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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/38198
Quality-of-cut issues for zero-turn mowers Every year in late spring and early summer, as grass conditions change, our shop sees its share of lawn care contractors bring in their zero-turn mowers experiencing quality-of-cut issues. If the mower’s clippings are clumping when it’s running with a mulch kit, often there is nothing wrong at all with the mower. It’s typically an operator who’s trying to cut more grass than the mower can handle. The fix is likely as simple as adhering to the “one-third rule.” That is, never cut more than one-third of the grass length up to one inch in a single pass, especially when the ground is damp and the grass is more prone to clumping. This can occur when a con- tractor is trying to mow a property in one pass. Sometimes to do it right and get a quality cut, two passes are required. We also see a lot of customers com- plaining that their zero-turn mowers are cutting unevenly. For example, the cus- tomer will say the mower is cutting low on the right front side of the mower deck. The first question I ask them is if they’ve checked their tire pressure lately. Nine times out of 10 their mower is in perfectly good condition, except their right-rear tire pressure is low, causing an uneven cut. A clean air filter is key The lifeline to a steady-running engine is a clean air filter. Without it, your equip- ment’s power source can heat up and break down fast. We see a lot of customers bringing in their equipment with engines that are “running rich.” That occurs when the en- gine’s air filter is so clogged with debris that the engine can’t draw any air through the filter, so it naturally tries to draw air through the crank case. That increases the crank case vacuum pressure and causes oil to be pulled into the combustion cham- ber, causing engine damage. Typical warning signs to look for in- erating, because access and user-friendliness of an engine differs. Although all engine manufacturers have their strengths, Vanguard engines are typically very user-friendly. For example, this poten- tially disastrous problem is an extremely easy fix on Vanguard en- gines because it only requires the loosening of one screw to get to the air filter. Handheld equipment won’t throttle up after storage When handheld equipment with a plastic gas tank is used for the first time after storage or after simply sitting for a long period of time, you may find it difficult to throttle up the engine. Before you bring it to a professional serv- ice technician, do yourself a favor and check the fuel filter. If the fuel filter has even the smallest bit of dry fuel on it — which can easily occur after a period with little to no use — it can be tough to throttle. This is one of those classic problems that can be a simple fix. But because the fuel fil- ter is located out of direct sight in the gas tank, many contractors assume it can’t be fixed without professional help. Here’s the simple solution: run the gas tank dry in the fall before winter storage. Then, as the engine is still hot, change the oil and replace the fuel filter. Doing this while the engine is still hot helps the oil mix to flow better and keep the impurities sus- pended in the oil. Just be careful when han- dling that hot engine and oil. Keep the critters away Blowing off all the grass in and around clude engine smoke and an engine burning an excessive amount of oil. Also, if you see any spots on the engine where oil is seep- ing out, you may be on your way to overheating the engine. You can determine when your engine is seeping oil because Top: Many engine issues that are sent to a service techni- cian could be fixed by the commercial landscapers them- selves. Bottom: Nigel Miller, service technician at A-1 Outdoor Power in Corcoran, Minn. your equipment’s engine can go a long way to preventing costly downtime and expen- sive repair bills. Those tiny piles of grass in the nooks and crannies around an engine are inviting places for rodents to nest. They rou- tinely build nests on your engine’s cylinders. If the nest isn’t cleaned out, your engine is prone to overheat, leak oil and even damage the cooling system. Mice are also prone to chewing through the sheathing that protects the wiring of the dirt and debris particles will start to clump where the sticky oil is seeping out onto the engine case. Ignoring a clogged filter can wreak havoc on your engine. It can damage crank shaft seals, closure plate gaskets and could even take out a head gasket — all very expensive repairs. Operate a rich- running engine too long, and you may find yourself in the market for a new engine altogether — costing upwards of $1,500. Fortu- nately, you can fix the problem yourself for about $10 with almost no downtime to your equipment. The degree of difficulty in changing the air filter on your equipment will differ depending on the type of engine you’re op- www.landscapeirrigation.com engine’s cooling system. A basic cooling system cleaning can run upwards of $50, when all a contractor has to do is take the engine shroud off and blow the grass away from the fixtures. If oil leaks need fixing and wiring damage needs repair, it can take anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours to repair, because the work re- quires the engine to be pulled out. So just keeping the grass build- up that comes with daily lawn care work off the engine can save potentially hundreds of dollars in repairs. LI Nigel Miller is a service technician at A-1 Outdoor Power in Corco- ran, Minn. He has more than a decade of industry experience working with small engines. Article provided by Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power. Landscape and Irrigation 15