The Great Big Lawnmower Thread

Can someone tell me what the rocker switch does on this machine just above ignition key (it has no lights)

Almost certainly the light switch, but actual lights on the engine cover were optional depending on which clone of this 92cn generic Global Garden products mower you have. Its around as a Castlegarden, Club Garden, Tecumseh, probably others. The switch is probably there regardless of whether it was fitted with a bonnet with a light. This manual might be of use to you.

Same mower as a Tecumseh

Blue smoke equals oil burning. Piston ring/seal gone, or valve guide excessively worn. Also possibly a head gasket fail next to an oil channel between cylinder and head.

You may have accidentally mixed oil/diesel into your petrol can also, all sorts if ways it happens.

Petrol leaking into the sump also, if the ca4b float valve is dirty or jammed, or the mower tilted over excessively can cause fuel/oil leakage and mixing.

Hi . I know Agrieuro has been mentioned a few times here . I ordered a mower with them in July and haven’t had a good experience . It still hasn’t arrived and the customer support has been poor . Told me I had to chase it up with a shipping company in Germany/ not their problem .

I won’t be using them again .

not sure if it makes a whole lot of difference to be honest, went to the Italian version first and then got directed to the UK one. their Customer support etc are all the one. 21 days since I ordered. They sent a bottle of oil with the machine (separately) which arrived last Friday. I was onto them again today to ask where was the mower and they told me I got it last week. an actual shambles.

Agreed, other than trivial purchases from Amazon, buying from the UK is a cluster****. Also with the removal of the €30 customs exemption, every tiny packet is now subject to scrutiny. I'm surprised you weren't asked for VAT on the bottle of oil, unless it was dispatched from Italy.

Double checked and it was the Italian site alright . All the order emails after that came in Italian which wasn’t helpful !

mower finally arrived yesterday so at least I have it now .

dachser logistics on the Irish leg , they were great to deal with .

Jonsered and Husqvarna the same company. A 97cm mower used under 1200 will be somewhere between perfectly servicable and heading for trouble depending on the hours worked, terrain traversed and care it received. Inspect steering joints an front axle for play, deck and grass chute for corrosion, engine for starting, smoke, oil for colour and clarity. Look for cracks in major metal struts and supports, deck supports, front wheel kingpins, pedal and steering. And don't forget the seat and its subframe. Heavy use over rough ground will shake the guts out of any machine. Buying from a dealer will generally get you a short but useful warranty. Buying private might get you a gem, someone with a half acre of billiard table grass and a dry garage to store it in, but people seem to overestimate the value of well worn machines. A €500 mower could cost that again for certain major repairs if you can't diy them.

The lost compression might be severe wear, (did you check oil levels over the 6 years?), broken piston rings, burnt valves, but if it's bad enough that suddenly it won't start it might only be a head gasket. These can fail and reduce compression so severely that restarting is not possible. It's very simple to pop off the head to confirm, all the work is usually in sourcing the correct gasket. A 6 year old machine would be worth an engine fix provided it wasn't catastrophically worn/damaged from misuse or neglect.

He'll knacker an expensive Honda just as quickly! Go for something with power to spare, a large 2 cylinder engine, that will be only 'ticking over' when in use. Like this, http://www.adverts.ie/23618991

or this Honda.

http://www.adverts.ie/24649410

That's child abuse, sort of. Report him to.... the SPCL(awnmowers)

For the second time this summer the drive belt has gone on my Castelgarden TC102 Hydro (see pic). I changed it March 2020 and it lasted until March this year, then it split, and 2 days ago it split again. Prior to March 2020 (since about 2006), I personally had never changed it, though it is possible it was changed at times when I used to take it into the shop for servicing. The one I replaced in March 2020 was very very worn and stretched - it looked like it had been on for years.

I have replaced it now, but I want to get opinions as to what might be causing this.

I have checked all the pulley wheels & guides and there doesn't appear to be anything in them that might be causing a split. So I have two theories:

1. I just got unlucky and a stick or stone has got caught up each time & caused the damage
2. The replacement belts I use are of poor quality.

On 2., I really like the place I get my parts from - they are online, very reliable with fast delivery, fairly priced and, in the past have sent replacement parts at no extra cost when I ordered the wrong item. I don't want to name them here, as I don't think it would be fair.

Anyway - opinions welcome. Thanks :)

Hi Tombrown last time this happened to me it was the pulley on the chassis either side of the transmission on my JD Lr135 a Castelgarden clone - they can’t be seen unless you put the mower standing up on 2x boards or blocks about 2-3inches thick . I’ve also switched to Kevlar belts which so far is showing no wear after 4yrs.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have looked at all the pulleys & they seem to be running freely. Also this is the main drive belt (for driving the wheels) not the blade drive belt; the latter was fitted by the local shop & has no signs of wear.

So I think the belts I use are probably poor quality. Can you recommend a good online supplier of tevlar belts that I can use?

Anyway, I have a new belt fitted which should at least see me through this season (plus I have a spare), so, if I can get a tevlar belt, I'll fit it when I service the machine next year

Thanks

I have been under it a number of times & am sure the belt is correctly routed around the pulleys & guides, and all the pulleys seem fine. I'll inspect again and see if I can see the issue

dirty carburettor maybe