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This is another controversial topic. Sealed bearings versus removing the plastic seal on bearings. Also, mispronouncing and misspelling ZERK, is another common issue. I know I am sure not going to take a new spindle apart to remove the seals on bearings for a customer. This would only add to the...

These often have the black plastic General transmission in them. I have seen problems with reverse and other problems. Remove the battery and make sure everything is blown out and free of debris. Same thing with the frame where the drive belt runs. Check condition of belts, pulleys, etc. There...

Try installing a spring onto the throttle connection to stop the slight surging at WOT.

An aftermarket suspension seat would have saved you from buying a new mower, if the ride quality was your main concern.

Is this a Gravely zero turn? We need more information such as complete model number and pictures? Is the deck level? Is it cutting OK?

Most people never even have the valves adjusted in many small engines. Probably the only time an engine gets the carbon cleaned internally is when a cylinder head gasket is being replaced, for example.

The economics of battery pack replacement are NOT good. After 7-10 years sometimes the manufacturer changes the entire design so that the new battery will not even fit (without slight modifications). The cost of batteries is often 2/3 of cost of tool or equipment. Unless you buy knockoff...

Make sure the customer knows about the broken off drill bit in jet, especially if they paid another shop.

I don’t like crappy off brand battery equipment, or crappy off brand gas powered equipment. There are lots of people that DO buy off brand crappy battery equipment and off brand crappy gas powered equipment. That is my point. The market is flooded with crappy equipment because products are so...

The same dilemma with many off brand battery outdoor power equipment such as trimmers, blowers, and chainsaws. Try to get someone to work on battery Ryobi, Craftsman, Troy Bilt, etc. handheld stuff. Also try to get parts other than some basic items. It all ends up in the landfill.

Take the plastic engine cover off of the engine and watch the starter when you start it. Sounds like the bendix gear is not engaging the flywheel. Good possibility you will need a new starter.

There is a short, lose wire connection, ignition switch, something that was causing the fuse to blow. It may be working now, but doubtful that it just magically “fixed” itself.

After about 30-60 days, the lighter and more volatile fuel is lost or greatly reduced in a normal gas tank. These lighter fuels are responsible for the pop or kick needed to start an engine. These lighter fuels are more important the smaller the engine is. That is why fresh fuel in a 2-stroke...

Hydro oil is supposed to be 3” below the top of filler neck in reservoir tank for that system. You said you filled it to 2” below. Try lowering oil level and see if that helps.

I do not endorse or am a fan of fuel stabilizer either. The product often states, “will keep fuel good for up to two years.” That may be true if you have a sealed and never opened container such as True Fuel aka canned gas for $20 + dollars a gallon.

Similar to the Spicer and Peerless manual shift trans axle. Yep, it has gears inside and if you are getting no reverse, you have two options if you want to fix it. Remove and replace entire trans axle. Remove and open it up to see if it can be repaired.

Occasionally you have to tie a rope to bypass lever, pull it out completely, and tie the rope tightly to the frame. When you are trying to pull the mower not running and in bypass, you will know when you get it right.

You are defending and focusing primarily on one specific Honda self-propelled battery mower. I am criticizing and talking in general about battery outdoor power equipment. Honda is the Cadillac. There are a lot of low tier brands that make battery equipment.

50 hours oil and oil filter-change it. Or if you are cheap and stubborn, go 200 hours oil and oil filter before changing. In an air cooled small engine, oil is crucial. The engine runs at wide open throttle, is air cooled (no radiator), and operates under dusty/dirty conditions often. Changing...

The fact that the two local Toro dealers will not help you because you did not buy mower at their shop is shortsighted and unprofessional. If I did not work on equipment that people bought from me, I would have no business. Probably just the wheel needs to come off, and the metal adjuster that...

Don’t buy Ryobi tools would be my advice.

Run it at 2600 rpm until you make any changes.

Battery hand tools and battery zero turn mowers are two different things. I use my battery hand tools everyday.

That is how manufacturers usually do it with batteries. The equipment plus the batteries is less costly than the battery alone. Getting 10 years out of a battery is on the long side. Not uncommon for batteries to fail at 3-5 years. Again, when motors fail, electrical issues happen, few shops...

Take the spring off the clutch that engages, and run the mower with clutch engaged all the time. Sounds like the clutch is worn out. I did this for a customer this spring and he has not come back to say it didn’t work.

LCT, Loncin, Powermore, Predator, all Honda clones aka Chonda (Chinese Honda). I have not seen major problems with any of these brands of engines, however, the longevity is yet to be determined.

Thanks for starting and staying with this forum. Many people have learned, and been helped over the years. Bringing up your battery powered Ryobi mower is not a badge of honor. A 25 year old Briggs flathead would sound a lot better for this forum. Especially if you live in California.

For $900 it better be able to mow .15 of an acre. I have always been a fan of Honda push and self-propelled mowers. Too bad they stopped making gas mowers in 2023, and will probably never be a fan of battery outdoor power equipment. Years from now when the battery goes bad, it will cost hundreds...

Although it is very frustrating and a huge waste of labor time, about once or twice a year I get one I can not figure out. I charge for parts and a substantially discounted labor rate. You can’t win them all. The equipment keeps coming in and going out, and the piece of equipment you can’t...

Dixie Chopper will not be missed by me. In the early 2000s they had their heyday. As the zero turn market became more competitive, they lost market share and lost. I literally have not worked on one Dixie Chopper all my years of doing small engines. There was a Dixie Chopper dealer in the city I...

One of your new switches could be bad, may also have reverse safety switch.

Battery should charge between about 13.5 to 14.5 volts. 12.75 is fully charged battery at rest. Purging the hydros on jack stands and seeing the wheels move back and forth is how it is done and is good. Putting it on the ground under load is how it is tested.

Some white engine labels do either come off (wear or pressure washing), or become unreadable with sun and time.

Fuses have nothing to do with safety switches. You have an intermittent safety switch issue that just happened to work correctly right after you checked the fuses. When you can start a mower, and pull in a steering handle and it dies, that means a bad safety switch. One fuse is for starting, and...

From what you read online, today’s riding mower is designed to last about 10 years. Most outdoor power equipment has a bottom on pricing. In other words, a 20 year old mower basically sells for the same as a 10 year old mower. I rarely have customers ask about any kind of warranty. And when...

First test the battery. Charge and load test. A weak battery will cause the blades to turn off.

Yes on grease.

I looked this BlackStone wheeled trimmer up. It is a wheeled trimmer. Worthless as txxs on a boar hog if you ask me. Sounds like it is one of the following: A). Hydro locked B). The engine brake is still contacting the flywheel C). Belt is somehow causing resistance D). A piece of crap

Every part of the country and states are different. Even different parts of the state have different levels of buying criteria and debt, and cash available. That said, you as a mechanic that repairs and sells outdoor power equipment, ATVs, UTVs, etc., have to sell and build the service and value...

There has to be enough profit after buying the equipment, parts cost, and labor to make it worthwhile. Often, low end riding mowers have little profit when buying, repairing and selling. Zero turn mowers and ATVs and UTVs offer more gross profit potential.

Compression is low, even for a compression release on cam. Plus it is a 24 year old engine. It may be over for this engine.

Check the belt tension by pressing on the belt with your fingers at the longest point in between spindles. Unfortunately, without experience, it is difficult to determine good belt tension.

If you can adjust both sets of valves in 10 minutes, you should start your own shop. Labor book times allows 45 minutes per cylinder.

Thank you for bringing up the point of different switches. There are 5, 6, and 7 post ignition switches for mowers, etc. Matching up the numbers of post doesn’t always work. I wish I had known this in the past.

You can shorten the spring to get better tension if needed and form a small loop on cut end.

Dirt/debris/oil buildup on cooling fins and engine will overheat the engine and blow head gasket, push valve guides, etc. if it gets bad enough over time. These are air cooled engines, and the cooling fins are essentially like the radiator for a vehicle.

The distance from the cutting edge of blade to the flat, level concrete (with air pressure in tires adjusted properly), is the actual cutting height. Without measuring it, you are only guessing. If it is actually at 2.25”, I would leave well enough alone, when the dial is at 2.25”. The real...

The dealer already threw three parts at this mower. I don’t know that I would rush back to this same shop again.

Clean OEM carburetor always before replacing with an aftermarket carburetor.

NO!