don't want to get a trailer yet before the snow comes. And yeah, I definitely wasn't even charging $25 an hour and probably am almost at $25 an hour... Its my first season and I'm doing every odd job I could find just to get some business.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
PicturePerfectLawns said:
I've had one of those Toro Self Propelled's that has lasted me years of abuse although it doesn't get used anymore and just takes up room, that thing has never failed. I do change the oil in it WAY earlier then needed also. Same with the air filter. It doesn't have a meter, but the oil probably got changed on it every 20 hours. :laugh:

But as far as that mower making you $600.00 for $140. paid, that's not too good of an investment to be honest. If your charging $50.00 an hour that thing only lasted you 12 hours of mow time or work time. Let's just say that god for bid you were charging $25.00 an hour, it still only lasted you 24 hours of mow time / work time. Your next step is a commercial mower, hopefully you find you a machine that can make you $25,000-$100,000. :drinkup:
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This was one of my first posts on here. Wow I miss that mower. I have bought a commercial walk behind and a zero turn since that time. Hopefully I can get that $100,000 soon :)
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