Recent content by Tiger Small Engine

Champion is designed in the good old USA, and built in China. I have a Champion generator. The Honda knockoff engines (Chonda) are just fine from what I have seen. Overall, there is nothing great or terribly bad about either Champion, or Honda clone engines.

Did the problem happen gradually with loss of power when backing up, or all of a sudden? Look hard at the linkage, pedal, and point where linkage hooks onto the transaxle.

Yes, the compression release will affect a compression test reading. You are looking for at least 60-70 psi on a twin cylinder with compression release. You are also looking for 10% or less differential between the two cylinders. I sometimes do a leak down test also, depending upon the situation.

Torque specs for this engine can be found online. Always look up correct specs for important parts such as head gaskets, and use a torque wrench. Gradually tightening head bolts in a pattern to correct torque is the right way. Reusing bolts will be no problem. Did you do a leak down test to...

Is it a gravity fed fuel tank? Does it have a fuel pump? Did it have a red fuel filter on it initially?

Intake and exhaust valves for this engine specs: .005” for both. Make sure to set valves to correct specs after testing.

How many hours on mower? Did the backing up problem occur gradually or all at once? Take a flashlight and look closely at transaxle for build up of grass and debris and clean.

Always do visual inspection, lap valves, de-carbon valves, cylinder head, and piston head, and check head for level with feeler gauge on glass. Don’t worry about other cylinder unless it is a problem. Perform compression test to compare two cylinders once work is complete.

Remove Zama carburetor, take apart, clean, replace metering diaphragm, install. I have a 90-95% success rate after doing this with two stroke carburetors.

It is called an anti-afterfire carburetor solenoid. It has zero to do with carburetor filling up cylinder and hydro locking the engine (like some people believe). The pintle on the end of solenoid gets sticky over time. This stops the fuel to the main jet in carburetor. If this solenoid got...

Technically, by the service manual, the mower shroud is supposed to be removed once a year and the engine and cooling fins checked for debris, to avoid overheating. Paying $450-$550 to remove and replace a cylinder head, head gasket, decarbon, and set valves, etc. on a mower that is worth...

I don’t do this repair this way either for a customer. It is a new cylinder head, clean top of engine of debris, etc.

Not several years worth if paying a lawn service to mow, trim, and blow 4 acres, more like 2.5 years. It is a good solid mower (Bad Boy) for the price. 15 years ago Bad Boy was a low quality zero turn, but things have changed. Remember that Bad Boy and Spartan are close to the same mower...

If it is under warranty, take it to the dealer.

Pull spark plug, pull recoil rope several times and make sure it is not spitting out oil. Clean plug and see if it will fire up.

If you cut a groove in valve guide, insert a c-clip into the groove so it stays put. Make sure it is at correct depth of course. You can red Loctite it and peen it also.

Had a pressure washer with diesel put in it this summer. I called her “Smokey”. Ran fine after the smoke cleared.

It would be a labor of love because it would take a lot of work on an engine that isn’t worth much. The upside would be the satisfaction of using it after the repair, and the learning and experience.

Are you changing the cylinder that overheated and pushed the valve guide? Did you thoroughly clean the top of engine and cooling fins from debris after it overheated? This mower is 25 years old and has been around the block a time or two.

If the drive shaft will not turn, it is a good probability the gear box is locked up. First release tension on PTO deck belt and make sure all spindles and pulleys move freely. Have you been periodically checking the gear box oil by removing the fill plug? Did you know you had a gear box with a...

Can you describe the “stumble” more specifically?

This entire post is a great example of a few things. Diagnostic skills versus shooting in the dark. Listening and comprehension versus throwing parts at it. Experience versus “maybe this will fix it.”

White rust. If given enough time it will eventually destroy the carburetor to the point of being unusable.

All those lawn services out there with 21” self-propelled mowers being super productive on acreage all day long, Not! You change the mowing pattern every week with a zero turn. Zero turns range in weight from 800 pounds to 2200, with around 1100 being a good average. If the ground is really wet...

Gravely was never a great zero turn mower, but a good, solid zero turn mower, yes. Gravely is the commercial side, and Ariens is the residential side, same company. When you say “Gravely sold out”, do you mean literally? Because Gravely has not sold out.

This was a great year for business, very smooth and steady. My annual income continues to grow. I am optimistic about the next four years because the people have spoken. However , when a country is 36 TRILLION dollars in debt, and you are paying more in interest each year than the defense...

Clean existing OEM carburetor.

So in your opinion, on acreage, what gives better cut quality than a good zero turn mower? When you drive by a nice lawn and you see all those beautiful stripes that pop, how do you think they got there? A 21” self-propelled mower, a 48” walk behind, a 42” riding mower Murray? Give me a break...

Or mix old fuel with used engine oil and use it to light a burn pile.

Or buy a Mityvac oil/gas extractor ($100) that you pump by hand, holds about 3 gallons, and will last a long time because it is a well built unit.

Gorilla Glue adhesive (white) $10.00 bucks at Walmart in a caulk size tube.

Did the engine run low, or out of oil? If the piston, rings, cylinder, crankshaft, and cam are all heavily scored, most likely this engine is not able to be rebuilt.

Some Stihl trimmers have an adjustment at the half circle cam, that some trimmer throttle cables ride on. If not this design, than maybe where the cable mounts there is an adjustment. Otherwise, no adjustment.

Plastic to steel, plastic to foam, Gorilla Glue does it. The key is weight, clamps, and 24 hours to cure.

Gorilla Glue adhesive (comes in tube and is white), clamps, weight, and 24 hours.

Screw in dipstick is normally a Kawasaki engine. Remove dipstick, wipe, turn to the left until it seats on top of threads, and pull it out for reading.

New key switch.

I have only seen a larger twin Honda on one zero turn, and it was a Hustler. Unless the engine is leaking a lot of oil, I would just keep the oil checked and topped off and run it. Customers come in periodically throughout the year with oil leaks. I pressure wash the equipment and can rarely...

Hustler is a decent mower. Just keep the one you got for 2 acres, 12” is not that big of a difference. The hours, engine type, hydros, brand, condition and features determine the value of a zero turn.