Toro 20323 push mower is poor quality.

[AndySKane]

I bought a Toro 20323 in 2010 for $269. This is a 20 inch mulching/ rear bagging push mower. What a piece of crap. The decals all fell off, the air clearner fell off, and occasionally it won't start. There is no choke or primer bulb. There is no oil drain plug, you have to pour the old oil out the filler tube. There is also a recall on this mower because it can develop a fuel leak due to the corosion of an internal carburetor part and possibly start a fire.

Yesterday the starter cord wind up reel broke and the cord got stuck in the cracked part. The windup reel is plastic. The model has been discontinued by Toro. I bought the model because I thought it would last me a long time, didn't want to spend time on research and depended on the Toro name. . I use it lightly, only for trim mowing.

Who makes the engine? It seems to have a lot of unneccesary plastic above the engine and there looks to be a governor vane of sorts in the starter pull housing.

Question. Any one know an easy way to remove the plastic starter housing from the engine? I removed it once and now can't get it off again. I think it is stuck where it presses into the engine.

[Rivets]

Why are you coming here with this problem? What has your dealer been doing to help? Did you purchase at a big box store or dealer? This unit has a two year warranty, why haven't you taken it back? Do you know that by tearing into it yourself, you may have voided the warranty? I'm not saying that all Toros are great, every manufacturer produces lemons but I would like to know if you are contributing to the problem or also have a lemon for a dealer.

[AndySKane]

You're pretty ornery and judgemental there big fellow. What difference does it make where I bought it? Perhaps you should lighten up and realize that my post may contribute to others' purchase decisions. You wouldn't work for Toro would you, or be a dealer of theirs?

Besides I thought this was the Toro lawnmower forum. Where better to post about Toros?

[Rivets]

If your posts were accurate and you knew what you were talking about I might agree with you. You got a lemon, OK. But the way it sounds you have never tried to get help, just want to spout off. If you had gotten any unit from a dealer and had those problems they would be working hard to solve each on of them. I have been doing this for over 40 years and have seen just about everything, and people like you know everything there is about dealers, equipment, and repairs. You name me a manufacturer who has not gotten a letter or heard a forum post like yours. You say Toro's junk, I say that's only your opinion and I want the people on this forum to know that there are always 2 sides to every story. Even the dealers on this forum who don't like Toro will agree with me on that. Each of us will support our favorite brands, against individuals who don't know what they are talking about.

[AndySKane]

I don't care if you agree with me or not. You are way to judgemental and personal for my tastes. Back off. I've owned many mowers and that mower was not a good one. I did not say all Toros are bad or that the company is bad. They did discontinue the model. I trusted the Toro name and got burned on this one and won't buy another Toro.

[Rivets]

You are allowed to state your opinion, being judgemental about a bad mower, but I'm not allowed to state my opinion, being judgemental and personal (your words) to what I feel is a bad post. But, you're right, after 40+ years I should be smart enough not to argue with someone who knows everything. Guess I've got some things to learn yet. I'm sorry, I'm not backing off, I'm just leaving you have the last word.

[lawn mower fanatic]

I agree with Rivets.

[Popeye]

I don't want to sound judgemental either but for $269 dollars you are not going to get a mower with any longevity. I am not a Toro fan but they do make some good machines and some in my opinion you could not give to me. Rivets point was if you bought it from a dealer take it back to them and get it warranted. If you got it from a big box store you are on your own. I don't buy machinery of any kind from box stores. You get what you pay for, especially in yard equipment. Take it to a Toro dealer and see what they can do.
Best of luck to you.

[pugaltitude]

Rivets is trying to help you on this one.

His questions he is asking is to try and help you save money.

The engine is branded Toro and made by a Chinese company.
You will need to go to a Toro dealer to get parts.

The problem is manufacturers are starting to use chinese engines to bring the price down for end users.

Next lawnmower you buy, get a Briggs and Stratton engine which Toro use on other models. The best!!

[exotion]

:/ i actually have this mower and i love it I actually use it commercially on my lawns that are under 1500 sqft becaust the smaller lines look really nice ( I know its residential light duty) But it sees about 20ish hours of use a week and the only two issues ive ever had was the bag had this kinda dumb cardboard thing blocking the top of the bag fabric and prevented ALOT of suction cut that out improved it alot. The other thing is because it use it alot is the transmission is plastic and will not allow for a greese zerk so you have to either take the tranny off to give it some greese or try to pump it in through the axle bearing (doesnt work so well) also the axle bearings around the deck need to be lubed and the gears in the wheels need lube otherwise i love this machine next to my proline my stuff always looks amazing