DANG -- Hydrolock... but on a Craftsman!!

[Tx Bohemian]

Just a little venting here!!!

Went to start my PYT9000 mower (I think the PYT stands for POS in Japan, China, Korea wherever it’s made) yesterday and it turned over about ½ crank and stopped, WTH!!

I used it to mow the front yard yesterday and it worked well. (Surprisingly, read on...)

Tried it again and the same thing!  Tried turning it by hand, which I’ve done in the past, and still only about ½ turn, either way.

Pulled the plugs (which were gas soaked), cranked it over and about a gallon of gas spewed out of each cylinder!!! (Well, maybe not quite a gallon, but a lot!!)

First time this has happened!

Like I said, this PYT has been a POS since I got it. If I’d paid money for it I’d be more pi$$ed (got it from my FIL, I think he wanted to punish me for taking away his daughter)
It’s a two cylinder and just out of the clear blue (half way through mowing) one cylinder will quit firing, and it’s not the same cylinder each time. The “E-spark plugs” seem to help.

This is when it starts.  The darn thing has always been hard to start, cold or hot, to where you almost run the battery down.

It also cuts weird!
The left blade cuts about ¼” lower in the middle of the deck (where the blades almost make contact). About a month ago I changed the bearing housings and made sure the blades where even. I shimmed up the left one and if the blades weren’t exactly even it was maybe 1/32nd off, maybe!
The first time I used it after the bearing change it did good but yesterday, after the Hydrolock issue, it left ridges in the yard, again.

GRRRR…

[baldo]

Like I said, this PYT has been a POS since I got it. If I’d paid money for it I’d be more pi$$ed (got it from my FIL, I think he wanted to punish me for taking away his daughter)

I think you nailed it......

I had a Craftsman 2 cyl 21 hp...It did the same thing, kind of. In addition, it 'lost' two intake valve seats in one season. I ended up giving it to a local retired guy that had his whole yard full of junk like mine. And he lived in a very upscale neighborhood, on the water, with million $$ homes all around him. But his grandfather had built that house and he wasn't leaving...

[Pete]

Single cylinder mower engines will also hydrolock.
Get a $4.00 gas cutoff  from Adv Auto and install it as close to the carb as possible.
Disassemble the carb and clean the float seat and the float seal point.
The float seal may have a hard ring around it scrape it off and clean carefully.
Quit using gas-a-hol and use regular 100 % gas.

[Gavin_Sons]

Husqvarna mlwers are not much better in the mowing department. I havehad one for 10 years and it has been ok. My left side of the deck cuts lower no matter how I adjust it. Gonna try to het through this season with it and buy a nice zero turn next spring.

[MarkT]

My Honda riding mower lasted only 20yrs, dammit.  It finally siezed the mower deck since it had no zirks but "permanently lubed" bearings.  Right.  Years ago I added a Dan-Marc to the fuel line. It still periodically fills the crankcase with gas since the magneto misfires regularly and the gas blows by the piston.  Turns out the magnet in the flywheel has lost much magnetism as I've replaced every other part - all the ignition parts, the carb - the only unreplaced ignition / fuel part is the flywheel.  I just bought the cheapest oil I could find and when it blows fluid out the crank breather I replace the oil.  I use it as a tug to pull trailers hauling junk around the ranch. Installed bar (ag) tires on the back, solid tires in front - no more flats and that sucker will GO in the snow with those tires.  I replaced it's mowing fn with a Kubota a couple years ago.  It's more than twice as fast mowing the place and also plows snow and grades the drive.  It will even pull stuck cars or if one lands in a ditch.  4WD, diesel 3 cyl, hydrostatic with extra weights, industrial tires; it weighs over a ton.  Has surprising ability for it's size.  Mows about as fast as a large zero-turn.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Move to the desert. No mowing allowed. 

[NewValker]

I bought my first new rider in 1998. The cheapest one Wally World had. It’s still going. Oh, it looks like a POS, and also cuts crooked on the left side, and the front axle is gonna break any day now, but it starts so I’ll keep cutting with it...
Guy at work is giving me a Husky tractor this weekend, needs a belt and good to go. That will be plan B when mine drops a front wheel.
Craig

[Steel cowboy]

After 2 John Deere's one would hydro lock once a month and both had trany problems, both were hydrostatic and would slip half way thru my yard work, I got a zero turn Gravely. With 54 inch cut I went from 1 hour cutting time to 20 minutes. And it's easier to see were your going and getting up close to the garden and trees. Now if I could just keep my daughter from borrowing it, she has a snapper rider with no issues.

[Skinhead]

Any BBS bought mower is a POS.  My son bought a cub cadet at home depot, it has 50 hrs on it 3 years old, and the rear diff has leaked a 5 foot diameter puddle of oil on his shed floor.  I've been trying to get him to call Cub about it for months as the owners manual says the rear diff isn't serviceable, and there is no place to add oil.  He finally called, his warranty just expired, but they are covering it.  So it's still a POS, but at least they are being fair about it.  Good on you CC.

[Tx Bohemian]

Move to the desert. No mowing allowed. 

Was almost in a desert here a couple of months ago. 9" rain debt.
Hadn't needed to mow for 2 months.