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Lawn mower woes

Back on July the 9th, it was a sunny and hot afternoon. So much so, I decided it was a good time to mow the grass. Got on my “lawn shoes” and summer shorts and grabbed my trusty 21“ Ariens RAZR mower. She’s about 6-7 years old. Fired her up and made my first pass...and then she stopped. I looked at the fuel level and noticed it was a little low. Topped’er up and gave it a pull... nothing.

Waited a minute, pushed the mower to and frow... gave it another pull. Nothing. Did I flood it? Waited a few more minutes and tried again... nothing. What was going on? My neighbour took note and came over to have a look. His father was over visiting and wouldn’t you know it, he specialized in small engine mechanics and repair.

I had changed the air filter, spark plugs and changed the oil as I do every spring at the shop where I purchased it. His diagnosis was met with negative results. So off to the shop where I purchased it. It’s a locally owned place that’s been around for about 50 years and they specialize in lawn equipment. I’ve always had great service there. I reluctantly turned over the mower and was advised they’d be in touch over the next 2 weeks.

Fast forward to Sept. 1st, 2020. I still did not have my mower back. Reasons? Parts that had been ordered out of province had been delayed due to Covid, lack of staff at the warehouse, shipping delays and an injured mechanic on leave from the shop. They figured it was the carb.

Last week I received an update that they replaced all the parts in the carb and it still wouldn’t turn over. So, it wasn’t the carb kit. They said they’d let me know. “Enjoy the long weekend.”

Today I was in the area after a massage and decided to swing by. As luck would have it, the owner and his son were in. I chatted about my summer and lack of lawn mower. He was very nice as he always has been and summoned the mechanic. He came out within about 20 seconds and looked up my file. “She’s not going to make it“ he tells me. I was stunned. I was meticulous with care and upkeep of my mower. What happened!?! ”The valve system is toast. She‘s not drawing any power and we can’t order a new motor because Ariens doesn’t make mowers any longer, just snow blowers and riding mowers. So unless you know someone with a used mower with this motor...”

They weren’t willing to take it on a trade in, not even for parts. That’s when I knew they were serious. I was able to trade in an older (15 year) weed trimmer last year for a new one. The owner over heard the conversation and came over. He apologized for the long wait and the bad news and talked about the fall of Ariens and their mowers. “If you think you’d like to buy a different mower, let me know and I‘ll make sure you’re taken care of. As far as any maintenance costs or whatever... don’t worry, we’re not going to charge you a red cent for the other mower.”

After moping around I decided to bite. I was shown a few models and and settled on a new Toro. It had plenty of features and was about 15 lbs lighter than the Ariens. To top it off, they knocked about $90 off the price for my troubles. I did a quick search with Home Depot, Lowe’s and another shop for the same model... and the price was too good to pass up.

So, here she is. My only regret today was that I borrowed my buddy‘s Arien’s this morning to mow my grass before bringing the new mower home.

Wish me luck, and thanks for reading this long winded story.
 

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Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I hate those discharge covers. Did you get an attachment that goes under it so you can discharge the grass (instead of mulching). I‘ve had 2 mowers like that and the plastic piece that slips under it to discharge the grass always slips off. Then I’m stuck with keeping it closed and I can never seem to mow my grass enough to keep it low so it doesn’t clog the mower. Anyway, that’s my woes with those darn discharge covers.

The one I use now has broke off and it covers me with grass every time I use it.

Toro still makes decent lawn equipment. Most the big box retailers that sell mowers are made by MTD. Unlike Toro which is made by Toro. Nice mower!
 
I hate those discharge covers. Did you get an attachment that goes under it so you can discharge the grass (instead of mulching). I‘ve had 2 mowers like that and the plastic piece that slips under it to discharge the grass always slips off. Then I’m stuck with keeping it closed and I can never seem to mow my grass enough to keep it low so it doesn’t clog the mower. Anyway, that’s my woes with those darn discharge covers.

The one I use now has broke off and it covers me with grass every time I use it.

Toro still makes decent lawn equipment. Most the big box retailers that sell mowers are made by MTD. Unlike Toro which is made by Toro. Nice mower!

I never use the side discharge. Ever. My old mower did a great job mulching the grass that I didn’t even use the bagger half of the time. No thick trail of mulch, no clogging, nothing. I would just take off the bag and put in the rear mulch plug.

This model has the plug built in to the rear hatch, unless you prop it open using the bag. Guess I’ll find out how well this one works in a few days.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I think my problem is I couldn’t do the weekly mowing That is required coupled with the fact that I like the grass short. So tall grass, mowing it short with no discharge....clog city.
 
Back on July the 9th, it was a sunny and hot afternoon. So much so, I decided it was a good time to mow the grass. Got on my “lawn shoes” and summer shorts and grabbed my trusty 21“ Ariens RAZR mower. She’s about 6-7 years old. Fired her up and made my first pass...and then she stopped. I looked at the fuel level and noticed it was a little low. Topped’er up and gave it a pull... nothing.

Waited a minute, pushed the mower to and frow... gave it another pull. Nothing. Did I flood it? Waited a few more minutes and tried again... nothing. What was going on? My neighbour took note and came over to have a look. His father was over visiting and wouldn’t you know it, he specialized in small engine mechanics and repair.

I had changed the air filter, spark plugs and changed the oil as I do every spring at the shop where I purchased it. His diagnosis was met with negative results. So off to the shop where I purchased it. It’s a locally owned place that’s been around for about 50 years and they specialize in lawn equipment. I’ve always had great service there. I reluctantly turned over the mower and was advised they’d be in touch over the next 2 weeks.

Fast forward to Sept. 1st, 2020. I still did not have my mower back. Reasons? Parts that had been ordered out of province had been delayed due to Covid, lack of staff at the warehouse, shipping delays and an injured mechanic on leave from the shop. They figured it was the carb.

Last week I received an update that they replaced all the parts in the carb and it still wouldn’t turn over. So, it wasn’t the carb kit. They said they’d let me know. “Enjoy the long weekend.”

Today I was in the area after a massage and decided to swing by. As luck would have it, the owner and his son were in. I chatted about my summer and lack of lawn mower. He was very nice as he always has been and summoned the mechanic. He came out within about 20 seconds and looked up my file. “She’s not going to make it“ he tells me. I was stunned. I was meticulous with care and upkeep of my mower. What happened!?! ”The valve system is toast. She‘s not drawing any power and we can’t order a new motor because Ariens doesn’t make mowers any longer, just snow blowers and riding mowers. So unless you know someone with a used mower with this motor...”

They weren’t willing to take it on a trade in, not even for parts. That’s when I knew they were serious. I was able to trade in an older (15 year) weed trimmer last year for a new one. The owner over heard the conversation and came over. He apologized for the long wait and the bad news and talked about the fall of Ariens and their mowers. “If you think you’d like to buy a different mower, let me know and I‘ll make sure you’re taken care of. As far as any maintenance costs or whatever... don’t worry, we’re not going to charge you a red cent for the other mower.”

After moping around I decided to bite. I was shown a few models and and settled on a new Toro. It had plenty of features and was about 15 lbs lighter than the Ariens. To top it off, they knocked about $90 off the price for my troubles. I did a quick search with Home Depot, Lowe’s and another shop for the same model... and the price was too good to pass up.

So, here she is. My only regret today was that I borrowed my buddy‘s Arien’s this morning to mow my grass before bringing the new mower home.

Wish me luck, and thanks for reading this long winded story.
Having spent twenty-plus years in the power equipment field, I find your experience troubling. At least you were fortunate ownership got involved. How you describe the symptoms of your Ariens walk mower, any decent technician should have diagnosed the problem in short order. I doubt the valves were worn, you would notice a definite decrease in power and the starter rope would either pull with no resistance or not at all. If an engine doesn't have all three of ignition, carburetion and compression in proper order, it will not run. I would say the ignition coil was more likely weak, and that problem can appear suddenly, and tricky to diagnose. Since the failure occurred suddenly, my guess is the coil. And carburetors don't malfunction often, few moving parts, though fuel quality can be harmful to them. Ariens parts availability aside, this matter took far too long. You were strung along for far too long, never should have happened. Ownership was so embarrassed by the lack of concern and no solution for you on your Ariens that he was compelled to absorb the costs involved in trying to fix your Ariens by giving you a healthy discount on your new Toro. Gross profit margins on mowers are thin, say the 15 to 20 percent range, so you likely bought that Toro at dealer cost or less. Be glad your dealer is still around though, a good dealership will make things right, whereas the big boxes stores are shaky in that regard, even during warranty periods. Enjoy the new Toro.
 
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Glad you got a nice replacement. I had a used toro for 12 years before it finally got to the point where I wanted something new. My current mower is a Sears Craftsman, but it's already 4 years old and performing like a champ. It's got front wheel drive so it's not nearly as hard to push as the old mower.
 
When my current corded electric gives up the ghost, I am either going cordless, or I will be in a place where I will not need to cut the grass.
 

JCarr

More Deep Thoughts than Jack Handy
Back on July the 9th, it was a sunny and hot afternoon. So much so, I decided it was a good time to mow the grass. Got on my “lawn shoes” and summer shorts and grabbed my trusty 21“ Ariens RAZR mower. She’s about 6-7 years old. Fired her up and made my first pass...and then she stopped. I looked at the fuel level and noticed it was a little low. Topped’er up and gave it a pull... nothing.

Waited a minute, pushed the mower to and frow... gave it another pull. Nothing. Did I flood it? Waited a few more minutes and tried again... nothing. What was going on? My neighbour took note and came over to have a look. His father was over visiting and wouldn’t you know it, he specialized in small engine mechanics and repair.

I had changed the air filter, spark plugs and changed the oil as I do every spring at the shop where I purchased it. His diagnosis was met with negative results. So off to the shop where I purchased it. It’s a locally owned place that’s been around for about 50 years and they specialize in lawn equipment. I’ve always had great service there. I reluctantly turned over the mower and was advised they’d be in touch over the next 2 weeks.

Fast forward to Sept. 1st, 2020. I still did not have my mower back. Reasons? Parts that had been ordered out of province had been delayed due to Covid, lack of staff at the warehouse, shipping delays and an injured mechanic on leave from the shop. They figured it was the carb.

Last week I received an update that they replaced all the parts in the carb and it still wouldn’t turn over. So, it wasn’t the carb kit. They said they’d let me know. “Enjoy the long weekend.”

Today I was in the area after a massage and decided to swing by. As luck would have it, the owner and his son were in. I chatted about my summer and lack of lawn mower. He was very nice as he always has been and summoned the mechanic. He came out within about 20 seconds and looked up my file. “She’s not going to make it“ he tells me. I was stunned. I was meticulous with care and upkeep of my mower. What happened!?! ”The valve system is toast. She‘s not drawing any power and we can’t order a new motor because Ariens doesn’t make mowers any longer, just snow blowers and riding mowers. So unless you know someone with a used mower with this motor...”

They weren’t willing to take it on a trade in, not even for parts. That’s when I knew they were serious. I was able to trade in an older (15 year) weed trimmer last year for a new one. The owner over heard the conversation and came over. He apologized for the long wait and the bad news and talked about the fall of Ariens and their mowers. “If you think you’d like to buy a different mower, let me know and I‘ll make sure you’re taken care of. As far as any maintenance costs or whatever... don’t worry, we’re not going to charge you a red cent for the other mower.”

After moping around I decided to bite. I was shown a few models and and settled on a new Toro. It had plenty of features and was about 15 lbs lighter than the Ariens. To top it off, they knocked about $90 off the price for my troubles. I did a quick search with Home Depot, Lowe’s and another shop for the same model... and the price was too good to pass up.

So, here she is. My only regret today was that I borrowed my buddy‘s Arien’s this morning to mow my grass before bringing the new mower home.

Wish me luck, and thanks for reading this long winded story.


That Toro looks very similar to the Crafstman mower my wife and I bought at the beginning of the Summer. Good luck with it. The Craftsman mower has been great for us so far. Nearing the end of the mowing season now.
 
I'm having mower troubles of my own.

I run an overnight summer camp that had to cancel our season due to COVID and have been trying to save money on gas (as well as wasted time) by not mowing weekly.

Well, I've broken two belts because the grass is too thick and puts additional pressure on the blades/belt.

So its back to mowing weekly until it stops growing
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
Back on July the 9th, it was a sunny and hot afternoon. So much so, I decided it was a good time to mow the grass. Got on my “lawn shoes” and summer shorts and grabbed my trusty 21“ Ariens RAZR mower. She’s about 6-7 years old. Fired her up and made my first pass...and then she stopped. I looked at the fuel level and noticed it was a little low. Topped’er up and gave it a pull... nothing.

Waited a minute, pushed the mower to and frow... gave it another pull. Nothing. Did I flood it? Waited a few more minutes and tried again... nothing. What was going on? My neighbour took note and came over to have a look. His father was over visiting and wouldn’t you know it, he specialized in small engine mechanics and repair.

I had changed the air filter, spark plugs and changed the oil as I do every spring at the shop where I purchased it. His diagnosis was met with negative results. So off to the shop where I purchased it. It’s a locally owned place that’s been around for about 50 years and they specialize in lawn equipment. I’ve always had great service there. I reluctantly turned over the mower and was advised they’d be in touch over the next 2 weeks.

Fast forward to Sept. 1st, 2020. I still did not have my mower back. Reasons? Parts that had been ordered out of province had been delayed due to Covid, lack of staff at the warehouse, shipping delays and an injured mechanic on leave from the shop. They figured it was the carb.

Last week I received an update that they replaced all the parts in the carb and it still wouldn’t turn over. So, it wasn’t the carb kit. They said they’d let me know. “Enjoy the long weekend.”

Today I was in the area after a massage and decided to swing by. As luck would have it, the owner and his son were in. I chatted about my summer and lack of lawn mower. He was very nice as he always has been and summoned the mechanic. He came out within about 20 seconds and looked up my file. “She’s not going to make it“ he tells me. I was stunned. I was meticulous with care and upkeep of my mower. What happened!?! ”The valve system is toast. She‘s not drawing any power and we can’t order a new motor because Ariens doesn’t make mowers any longer, just snow blowers and riding mowers. So unless you know someone with a used mower with this motor...”

They weren’t willing to take it on a trade in, not even for parts. That’s when I knew they were serious. I was able to trade in an older (15 year) weed trimmer last year for a new one. The owner over heard the conversation and came over. He apologized for the long wait and the bad news and talked about the fall of Ariens and their mowers. “If you think you’d like to buy a different mower, let me know and I‘ll make sure you’re taken care of. As far as any maintenance costs or whatever... don’t worry, we’re not going to charge you a red cent for the other mower.”

After moping around I decided to bite. I was shown a few models and and settled on a new Toro. It had plenty of features and was about 15 lbs lighter than the Ariens. To top it off, they knocked about $90 off the price for my troubles. I did a quick search with Home Depot, Lowe’s and another shop for the same model... and the price was too good to pass up.

So, here she is. My only regret today was that I borrowed my buddy‘s Arien’s this morning to mow my grass before bringing the new mower home.

Wish me luck, and thanks for reading this long winded story.

My experience is that, in later years, how the smaller L&G equipment holds up is ultimately a function of who manufactured the engine. My neighbor’s newer JD lawn tractor has been a non stop headache, while we are now on year 20 of an inexpensive Craftsman model, because its Kohler engine has been bulletproof.

If you gave me a B&S engine made after the 90s, I wouldn’t take it. They have cheapened to the point where you can’t even make effective subassembly repairs on them. Much of the factory parts are now from China. The last one, we didn’t even bother to attempt a carb rebuild. We just slapped a new one on it, which squeezed one more season out of it, and then tossed it in the garbage (a neighbor swiped the deck).

I buy equipment of this sort looking at the engine first. The small engine industry has changed over the years. Honda now makes the best smaller 4 cycle engines, and they are US made. In a larger HP lawn tractor-capable engine, you are still well served by Kohler.

In a two cycle handheld, nothing less than an Echo or Stihl. On smaller equipment, the better engine build also carries over to the rest of the unit. Yes, our Echo power head cost 2x what a Homelite would have. But the Echo is still going strong after 22 years, while the second Homelite is disintegrating in a landfill somewhere.

Tecumseh used to make a solid engine. Excellent winter small engines years ago. But the last one we bought was before all the ownership changes. So I don’t know what you’ll find with them now.

When we tossed that above B&S unit, we also replaced it with a Toro. But we made sure it had the Honda engine on it. Runs like a champ, and gives us zero problems.
 
When we tossed that above B&S unit, we also replaced it with a Toro. But we made sure it had the Honda engine on it.

I bought a Deere push mower (B&S engine) when I moved into our house in 2002. At some point 10+ years later I got too lazy to push and got a Toro self-propelled with a B&S engine and gave my young female neighbor my Deere mower. When my old single-stage Toro snow blower (B&S engine) and the old Deere mower I gave my neighbor, started to have problems a few years back, I found a youtube video on cleaning the B&S carb. I fixed my snowblower and neighbor's mower with carb cleaner. I may have to do my Toro (B&S) carb next year. If I mow a bit and stop to weed-wack, it won't start. I have to remove the spark plug and give it a few pulls without the spark plug.
 
I have a 1985 B&S powered mower I found discarded by a trash dumpster probably 15 years ago. Still runs fine. main bottom seal leaks a little - I just keep a check on the oil level and add it when needed.
Last time I went to the mower store they had but one gasket that I needed. Apparently parts are no longer available, even simple little parts. And I'm not buying the COVID excuse. Nobody wants to fix or repair anything anymore (unless it's specialized or a collectible) - just buy new. So I just keep all my old stuff running myself, and keep an eye open at estate sales for donor machines or other old appliances. Really need an R-12 refrigerator. lol
 
I appreciate the insight and feedback gentlemen. Needless to say I, too, don’t exactly feel like the reasoning I received was straight forward. Do I feel as though they were honest about the lawn mower dying? Yes. Do I feel like there was a strong effort made to attempt to fix it? In short, no. Since the shop didn’t sell Ariens anymore and parts are “harder to obtain“- I feel like this was just a weak attempt all around.

If it was unfixable, just tell me straight up instead of making it appear everything was done in their power to fix it- or- using terms and likely B.S. examples that likely aren’t the root cause. 2 months, in any rate, is unacceptable and I let that be known to the owner and the mechanic. I’ve said my piece.

Could I have just said “screw it”, brought the mower home and had someone else have a look? Probably. But that is only prolonging my need to get the mower up and running, not to mention if they had to also order parts. I’m sure there’s a few things I could have handled differently. At the end of the day, I’m out a bit of money, I have a newer mower with warranty and some piece of mind for the next 2-3 years, and now my yard is in good order.

I’ve also learned that YouTube and this forum have a lot of experienced members that I might be able to harass in the future. 😁

Truly thankful for all the comments and information.

Brad.
 
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cleanshaved

I’m stumped
There's normally a few ways to resolve these issue. As long as you're happy then you went with the right option. Buying a new mower at a really good price is a good option and with all things considered a solid one in your case.
Finding another person to repair could have worked, then again you may just be spending more money to get to the same decision you just made anyway.
If you have the time and willing to have a look at it yourself, that can be fun. I sit in the later camp.
Another option would be to drop new engine on the mower, it does not need to be from the same maker. I just done that at the start of the year and was very easy to do.

Enjoy the new mower, hope it serves you well for a long time.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
I appreciate the insight and feedback gentlemen. Needless to say I, too, don’t exactly feel like the reasoning I received was straight forward. Do I feel as though they were honest about the lawn mower dying? Yes. Do I feel like there was a strong effort made to attempt to fix it? In short, no. Since the shop didn’t sell Ariens anymore and parts are “harder to obtain“- I feel like this was just a weak attempt all around.

If it was unfixable, just tell me straight up instead of making it appear everything was done in their power to fix it- or- using terms and likely B.S. examples that likely aren’t the root cause. 2 months, in any rate, is unacceptable and I let that be known to the owner and the mechanic. I’ve said my piece.

Could I have just said “screw it”, brought the mower home and had someone else have a look? Probably. But that is only prolonging my need to get the mower up and running, not to mention if they had to also order parts. I’m sure there’s a few things I could have handled differently. At the end of the day, I’m out a bit of money, I have a newer mower with warranty and some piece of mind for the next 2-3 years, and now my yard is in good order.

I’ve also learned that YouTube and this forum have a lot of experienced members that I might be able to harass in the future. 😁

Truly thankful for all the comments and information.

Brad.

As an old and sage Judge once told me many years ago,

"If it can be fixed with a check, then it's not so bad."
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
Three years ago I got an EGO battery powered mower. It's been working like a charm since. No annual trip to the dealer for routine service and it starts with the push of a button. The only thing I've done in three years is sharpen the blade.

It runs for a little over an hour on a charge.
 
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