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Do not tow with a zero turn. Riding mowers are not made to tow either, probably anything more than 300 pounds is a no go.

Busier than a one arm paper hanger.

Dielectric grease

I would go with a low end big box store zero turn. Brand doesn’t matter, they are all cheaply made at the approximate $3500 price point. Cub Cadet, John Deere, Troy Bilt, etc. (riding mowers) at the low end big box store equipment, there is very little difference in quality or features.

A potential firebomb in your garage. I would store it outside under cover away from your house.

On a Honda with a thermowax choke system, there is a mechanism that pushes the choke butterfly open as the engine heats up. If it is missing it will never run. Order an aftermarket carburetor by model number of engine (ie: GCV160).

I am pretty familiar with John Deere riding and zero turn mowers. Whether the D125 is a 2 cylinder or not, with a hole in the crankcase, we call that a clue that things ain’t good. Maybe a little less pointing fingers and a little more teamwork would be in order.

No pictures but check this out. A new record for me. Three different customer mowers with upside down blades mounted in one week (two more work days to go).

Go to the hardware store with the bolt and match it. They should have a sample you can screw the bolt in to determine the thread pitch and diameter.

How is this engine running if the connecting rod smashed a hole through the engine case? You could TIG weld the case and see how long it runs I guess. Whether you go single or twin cylinder engine, a new engine is costly to put on an old mower. Never an ideal situation to decrease horsepower...

There are lots of facts and nuances to batteries. Batteries are usually amazing for their value in starting an internal combustion engine, especially if trickle charged say once a month. I have spent hours in the past reading about batteries online. Often with batteries, it is like lots of...

It’s hard to kill a 5 horsepower flathead Briggs engine, and it’s hard to kill a Briggs opposed twin.

TonyPrin- The next couple of years will tell a lot about how well battery outdoor power equipment will sell and be accepted (battery vehicles also). There are literally cars and trucks stacked at alternate lots that are battery powered that cannot be sold. My two closest Stihl dealers are...

Glad you got it going. Moral of the story is, you fired the parts cannon at your mower, that didn’t work, then you replaced a .20 cent fuse and it did work.

Tanaka was a good brand. Had very small market presence in my area when it was sold.

Make sure tensioner pulley on deck is moving freely and full length of travel. Make sure the belt tension is good. Possibly the deck engagement cable you installed is incorrect.

I can sum my personal experience and opinion up in one paragraph. I agree with TobyU. I use 87 ethanol in all my equipment. Keep it fresh and moving. 30-60 days old. Not uncommon to pour out customer pre-mix in handheld equipment and put in my fuel and it starts and runs.

I am not a battery supporter by any means, however, if you are mowing 1500 square feet, it will work fine. A quarter of an acre (normal size city lot, is about 10,500 square feet. You could get a couple of pet rabbits to keep your yard down it is so small.

To say that using 10% corn gas (ethanol) in small engines is overhyped, is the understatement of the decade. A lot of the fuel I drain from customer equipment has water in it. Fuel that they claim in non-ethanol fuel. Ethanol has become the go to excuse for why some equipment won’t run or...

Heating the plastic up with a torch or heat gun brings the oils up to the surface and makes it look better (sometimes). It will not remain looking that way for long based on what I have read online. I would not recommend doing this. Taking some WD-40 and scotch brite pads or very fine...

If the deck has small holes in it that are repairable by welding, and the spindles and pulleys are in good shape, consider getting it repaired instead of replaced. New deck prices are not cheap.

Remove the spark plug and see how it feels while pulling the rope. If the cam or timing belt broke, there will be no compression. Removing the valve cover on a Honda requires a heat gun, small pry tool, and patience. Uses RTV sealant, not gasket. Did you hit something? A recoil rope pulling...

It is sometimes the nature of people to get solutions to problems, and then say, “yeah but.” People are funny. They will ask a question, you try to answer, then they keep talking. People are funny. They will bring in a mower, etc. and say “I am not sure why it is doing this.” You tell them what...

A 50 year old mower for a mere $1500. Good luck is right.

It is the busy time of year until November. Any large “projects” that customers would like repaired, are welcome to go to another shop. Being more selective on equipment and repairs I take in for 2024 is the big change for me (one person shop). There is tons of good business out there! No need...

If the fuel line is yellow, and looks like quality Tygon fuel line for handheld equipment, how are you supposed to know if it is good long term as opposed to crappy stuff? Inquiring minds want to know.

Chickanik on YouTube claims they used to work on over 2000 pieces of equipment each year (maybe 4 employees, guessing). That is 500/employee and sounds high to me. How many pieces of equipment handheld versus larger equipment, can an efficient small engine mechanic service and repair per year...

Is it surging at wide open throttle under load (while cutting grass)? If not, then run it, or find another shop that can fix it. You can also shorten the spring to throttle that helps control the butterfly, therefore minimizing the surging.

Based on several YouTube videos I have watched from known good sources, and personal experience seeing canned fuel in customer equipment, my opinion is to steer clear of canned fuel. 10% ethanol fresh fuel mixed 50:1 with good oil , such as Stihl, is the only way to go. 30-60 days old in...

Would need to do a compression test and leak down test to pinpoint the issue. Many times the head gasket will be totally intact when examined (old gasket), and you need to know what to look for if it is bad. If engine is still smoking just like it was prior to replacing head gasket, obviously...

Could be excessive voltage drop from battery to starter. Need to use a multimeter to determine. What exactly is the starter doing? Is it spinning and not engaging the flywheel? Is it going all the way up and engaging the flywheel yet it is stopping?

Where would you get straight ethanol? Why would you want to run straight ethanol? Why would you even think to ask about running straight ethanol? It is pretty much “fairly common” knowledge that even 15% ethanol will not run right and void warranty in small engines.

I think a lot of people in general have been spoiled by incredibly quick shipping times and low or no freight charges in recent years. Look for shipping costs to rise, and/or shipping times to lengthen, to keep up with inflation. Shipping is another important cost of doing business.

Probably in this case, the air vane keeps the choke closed so it will start. Once the mower starts, the flywheel fins push the air vane and open the choke. Replace the spring and it should fix it for you.

It will not get to the point where all there is out there is battery equipment. I asked 2 of the local Stihl dealers while talking with them, what percentage of gas vs battery on handheld equipment they have. They both said 90% gas and 10% battery. This is after 2-3 years of pushing hard by the...

Check oil level. Carburetor will most likely need to be cleaned for it to start and run. See the hundreds of YouTube videos and threads on forums for details on carburetor cleaning.

As an engine ages and accumulates hours, tolerances change, parts wear, etc. In other words, the health and condition of the internal engine parts change, and adjustments such as points, valves, and carburetors need to be made to accommodate these differences.

My advice is to seek additional sources of information, in general, on the internet. Reading about a topic, check another source or two for opinions and facts differences. Watching YouTube, go to another video or two if not familiar with what you are trying to learn. Dude in video is correct...

Take a small screwdriver and put it under the square nut to hold it so you can begin threading and tightening the screw to the square bolt.

How do you get a Small Engine Repair License?

You take a $80-$100 (initially) older trimmer, blower, etc.and it needs a tune up and carburetor clean and new fuel lines. By the time you charge for labor you are around the initial cost, $80-$100. How is that cost effective when you are polishing a turd? Then you do all that and it sort of...

The last thing you want is the government getting further involved in a free capitalist economy. If Greenworks sux and has no dealer repair support (news to me), then let Greenworks fall on its own face. Sending out brand new units to replace problems on existing ones sounds like a great plan...

Take gas cap and make it loose (tape it), and run it. Also. Remove fuel line and check for good fuel flow.

Greenworks has a huge booth at the Equipment Expo in Louisville, KY when I go. I am NOT a battery operated equipment supporter. I am going to do some reading and research on this topic to learn more. As far as warranty goes, that is always about manufacture’s defects (no matter what brand). If...

As of 2024, I only service Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, and Redmax handheld equipment. Past experience working on other brands has shown me it is not worth it for several reasons.

Measure the height, depth and length. Also how many cold cranking amps it is. The cables can be lengthened accordingly.

Check to see if your blades are hitting under the deck.

Why did you install a new carburetor? Did you keep OEM carburetor? Sounds like pilot jet is partially blocked or too lean on new carburetor. It isn’t always a 100% match on aftermarket carburetor installed on a small 4-stroke engine.

How many hours on meter? Possibly the valves need to be checked and set.

Cross the starter solenoid with a screwdriver and key is on and see if it starts.