Petrol Lawnmower

GreeBo

Hey,
Ive been using a push cylinder motor for a while now but recently had to tackle very long grass so got a loan of a petrol rotary one and after 3 weeks the grass is looking better than it ever did.
Aynone got any rec's for a where and what to get?
The one I was using was a Mountfield but its like €400 so I wont be getting that!

FX Meister

The larger engined mountfields are supposed to be really good. I have two of them I've been using here in the Dublin and in Mayo and they have both been extremely reliable and I have had them more than ten years. Honda are quit good for a smaller engine lawnmower. As far as I can remember Kadman is the guy to ask about lawnmowers. Maybe wait a little bit longet though till the bad weather comes in and you will probably get one on sale and then just store it till you need it next year.

Lex Luthor

GreeBo wrote:

Hey,
Ive been using a push cylinder motor for a while now but recently had to tackle very long grass so got a loan of a petrol rotary one and after 3 weeks the grass is looking better than it ever did.
Aynone got any rec's for a where and what to get?
The one I was using was a Mountfield but its like €400 so I wont be getting that!

Look for the Red Indian (Tecumseh)...try go for one with an aluminium body and a hard plastic collection box.
If you have the money, a Honda one would be the next recommendation.

I have a Tecumseh one for 9 yrs and never has failed to start.

kadman

In my experience, I would reccommend a Honda based lawn mower above all other engines. Briggs and stratton engines are basically athrow away unit, if below 10 horsepower. Cast sleeve liners allow for repairing a worn briggs engine, but not all briggs are cast liners.

Tecumseh engines are a trouble some engine, and lex is the first person I have ever heard giving a positive vibe on them, so maybe my experience with them was just down to bad luck. Although 2 crap second hand tecumseh's and a bad new one , destroyed my faith in them.

Hond is an excellent engine, reliable, and easy to repair.

But thats just my opinion

kadman

GreeBo

cool thanks for the advice
I have relatively small garden (back is about 50ftx25ft front is smaller again) so it doesnt need to be a monster
Whlie I like what the mountfield has been doing to my grass these last few weeks, everything I have read says go for a cylindrical mower, I have a push one but its fairly knackered, cuts the grass way too short and doesnt have a collection box
Im in Dublin, where would you suggest I go and how much should I be looking to fork out?
The plan is to indeed wait until the rain hits and then get one on the cheap, though I dont mind getting a secondhand one if its good....

beer enigma

Funny how different people have different experiences with Lawnmowers - quite an emotive subject

I replaced my old mower with an Electrolux McCullough (Electrolux also do the Flymo range) M6053SD 21" cutting blade (53cm), with a 6.0 HP Briggs & Stratton engine. It's self propelled & with a 60 litre grassbox - I find its ample for even the slightly larger garden.

http://www.mcculloch.info/node64.asp?ProdId=509&CatID=37

I bought the Aluminium deck version for €350, but they do a steel deck for €280.

Strangely enough I had a Tecumseh engine before this & even when the mower bit the dust, the engine kept on going. It now powers my sons go-kart & never fails to start - god help the abuse that thing gets !!:D

davidoco

Lex Luthor wrote:

I have a Tecumseh one for 9 yrs and never has failed to start.

I second that, I've been using a Tecumseh on a Harry body for the past five years and only given it one good service. It's a 5 hp but powers like a 6.

slave1

briggs & straton motor and an aluminium deck, had these in the family for years, never a problem, easy to service, aluminium = no rust = easy to keep clean and monger life

GreeBo

I guess anyone get get lucky or unlucky with any product
so where is a good place to buy 'em?
B&Q? :eek:

lomb

slave1 wrote:

briggs & straton motor and an aluminium deck, had these in the family for years, never a problem, easy to service, aluminium = no rust = easy to keep clean and monger life

Il second that, have a briggs quantum (these are the only briggs worth bothering with , with electronic ignition) on a harry aluminium chassis and has been running strong for 15 years now and looks and runs like new and we have large gardens! no professional work has been done on it. i change the oil every season with 5w/30 fully synthetic and sparkplug every 2 seasons. needs the cylinder head removed and the carbon deposits gently scoured out every 5 years and the head bolts torqued sequentially according to the briggs manual.

most people whos lawnmowers break probably have never changed the oil, spark plug or cleaned the head deposits , or bought a basic engine or a 2 stroke engine.

Lex Luthor

lomb wrote:

most people whos lawnmowers break probably have never changed the oil, spark plug or cleaned the head deposits , or bought a basic engine or a 2 stroke engine.

ya, like any engine, it needs maintaining...

I change the oil annually and blow out teh filter annually.
Remove teh spark lead before winter and it'll be ready for spring

wolfe25

So, anyone know where the best deals are now, for a +4.5hp 18/20inch cut?