Murraymountain's Lawn Tractor Repairs

Sounds like an issue with the seat safety, like it's not working properly and making it seem like no one is sitting on it. Check all the wires and connections for that maybe, might find the problem.

I'll check through it again, but I'm pretty sure that's not the problem. You can drive it around and it'll shut off when you jump off it so that tells me it seems to be working properly. Remember that we had to go through the whole wiring harness to get it working, and I have no idea how many wires we cut, connected, and left untouched, so I'm betting something is hooked up wrong. This one has a heck of alota switches on it, Reverse, clutch, seat, I'm assuming blades too, I'll have to look through it pretty hard. In the mean time, I can disconnect the harness that connects everything to the engine and mow with it that way.

Well, got $300 in my pocket! Finally, the Lowe's is gone. All cleaned up to make an impression on the buyer...



There she goes..... On to the next one.



She didn't do too well during the test drive. Go figure. Anyway, I think the next one will be a Murray Widebody!

Edit: Changed the thread title too.

That is a much better title.

I thought so too. I never really cared for the old one but I just didn't get around to changing it.

What's goin' on here???



Change of plans yet again. No parts have been taken off Craps-man yet, soooooooo, I decided to put everything back together and hope it lasts at least long enough to sell it. It will probably be the worst riding mower I'll ever sell but at least it'll be gone.

The next one might not be a Widebody anymore, I have a chance to pick up a FREE Craftsman 46" cut (I think an old GT6000). No idea what condition it's in but it might be rusty gold!

I got a lot done yesterday. The Craps-man just needs some deck height adjustments, the engagement fixed, and some fresh gas in the tank and hope hopes and dreams keep it together while we try it out.



The Husqvarna is pretty much done. We busted the brand new fuel pump so I'm about to build a mountain of glue and sealant on the pump to (hopefully) stop it from leaking, and then that little electrical gremlin. Besides safety switches, what do yall think it could be???

Okay, history was made today... The Craps-man, YES, The Craps-man, IS MOWING GRASS!!! Still knocks, gets plenty of deck belt slippage, and the tires still leak, so it still lives up to its name.

How long do you think the motor will last cutting grass and  knocking this hard?

BTW, the GT6000 I haven't got yet has turned into an LT1000, almost identical to the Craps-man.

Well, it is confirmed that we will be picking up a free Craftsman LT1000 this Friday, 2 hour round trip. Here's the pics the owner sent me...






The Husqvarna has had it's first day on the job. It looks like it's smoking a ciggarette, so some head gaskets may be in it's future. And the electrical gremlin is causing the battery not to charge while cutting so we have to fix it. But man, that thing is a beast!




The Craps-man is for sale again, and this time should be the last.

Picked up the Craftsman today! Turns out she's got a 15.5 HP Kohler. The owner says it's got a blown hydro but it seems to still have life. Put the booster pack on it and the starter is working, but the gear seems to be stripped.




Anyway, the to do list right now is:

-Headlights
-Full deck cleaning and oiling
-Sharpen blades
-Starter gear
-Front wheel bushings
-Figure out what's wrong with the hydro

Anyway, a freebie is a freebie. Looks like a fairly good deal so far!

I doubt the gear is stripped, it should be a steel starter gear on that one. Maybe the bendix is just sticky and the gear isn't kicking out, I've seen that happen a few different times.

Maybe a hydro purge needed?

AllisKidD21 wrote:

I doubt the gear is stripped, it should be a steel starter gear on that one. Maybe the bendix is just sticky and the gear isn't kicking out, I've seen that happen a few different times.

Yep, you're right. I've been working on it today and the bendix was frozen solid. Got it to free up though, turns the motor over real well!

MightyRaze wrote:

Maybe a hydro purge needed?

Maybe. The belt is in great condition and isn't falling off, looks like both wheel keys are in, once I get it running I'll try it.

So I'm having a bit of an electrical issue. The kill isn't working. When the kill is hooked up there is no spark, when you disconnect it, it acts like a brand new coil. Kohlers are way more complicated than the Briggs motors I usually work with and I know nothing about the Kohler so I'm in need of some help. What's your thoughts?

Okay, I got a lot accomplished today! I repaired the starter, and I also found out that someone decided they did not like the starter bolt holes, so they managed to bend the screw and strip the bolt hole, but whatever. I also removed the deck, cleaned the top side and underside, sharpened the blades. And I also found some cancer starting, but it's not too bad. Only one hole, but several cracks.



This is the hole... It's in the front.



These are the cracks...



Got 'er up and running too! It's a Kohler so of course it runs good. The old owner took great care of it. Oil, Brand new. Air filter, okay. Fuel filter, brand new. Gas, fresh. Spark plug, fairly new. Anyway, the trans is working perfectly. I don't have a clue what the old owner was talking about. Also had to fixed the busted hood.

Craftsman: First Drive
Kohler Kill Issues
Do Kohler Commands Run This High?
Craftsman: First Cut

Heck, got $7.50 in it and it cuts grass and it cuts it good. Not bad at all for a freebie.

New To Do list:

-Get 2 front wheels
-Fix the kill
-Get a front deck mounting bar (broke the old one today.... )
-Headlights, sockets, and harness
-Left floorboard
-Wash it

Maybes:

-Remove deck cancer
-Grease the deck pulleys
-Fix the thottle issues (if any at all)

This could be the best deal I've made! Record profit: $280. This time I'm expecting at least $300! That is if I get $350 for it which I'm sure I can.

Come on guys, someone's gotta know the answer to my questions.

Sounds like a safety switch issue to me.

Maybe. The clutch/brake and blade safeties work, but the seat safety is rigged.

It's a 10min job to take them out and wire it straight to the switch anyways. Why not

I'll try to wire it back to original, but I think the starter blew up tonight. Turned it on and a blue spark flew out of the starter post. Tried it again and nothing happened.

Probably just a bad connection. Clean the cable and starter post and try again. Spark and then nothing is what bad connections usually do.

Okay I figured out the electrical problems. The blue spark was actually the fuse blowing, and the kill issue was rather strange. I removed one of the "electrical computerized thingies" from it's plug, and whataya know, everything works! Everything but the seat safety which never worked.




Anyway, a trip to the junkyard and a little advice and this one'll be ready to go!

If you go up this page a little bit you'll find some videos. Someone please tell me if that Kohler is supposed to run that high. I really don't wanna blow such a nice engine up.

Is a Kohler Command supposed to run at this high of an RPM?

Does anybody at all know the answer??? I don't.

I don't think it sounds wrong at all, once there're the load of the deck on it I imagine it's just fine.

Sounds about right to me.

Okay, it does run a lot slower when the blades are on and the hydro at top speed, so I guess it would be fine just driving around too I'd think.

Thanks for the info guys!