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This machine only has 39 hours. We let it set most of the time due to it bogging down when the grass
is thicker. Run our Hustler Fastrac with no issues. This has the 26hp motor. Has anyone changed out to
a higher hp motor with success? It's such a nice machine I hate to let it set but it is so aggravating to operate
when the grass is thicker.

Just a quick test, unplug one plug wire and start. Plug it back in.
Then try the other side, see if it runs on both, or just one side.

Fish said:

Just a quick test, unplug one plug wire and start. Plug it back in.
Then try the other side, see if it runs on both, or just one side.

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Yep, running on both. I had two dealers tell me that this model is underpowered. Surprised they still build it with the same motor but changed from 26 to 27 hp.

Studeman said:

Yep, running on both. I had two dealers tell me that this model is underpowered. Surprised they still build it with the same motor but changed from 26 to 27 hp.

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Hard to believe that one horsepower made a difference . I dont know whats going on but something is not right and it ain't the HP.

Are we talking thick tall or wet grass? Are you cutting it for the first time this season? Is this a weekly cut you are complaining about? Dead dull blades? Mowing at too high a speed?

Agree 1 hp you will never feel. 39 hours is enough to clog up a fuel tank (bagging or scalping) or a valve or two need adjusting. This is a fresh engine.

Still running on the initial oil fill? I hope not.

Hp means nothing
Need more , then just measure it 100 rpm higher
Remember Hp is torque x RPM
It is torque that does the work which is why my 13 Hp motorcycle can keep pace with a 40 modern 40 Hp motorcycle
So unless that 27 Hp engine has a different bore or stroke it will not make any difference
At best the 27 will have a smaller restrictor in the manifold and at the extreme perhaps a marginally bigger main jet .
As Slowie mentioned probably some thing needs adjustment and valve lash is number 1 as being a horizontal shaft engine they are a PIA to set .
I bought a couple of pallets of surplus engines when the $ Aus was parity with the $ US and all of the big ones are long gone but I have regularly fitted engines as much as 30% smaller HP than the original & the only thing customers notice is they are less noisy & use less fuel.
And this includes the five I have done for commercial customers where time is money so any slowing down would have been apparent from day 1 .
Now if you are trying to bag thick grass things may be a little different but the rule of thumb is to work out the power requirements of the mower then fit an engine that is 25 % higher

Nope, this is normal height grass that I cut every week. Blades are new and I do check my blades for sharpness and sharpen when needed. I don't race thru the grass when I am mowing. The Hustler, which has an 18hp honda, goes thru it (the same grass) like butter. Like I said above, two Grasshopper dealers have told me that this one model is underpowered. Not bagging any grass so that is not a factor. Of course, I change oil on a regular basis on all my equipment and vehicles. The Grasshopper oil has been changed twice since I bought it new and I only use synthetic oil and wix filters.

Got to be a really really bad design on Grasshoppers part then. Other than a diesel engine on it there aren't too many options for a higher HP gasser. Even so would another 5-8 horses make a difference of it were gas ?

4getgto said:

Got to be a really really bad design on Grasshoppers part then. Other than a diesel engine on it there aren't too many options for a higher HP gasser. Even so would another 5-8 horses make a difference of it were gas ?

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Rule of thumb is manufacturers fit engines that are 25% more powerful than the requirements of the mower
If Hoppers were drastically underpowered then this forum would be getting a hundred "my Grasshopper don't work" posts every day.
SO back to square one, there is some thing wrong with your mower
And dealers will tell you anything if they sniff the chance to make another sale .

bertsmobile1 said:

Rule of thumb is manufacturers fit engines that are 25% more powerful than the requirements of the mower
If Hoppers were drastically underpowered then this forum would be getting a hundred "my Grasshopper don't work" posts every day.
SO back to square one, there is some thing wrong with your mower
And dealers will tell you anything if they sniff the chance to make another sale .

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Can't agree more. I was sarcastically speaking a out Grasshopper. Not sure of the exact model the op has but somethings got to be looked into. 38hrs and leaving it sit around is ridiculous.