josame, I see you have had the rider, so you know when it's right, and it used to cut the "deep" grass, right? Mine will cut deep grass and weeds (?10" +?), but I have to go slow. Your blades are sharp and no undue drag of the spindle bearings, Tires inflated. Also , of course , without the bagger system you can go faster and cut damp/wet grass. there is a rubber breather tube that runs from crankcase to intake down tube after air filter. At year two I discovere the factory had not fully engaged the annular rubber ring onto the down tube and it was sucking dirt. This connection is difficult to see. Try feeling it. This probably would not rob power, but only wear away the rings. Air filter is not choked with dirt?
