I left the dip stick loose on my Z445 today, and guess what!

Boo, your manuals are a great source of info for members of this forum, for that I’ll give you credit. But giving opinion without experience is not how to do things. I feel that doing something one way for over many years, with no draw backs, is experience you can’t read. What you and other members think about me is of no concern to me. Teaching gave me the opportunity to past on info to thousands of students from ages 12-60, and that info was not only book knowledge, but also based on what I actually did and saw at more than a dozen small engine repair shops and dealerships. If you disagree with my posts, then back it up with opinions based on experience and forget about using miss spelled bad laugage to cut me done. With me that won’t work, been there, done that, go to the back of the long line of people who think your right and I’m wrong. I’ll get back to you the next time you try to prove me wrong.

I'm with Boo on not using a pressure washer on mowing equipment and have been warned against doing so by all 4 of the shops I have done business with in the last 15+ years.

https://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Maintenance/Troubleshooting-Service-Tips

Darryl G said:

I'm with Boo on not using a pressure washer on mowing equipment and have been warned against doing so by all 4 of the shops I have done business with in the last 15+ years.

https://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Maintenance/Troubleshooting-Service-Tips

Click to expand...

Can you ask the business you have been with to send a e-mail to all John Deere and other small shops here that they are all doing it wrong, would love to know what the answers would be.

I could ask but doubt they would.

I provided a link above directly from Exmark - a major mower manufacturer - specifically recommending against using pressurized water and detergent for cleaning mowers and using air instead. In case you missed it, here it is. "Clean your unit as often as possible, but minimize the use of water. Water under pressure + detergent = corrosion and problems. Pressure washers clean great, but they also put water and detergents into places that can be very detrimental to your equipment. Use compressed air or blowers as much as possible. Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterward if water was used."

Why risk potentially forcing water into bearings and electrical connections?

The only water my mowers see is if they get caught in the rain or I need to rinse some dog crap off my tires. Otherwise I use air.

Edit: added quote from attachment directly to body of message

Darryl G said:

I could ask but doubt they would.

Why risk potentially forcing water into bearings and electrical connections?

The only water my mowers see is if they get caught in the rain or I need to rinse some dog crap off my tires. Otherwise I use air.

Click to expand...

Darryl, DON'T bother wastin your breath, it's the same as "talkin to a wall" ... besides we need the junk to keep fillin the recycle bins !

"Clean your unit as often as possible, but minimize the use of water. Water under pressure + detergent = corrosion and problems. Pressure washers clean great, but they also put water and detergents into places that can be very detrimental to your equipment. Use compressed air or blowers as much as possible. Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterward if water was used."

It doesn't say don't use water, "but minimize the use of water"

and it says "Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterwards if water was used"


Someone needs to go back to school and learn how to read...!


And has for the last post....you are not Admin you don't have the power to put anything into a bin just because you don't like a post.

I read just fine. I choose to take and recommend a conservative approach regarding washing equipment, as recommended by multiple dealers, mechanics and a major equipment manufacturer that I respect. There is no question that getting water in the wrong places can cause damage. So why take the risk?

Maybe you're used to bullying people here but if you're going to try that crap with me you picked the wrong guy. Maybe read what I said and tell me one thing I said that isn't reasonable and supported. I've stated my opinion based on recommendations from reputable dealers and a major manufacturer. Want my dealers names and phone numbers or what? Really, wtf dude.

So while we are all in the ring I might swing a few.
Firstly I do pressure wash equipment when it comes in , particularly if it is really oily.
Grass of course gets blown off with compressed air before anything gets wet.
However this is before I do a service so every where that needs a lube, gets one when I have finished before it gets a test run.
After which it is a blow clean before delivery to the customer.

However I do not preach from the same song book cause I see way too many mowers with excessive corrosion because the owners pressure washed then stored the equipment wet.
What is really annoying is spending a few hours walking a rear wheel off an axel, cleaning and greasing both the axel & wheel, then next season not being able to get the wheel off again cause it is once again rusted on cause the owner pressure washes the inside of the wheel taking particular care to wash all of the grease that may have ozzed past the axel spacer off.

We know better than to direct a high pressure water jet into electrical connections or onto the back of switches or directly onto the dust seal of a bearing.
But most owners seem to have trouble coming to grips with this.
And of course we all have some sort of water dispersant that we are happy to apply to electrics after we have done cleaning.

EngineMan said:

"Clean your unit as often as possible, but minimize the use of water. Water under pressure + detergent = corrosion and problems. Pressure washers clean great, but they also put water and detergents into places that can be very detrimental to your equipment. Use compressed air or blowers as much as possible. Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterward if water was used."

It doesn't say don't use water, "but minimize the use of water"

and it says "Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterwards if water was used"


Someone needs to go back to school and learn how to read...!


And has for the last post....you are not Admin you don't have the power to put anything into a bin just because you don't like a post.

Click to expand...

WELL, EngineMan, it appears YOU read something else into my post about the RECYCLE bin, ... I was talkin JUNKED equipment going into the RECYCLE bins, where I come from, the JUNK/SCRAP yards call their sections for cars, bins, & for appliances, = bins etc. I have no wish to delete or do anything to dispose of anyone's post's ... keep pressure washing boy's ..... RUST NEVER SLEEPS !!

Boobala thank you for clearing that up...!