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I have a tractor with a diesel engine. I love this about diesel, and I love that the engine will likely last 1000's of hours. I wish my riding mower was diesel, but it's a good machine, so I can't justify spending $15K+ to replace it.

This is not the problem it used to be. Fuel filters at stations are much better than they were 30 yrs ago.

Welcome! What kind of engineer? Electrical engineer here, and I love tinkering too. It's taken me 3 yrs of tinkering with my Cub Cadet Pro Z to turn it into a good reliable machine.

I've been an electrical engineer for 43 yrs, and this sounds insane to me. All my career, I've never seen switched grounds. Ground is ground. Sometimes there are separate signal and power grounds, but they get connected at a single point without using a switch. I would need the design engineer...

My Cub Cadet Pro Z has a 27HP Kohler, and IMO, at full throttle the blades create more noise than the engine.

I don't do anything special to my OPE engines for winter. I always use ethanol-free gas, and everything runs every spring. My main mower is a Cub Cadet Pro Z, which has dual fuel tanks. I let one run completely empty before switching tanks. This keeps fuel from ever going bad. The fuel in each...

I don't know if you're a flipper or not, but you definitely don't fit the description of a flipper who does just enough repairs to sell the machine. The point of the original post was that I was surprised that there are flippers who do that. There are plenty of YT channels with "backyarders" who...

That policy allows flippers to put junk up for sale. Mowers that work just well enough to generate a sale. I wouldn't buy anything from a "flipper" with less than a 30 day warranty. If it doesn't fall apart in 30 days, IMO it's not junk. If the blown head gasket blows out all the oil in 4 hrs of...

Do you think a 5 yr old mower that's for sale has been maintained well enough to last another 5 yrs? I wouldn't. If it were good for another 5 yrs, why is it for sale?

But yet people are willing to spend $4000+ on junk from a big box store that will last 5 yrs if lucky.

This would not be bad for a homeowner. $800 for a running rider in good shape... not bad. For a business trying to make a profit, you're not going to see much profit if you're into the machine for $800. I bought a basket case of a CC Pro Z for $2000. I may have overpaid, but it sold new for...

I learned something from Taryl today. In a recent video, he had a riding mower from a customer who bought it from a "backyarder" as he called them. Which is, someone who flips mowers in their back yard. That mower was a basket case. It needed a LOT of work. It looked like it had been fixed just...

Doubtful. I researched this last year. My mower has a Kohler Confidant EFI engine, which is commercial. I've had problems with it, so I've looked through the service manual quite a bit. I found that it has the option of an oil pressure switch, but MTD in their infinite wisdom, decided not to...

Rough sounding while spinning IS a sign of degraded bearings. Now is the time to address this. If you don't, eventually the bearings will wear to the point of the shaft wobbling, then the bearings will lock up. I recommend greasing your spindles, even on a new machine. People will tell you that...

I'm pretty easy on equipment. Years ago, I had a cheap MTD riding mower for several years. It ran like new when I sold it. About 4 yrs ago I moved to the largest property I've ever owned, and have a bit over 1 acre to mow. I bought a basket case Cub Cadet Pro Z 154, and fixed it up. It's...

A few years ago, I bought a ZTR with a Kohler Confidant engine, a variant of the Command family, I think. The mower looked like it had been "rode hard and put away wet", but the engine had good compression. It also "leaked oil from everywhere". It had NOT been properly maintained. This season is...

I have a residential ZTR, and a commercial ZTR with a steering wheel, which I got for it's supposedly better performance on hills & slopes. It is definitely better on hills & slopes vs my residential machine. However, it's better in ways that aren't explained by steerable front wheels. Like...

I do a yard sweep every week prior to mowing. I still hit things hidden in the yard every once in a while. Yes, this is a good idea, but it's not foolproof.

My commercial Pro Z 154 has a commercial Kohler Confidant engine. It didn't come with an oil pressure switch, but it had the port on the block for one, and the engine harness had a connection for one. So I added one. I did more research, and found out that this OP switch will prevent an engine...

What makes you think I don't have years of experience? I've been mowing my yards since the mid 80's. You should stay done with topic. Permanently. You are absolutely ignorant on the topic. Or you're trolling, because you're giving the exact opposite advice that matches reality.

Why the defensiveness? Was my comment some sort of personal insult to you? I don't see lawn services any more, other than the one that does my neighbor's yard, which is pretty flat, so someone else will have to answer your question. I have both types, and there's no comparison. I have a bank...

Here is an example of what a steering wheel ZTR can do. I'm not sure about this one, but mine is rated for 20 deg slopes.

If you're mowing across a slope, the steerable front wheels offer lateral grip, which helps keep the mower from sliding down the hill. With a lap-bar ZTR, the caster front wheels offer zero lateral grip... all lateral grip comes from the rear wheels. As for going straight up & down hills, the...

I would get a steering wheel ZTR. I have one, and I got it because they were supposedly better on slopes & hills. They absolutely are. I still have a lap-bar ZTR, and it doesn't hold a candle to the steering wheel machine on slopes & hills. Unfortunately, Cub Cadet is the only mfr making them...

The Hydro Gear manual for my ZT-3400 calls for 20W-50, and an oil change interval of 400 hrs. For a K46, I wouldn't go more than 200 hrs between changes.

This. The hydrostat pedal is basically a variable gear ratio. Pushing it harder doesn't produce more power. If on flat ground, it will result in more speed, but less torque. Climbing steep hills with a K46, I wouldn't push that pedal more than half way. That will result in less stress on that...

I asked Grok about long term (a season or more) effects of blade sharpness. Here's the reply, ### What longer-term observations and studies show The immediate difference (clean slice vs. ragged tear) compounds over a season: - **Turf health and appearance**: Repeated mowing with dull blades...

True, but everyone may not know that.

It was in post #7. Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHB6B4YM It's made for testing airflow in HVAC ventilation systems. But it's a manometer, and works fine for measuring crankcase vacuum. However, be sure to use the average function, and let it average for about 30 seconds. Without...

With all that stress on the transmissions, I'd be very diligent on keeping up with fluid changes. I'd also make sure to blow them off with compressed air every year to make sure dirt buildup didn't cause overheating.

I went to Home Depot, and bought some rubber stoppers of various sizes. Then I found the stopper that fit in the oil dipstick tube. Then I drilled a hole in the stopper just big enough for one of the small tubes that comes with the gauge I linked to. The DTI-33 gauge is good, too, but it's over...

I'm not a commercial operator, so I don't mow when wet. My biggest problem is dust. To the point that I bought a respirator, which I love. I no longer have to hold my breath while mowing. I'd be willing to try my mower on a wet hillside. Just not with the prospect of sliding into a lake, pond...

Not sure I'd recommend red Loctite. That's the permanent stuff. I'd go with blue Loctite.

According to the manual for my Kohler Confidant engine, "A partial vacuum should be present in crankcase when engine is operating. Pressure in crankcase (normally caused by a clogged or improperly assembled breather) can cause oil to be forced out at oil seals, gaskets, or other available...

I'd sooner opt for a steering wheel ZTR over a 4WD lawn tractor. I don't know what kind of 4WD systems they use, and whether they have open diffs. A steering wheel ZTR will have 2 hydros, which works better than any open diff arrangement. I have a steering wheel ZTR, and it's a game changer on...

I don't disagree that dynamic balancing is the Holy Grail of balancing. However, at 3600 RPMs, I've found that my Oregon magnetic balancer is better than a cheap cone balancer, and makes a difference. I had a blade on a push mower that was causing vibrations, even after balancing with a cone...

This one is not dynamic. It's like the magnetic Oregon balancer, which is the best thing I've found commercially. A dynamic balancer would be MUCH more expensive.

I replaced one of my spindles last year. It was $150. My mower has three. I'll keep greasing mine. They DO have zerks.

Where would you find a shop that does this? Most shops use the cheap cone balancers. You're lucky if you find one that uses an Oregon-type magnetic balancer. I don't know of any dynamic balancers for sale anywhere. This is a great concept, but not practical in practice.

I'm not in the "blades must be super sharp" camp, but I AM in the "blades need to be well balanced" camp. I appreciate a smooth operating mower. A couple of years ago, I found that the RPMs on my push mowers were low, so I set them, and they vibrated like crazy. I balanced the blades with one of...

You're absolutely right... if you want to remove the bearings from the spindle, remove one grease seal from each bearing, use a tiny amount grease to grease the bearings, then reassemble the bearings & spindle. Then repeat for each spindle. Or you could just pump grease into the spindle until it...

I have at least 4. I inherited my dad's workshop which is still a mess, so I may have one or two I don't know about. Does that make my collection a "grease gun arsenal"? :ROFLMAO: I'll see myself out. The "non-serviceable sealed bearings with no grease zerks" thing is, IMO, a problem. With...

Verify that both cylinders are running. Sounds like you may be running on only one cylinder. Remove the spark plug wire from one plug, put a spare plug in it, place it against a piece of metal on the engine, and try to crank it. Repeat for other cylinder.

Agreed. Until about 3 yrs ago, I was doing what most people were... hitting the spindles with about 5 pumps, and wondering why I didn't see any grease coming out, and surely 5 pumps is enough, right? Then I saw the video I linked to.

A few years ago, I bought a (well) used commercial ZTR. The hour meter showed 380 hrs, but it looked WELL used for only 380 hrs. All of the spindles were dry. One had play, and I replaced it. I guess I should be happy that the other two, despite being dry, had no play. They are all greased now...

Go back to the OEM carb. You've established that the carb wasn't the issue. This new issue might be due to the aftermarket carb.

Same here. I grease my spindles, too. Here is the video that TSE is likely referring to. After watching this video, if you still think greasing spindles does no good, then I don't know what to say. Having said that, you DO have to fill the spindle until grease squirts out. The first time you do...

On the other hand... I found a Snapper RER on FBM that I was interested in. The price was low, so I figured it would need work. I messaged the seller a couple of times. During this, he lowered the price. I decided to buy it at that price. I asked him for an address, and that I'd be on my way to...

I have a steering wheel ZTR and a lap-bar ZTR. The steering wheel ZTR does MUCH better on slopes & hills. I would trust it to mow a bank around a pond, but not down to the water. One thing that might help is better tires. My steering wheel ZTR is commercial (Cub Cadet Pro Z 154S), and has...

Compression? You never mentioned compression. Do a compression test.