Running a riding mower without the hood/front?

mct75

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Are there any disadvantages to using a riding mower with the "hood" removed? I don't use the headlights and am always concerned about the massive amount of heat that just circulates inside the hood. It also rattles like crazy and makes it difficult to clean out grass from around the engine. I store the mower in my garage so no concerns about rain.

Note I am not talking about the engine cowling/flywheel fan duct, I know that is important to guide air around the cylinder head.

Thanks!
 

BlazNT

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Hood is decoration only. Does keep a little heat off you.
 

mct75

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Cool, thanks! I think the mower will run cooler and be easier to maintain with the hood off.
 

helomech

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I would say it depends. Some hoods are designed to help airflow. Not sure of your model, but on mine the hydrostatic cooler would get no airflow if I removed any cowlings.
 

mct75

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It is a vintage Bolens 662 with no hydrostatics to speak of. The only fancy component on the front half of the tractor is the engine.
 

helomech

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It is a vintage Bolens 662 with no hydrostatics to speak of. The only fancy component on the front half of the tractor is the engine.

As long as the engine shrouds are in place, than is should be fine. Air needs to be directed to the cooling fins.
 

cruzenmike

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I was shopping for mowers earlier in the year and noticed that the mowers sitting outside had a significant amount of rust on the top of the engine beneath the debris shredder, and this was with a hood on. I know that most engines have an alternator beneath the cover. Assuming that you only cut during dry conditions and still keep the area clean with a blower/air, it shouldn't be an issue. If you allow any water to get in there, you may encounter problems years down the road. Maybe you won't, but consider that the manufacturer engineered the mower to run both adequately and efficiently with the hood in place. My cub cadet actually had an air dam built into the hood which brought air in from both sides to the top of the engine.
 

Boobala

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Are there any disadvantages to using a riding mower with the "hood" removed? I don't use the headlights and am always concerned about the massive amount of heat that just circulates inside the hood. It also rattles like crazy and makes it difficult to clean out grass from around the engine. I store the mower in my garage so no concerns about rain.

Note I am not talking about the engine cowling/flywheel fan duct, I know that is important to guide air around the cylinder head.

Thanks!

I noticed you have a Murray ... if so ..NO Problem ,I sometimes run mine without the hood after maintenance or whenever I get an inclination to do so !
 

mct75

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I was shopping for mowers earlier in the year and noticed that the mowers sitting outside had a significant amount of rust on the top of the engine beneath the debris shredder, and this was with a hood on. I know that most engines have an alternator beneath the cover. Assuming that you only cut during dry conditions and still keep the area clean with a blower/air, it shouldn't be an issue. If you allow any water to get in there, you may encounter problems years down the road. Maybe you won't, but consider that the manufacturer engineered the mower to run both adequately and efficiently with the hood in place. My cub cadet actually had an air dam built into the hood which brought air in from both sides to the top of the engine.

On mine, the "alternator" is inside the flywheel. The hood has a few vent slots but no ducts to speak of. It is a very basic mower.

I noticed you have a Murray ... if so ..NO Problem ,I sometimes run mine without the hood after maintenance or whenever I get an inclination to do so !

Aside from running cooler, I also like the better visibility as I can see within about a foot of the front wheels now. It's also way easier to blow grass clippings out of the engine now.
 
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