Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mowntx

here we go again...

mowntx
11 years ago

Well several years ago I repowered my 33" snapper zrider with a 19hp B&S single engine. It has run well, plenty of power however the whole time I have fought wiring and charging issues. The mower is 15 years old and the connections and wiring issues have started to add up. Recently though it would not start, not even turn over with a jumper cable. So I pulled the plug and was surprised to find it was soaking wet from water. We just recently had high winds from tornados that passed by within a few miles. the dealer told me he has heard of rain being blown into the cyl either from the muffler or a loose fitting intake. This motor seems to have the same crappy ill fitting air filter that I have heard of on the ELS engines, and I did leave it out in the weather... but has anyone ever heard of this? Should I repower again or give up and upgrade? I am thinking if I repower, I might bite the bullet and replace all the battery cables as well as the wiring harness. I am sure it needs a starter solenoid at this point since it will not turn over with the key but will if I use a screwdriver to short across the big terminals on the solenoid.

Comments (3)

  • rustyj14
    11 years ago

    Eight words of wisdom: "I did leave it out in the weather!"
    How old is the battery? More than 2 years? Ever change or clean the air filter? Or, does it even have the original one on it? A new spark plug in the last few years? Ever change the oil? More than one time? Ever install a new battery-ever-or just keep recharging it? Can you afford a nice plastic tarp to cover it up in case of rain or snow? Does the hood have slots in it, above the engine? The rain falls mainly on the plain, but it also runs into the flywheel area, and rusts the ignition parts, making the engine into a non-running lump of scrap steel!
    I just can't understand why folks will buy a nice, new, lawn tractor, or any other expensive piece of equipment, and then let it sit outside, uncovered, in rain, snow, heat, or all of the above, and allow nature to make it into a haven for animals, effectivly shortening its life, and then loudly proclaim they have bought a piece of junk!

  • bill_kapaun
    11 years ago

    Why not try getting this engine to run and see how bad it is?

    IF you need a new solenoid, you still need it if you repower.

    I'd pull the spark plug and squirt some oil in the cylinder.
    Crank the engine over to distribute it some.

    You probably want to drain the fuel system & change oil & filter.Maybe you'll get lucky??

  • mowntx
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    ok so... I guess I made it sound like I did really poor maint. I change the oil every season, airfilter as well. I normally leave it in a shed or under a tarp. The battery until a week ago was a agm(lasted 3 years, cost $78) , I just put a new battery in it to test. The oil from the change earlier this year still looks perfect. I am going to try and get it running. However in the mean time I bought a used with only 27 hours and less that one year old Country clipper Jazzee with a 20hp B&S and 38 inch deck. I got it for almost 1200 off what a new one would have cost so I think I did ok. This still has a joy stick, which is what I was used to... but also has their fabricated deck that slides out from under the mower for easy maintenance. This years mower would have had a khoelor(sorry for the spelling) which is probably and upg on my engine but for the difference it seemed like a no_brainer. So Rusty I totally understand your comments. While it had been in the rain plenty of times over it's lifetime, that was not the norm. The big question I need to find out is whether our dog, Ghost will approve... he likes to sit in front of me on the deck when I move it around the yard. He has done it since he was a puppy and now at 100 plus pounds he is fairly insistant. I dont mow with him tho since I am too afraid he would fall off, which means very bad things could happen.

Sponsored
Old Dominion Kitchen Design
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars29 Reviews
Loudoun County's Kitchen & Bath Design Experts | Best of Houzz 3x