Section 5: Maintenance
29
TROUBLESHOOTING (continued)
PROBLEM POSSIBLE
CAUSE
CORRECTION
Wheels continue to
1. Control rods not properly adjusted.
1. Adjust wheel drive control rods.
rotate when wheel drive
2. Broken or excessively worn wheel clutch
2. Replace spring.
levers are disengaged.
spring.
Unit pulls to one side
1. Unevenly inflated tires.
1. Check tire pressure. Inflate both tires
while mowing.
equally (10-17 psi [
68.5-117 KPa]
).
2. Broken or worn wheel drive belt.
2. Replace wheel drive belt.
Excessive noise or vibration.
1. Blade guides out of adjustment.
1. Adjust blade guides.
2. Loose blade sections or ledger plates.
2. Tighten loose rivets.
3. Loose cutter bar mounting bracket.
3. Tighten the nuts and bolts which attach the
bracket to the cutter bar.
4. Worn eccentric radial bearing and/or
4. Replace bearing and/or channel.
channel.
5. Worn eccentric shaft bearings.
5. Replace bearings.
6. Loose frame nuts and bolts.
6. Tighten bolts and nuts properly.
7. Engine speed set too high.
7. See engine service dealer.
Engine Does Not Start.
1. Spark plug wire disconnected.
1. Reconnect wire.
2. Fuel tank empty.
2. Fill fuel tank with fresh gasoline.
3. Stale/contaminated gasoline in fuel tank.
3. Drain fuel tank and fill with fresh gasoline.
4. Wheel drive lever not disengaged.
4. Lock wheel drive levers in disengaged position.
5. Cutter bar lever not disengaged.
5. Move cutter bar lever into disengaged position.
6. a. Engines with primer bulb.
6. a. Depress primer bulb three times.
b. Engines without primer bulb.
b. Place throttle lever in choke position.
7. Dirty air filter.
7. Clean or replace air filter.
8. Defective or incorrectly gapped spark plug.
8. Inspect/service spark plug.
9. Carburetor out of adjustment.
9. See engine service dealer.
10. Defective wheel drive or cutter bar
10. Inspect wires. See engine service dealer
switch or wiring.
to replace switch.
Engine runs poorly.
1. Defective spark plug.
1. Replace spark plug.
2. Incorrect throttle setting.
2. Put throttle in correct setting.
3. Dirty air filter.
3. Clean or replace air filter.
4. Carburetor out of adjustment.
4. See engine service dealer.
5. Contaminated or decomposed gasoline.
5. Drain fuel tank and fill with gasoline.
6. Stale/contaminated gasoline in fuel tank.
6. Drain fuel tank and fill with gasoline.
7. Engine cooling system clogged.
7. Clean engine cooling fins and vents..
Engine overheats.
1. Engine cooling system clogged.
1. Clean engine flywheel screen.
2. Carburetor out of adjustment.
2. See engine service dealer.
3. Oil level is low.
3. Check and add oil.
Engine does not stop.
1. Defective engine shut-off switch,
1. See dealer.
wheel drive switch, or wiring.
2. Defective throttle control lever.
2. See dealer.
Keyswitch does not operate
1. Engine does not turn over when keyswitch
1. Start engine with starter rope. If engine starts,
starter.
is in START position.
engine is not seized, problem is with starting
system.
2. Wiring harness loose/wiring broken.
2. Check wiring harness connection/wiring.
3. Corroded connectors.
3. Clean connectors.
4. Discharged battery.
4. Charge battery for 24 (minimum) to 48 hours.
5. Malfunctioning keyswitch.
5. Replace keyswitch.
6. Malfunctioning starter motor.
6. Contact local engine service dealer.
Battery does not charge
1. Broken wire in engine recharging circuit.
1. Contact local engine service dealer.
during operation.
2. Dead battery.
2. Replace battery.
3. Malfunctioning charging system.
3. Contact local engine service dealer.
Battery charger does
1. Broken battery lead.
1. Repair/replace lead.
not charge battery.
2. Damaged battery charger
2. Replace battery charger (must be same
type as original).
3. Dead battery.
3. Replace battery.
