Need advice

[georgewe4]

Since spring is here I decided to buy a new 0 turn lawn mower. I traded my previous rider in at a Snapper dealer here local. After I picked out the mower, they took it out of the showroom to do the prepping before delivery. This was 3 weeks ago. I have mowed 3 times with it. Every now and then it would sputter and try to quit on me. I would check the gas and go ahead and add some. I would still have half a tank but we have a slight incline as our yard nears the road and I thought the gas may be flowing away from the pick up in the bottom the gas tank. This happened every time I mowed with it. Today I was mowing and it happened again. I added gas it got better. About 10 min later it happened again. I knew it must be something else. I checked everything, and pulled the dip stick. The oil was just barely touching the tip of the stick. I was hot at this point. I usually check the oil every now and then, but I should not have to make sure there is oil in it when it is delivered and prepped by the dealer. I thought oil was part of the thousands of dollars I spent. I know the engine has a built in safety that shuts it off when the oil gets low. Thank God. I added oil to the proper amount and all is fine. I'm calling the dealer tomorrow to vent. I feel like demanding something but I'm not sure what. Like I said, I changed oil on a regular basis with my Cub, and I will do the same with this one. I take care of what I get. Am I wrong to "assume" that a new mower bought from a dealer that was "prepped before delivery should have the proper amount of oil to mow with.Or should I have bought an additional quart of oil with the mower and have them add it in with the prepping?
George

 

[madhat]

I always check before I start them, everytime.
My aunt just bought one of those classic push ones with no motor, you should trade that puppy in for one of those! You'll never have to worry about even buying oil or gas again

 

[TexasT]

I always check before I start them, everytime.

Madhat is correct. On any new engine oil consumption can occur as the rings seat. After the rings seat there should be very little consumption, but you should still check it.

Before firing up your new 'toy' always give it the once over to check for belt fraying, loose fastners and such. This should be covered in the owners manual and they printed it in there for a reason. Learn it , know it, live it. and you will be happier with your new machine.

BTW, what model did you get, I assume it is a snapper? How is the cut quality? Is it one of the rebadged Simplicitys?

Good Luck.

Rich

 

[darkred87T]

Man, you got lucky My brother-in -law borrowed a new power washer from a freind who had never used it and asked me to come over and help him start it. Well, I checked the oil and it had some in it. Not knowing it needed to be to the top of opening under the cap, I ASSUMED it was O.K. to start it. Well, it ran for a few seconds and started smoking, so I shut it off. When I tried to pull the rope again it was seized. We had to order a new connecting rod for it which came with a poured bearing. Luckily, my father was in the market for a new power washer so he bought it from us and we used the cash to buy the guy a new one. Since then I never assume anything and always read the instructions, (which I didn't have at the time) before I do anything.

 

[georgewe4]

I talked to the dealer yesterday (friday). I am pretty sure he is feeding me a bunch of bull. He said that in the dealer prep they check tire pressure, deck leveling and oil is one thing also that is checked. I told him the mower sputtered and wanted to quit the first 30 min I used it. I told him I had mowed a total of three times and it did it every time and when I would add gas it would quit sputtering until the last mowing, when the mower quit altogether and I then found the oil to the bottom of the dipstick. I added 10W 30 to it and it started and ran fine. I even rolled the yard since then and it hasn't missed a lick I asked if the engine had a built in safety that shut the engine off when it ran low on oil, he said no. He then told me that it is not uncommon for a new mower to burn a lot of oil. He said that in the first 5-10hours of run time he has seen mowers burn down oil like mine did 3-5 times! I added approx 3/4 pint. Personally I have never experienced that. My cub had a kohler engine and it never used oil. He also told me never to use 10 w 30 oil. He said it was bad for the engine. He suggest non detergent 30 weight for air cooled engines. He said 10W 30 will turn to sludge in my mower since an air cooled burns hotter and will eventually form into a substance like a pencil eraser in the bottom of the oil pan. what??????? I'm thinking I better get more facts before I talk any more to this guy.
Today I called another Snapper dealer and gave him the story. He confirmed that it is not uncommon to burn a little oil in the first hours. But more like a teaspoon per tank of gas. He said if the mower would have been filled at time of prep it would have never burned down to the bottom of the dip stick unless something was wrong. He asked if it smoked. I said no. I told min about the oil my dealer said to use. He said that I was told wrong about that as well. He said in the owners manual it states to use 10W30. I had read that just before I called this guy. He said it is important because the mower has hydraulic lifters. He warned not to use the oil my dealer said to use. He suggest I pull the spark plug to see if it looks fouled from burning oil. I haven't done that yet. He also told me that the engine probably sputtered due to boiling gas. The engine was getting hot due to low oil, and the gas was boiling a little before it reached the carb. After I added the proper amount of oil that is why it stopped. It was running cooler. He doubts any damage to the engine occured due to it having a oil pump. But he also thinks that oil was probably forgotten at the time of prep. I will pull the plug and see if it looks fouled. I am also going to call Snapper and Kohler.
Texas T. It is the 42 inch Yard Cruiser. It has a joy stick that you drive it with. Its a sweet mower. I was going to get a 48 but they said the 42 had a better cut, due to deck design. I do agree the cut is excellent. I want our yard to look like a golf course. We have an acre so a 42 is just fine. The deck is semi independant from the mower. It floats more with the front wheels. The deck sits under my feet, and my feet move with the deck the seat part of the mower is more stationary. The joy stick is excellent. The seat has arm rest, the joy stick is at the end of the left one. I find myself relaxing with my legs crossed while mowing. The wife said it looks very stressful. The mowing time has been cut way down.
I just want to get this issue behind me. I want to make sure my mower is going to be ok. I will see what Snapper and Kohler has to say about my conversation with my dealer and from the other dealer.
Thanks guys.
George

I had to add an edit. Sorry about the big long post here!

 

[jpratt]

So how is it going now? I am a Snapper and Kohler dealer and would help out with anything you need if you local dealer wont. I am good at getting warranties to cover just about anything.

 

[georgewe4]

Wow. Nice to know that some one here is a Snapper dealer. Thanks for the enquire. I talked to someone a Snapper that seemed to not know Jack about my questions or concerns. He referred me to Kohler engines.
I called Kohler and got a hold of one smart guy. He agreed there was no way the engine would have used that much oil in approx a 3 hour run time. He said at most it was a 1/2 ounce per tank of gas during break in. He told me the break in time would range about 100 hours. He said 100 hours was a long time, but it was because they use steel rings in their engines and it takes longer for them to seat. Also he totally disagreed with the dealer telling me to use detergent 30 weight oil. He said that was a bad thing to tell me since the engine has hydraulic lifters. 10 W 30 is the way to go. He suggest I go ahead and change the oil and filter and fill the oil to the proper level, then from there I could monitor what is going on IF there is anything going on at all. He assured me the engine was alright and if it had done any damage I would already know it.
I did as he suggested. I have mowed twice with it. the mower has not missed at all, and my oil level is still at the top mark on the dip stick. I am now 100% positive that it was low on oil when it was delivered to me. It just leaves me to wonder if anything else was missed.
I am still upset. This should have never happened. I bought this thing from a dealer not from a hole in the wall place. I plan on calling him and presenting him with my findings. I know he will shoot me more crap. I don't want to feel backed into a corner, but I have lost trust in this place. I wish for one thing he would just realize they made a mistake, apologize and ask me what would make me happy. I also have to admit. It is still in the back of my mind that the engine was ran low on oil. That still bothers me.
George

 

[jpratt]

That guy stiffed you good. On purpose or not, he should have know better.

That machine was made and sold new in 2001. He sold you a 5 year old mower. It may have never been used, but it is still a five year old production mower. Good news is that it is a good mower and you should not have very many problems with it. I am researching now as to the dealer cost and retail price of that mower in 2001.

Kohler is a great engine and should give you many years of loyalty, if no damaged has already been done. Lawn mower engines usualy do not have low oil sensors on them to shut the engine of automatically. Sometimes they have a idiot light bu not always.

 

[jpratt]

New that mower retailed for 3500, so you atleast did not overpay for it.

 

[georgewe4]

What?

I'm sitting here and my blood is boiling . I feel like such an idiot. I am always so careful when I buy something. I feel like I totally blew it. I never thought to ask him what year mower it was. It was sitting in the showroom with all the other Toro's, Dixons and Snappers. I liked it because of the way it was made and the joystick drive. It looked like it was much better built than the Dixon. That may not be true. I guess its just a preference. I know the mower had never been used. I looked under the deck and all and there wasn't a scratch anywhere. I'm wondering now WHERE DID HE GET THAT MOWER?? New Orleans after Katrina? Surely it wasn't on his showroom floor for five years. At least I didn't over pay. Isthis the norm for some dealers to do this? Should it be noted on the price tag?
Probably not much I can do about being sold a 5 year old mower.

 

[madhat]

my friend bought a super slick motorcycle that had been sitting on the floor for like three or four years - it hadn't sold because it was always stuck between the bargan bikes and the pricey ones so it always either looked too expensive or it wasn't good enough. He got it for a good price too! I don't remember the model, but it resembles an Indian.