First Breakdown on my 2019 YTH 18542 Husq

[platefire]

It was an Idler Pulley kicked the bucket. I usually can tell when an idler pulley is dying before it happens, but this one snuck up on me. They had one in stock at my local parts store 8 miles away for $32. So I got the thing back in operation within 2 hours. Pretty good record being pretty much trouble free
for 6 years.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Glad to hear you got it resolved.

It is a good idea to pull the upper fan shroud cover off at this age and clean out any chaff and debris along with possible mouse nesting. An air-cooled engine needs clean fins. The top cover directs the cooling air, but it also collects a lot of dust and debris under it. The side tins also need to be loosened and cleaned.

An engine can look perfectly clean at first appearance. It's what's hiding that slowly kills the engines.

Of course, make sure you change the oil and filter at least the beginning of each cutting season if you don't already do that. Don't wait until it turns black from carbon deposits and wear.

 

[platefire]

Well this is my fourth riding mower ever and the problem has always been the deck wearing out before
the motor fails. Two Murreys, one Craftsman and now the Husq. I have taken the previous decks to a welder and had the decks patched for holes and tares. I now do blow the mower and engine off with a air blower after every use. It is very dusty around my house. I do change oil, air filter and oil filter every mowing season plus grease the alemites probably at least twice a season.

I never have taken the shroud cover off to clean the cooling fins. However it's always my goal to do what ever
is needed to get the the most use out of a mower as possible. So I will certainly consider to start doing that
because this Husq seems to have a better built deck than the previous mowers and I might need to get more out of the engine than on previous mowers if the deck continues to hold up. No welding patches required so far.
Thanks, Platefire