Anybody here who knows about lawnmowers?
Anybody here who knows about lawnmowers?
In search of a dedicated small engine community I come here.
I have an older husqvarna frontrider with a hydrostatic transmission. While checking the transmission oil I noticed that the fan had broken of most of the blades.
Looking at the transmission cover I can see that it has been grazed by the blades, suggesting that the fan has been pulled sideways.
The oil check was part of a small service, that I was doing since I had to replace both belts going to the cutting deck as well as the belt in the deck. Those belts died when the belt tensioner, in middle of the mower, came loose and dangled beneath the mower.
My questions are these:
- WTF?
- If the belts have pulled that much in the engine driveshaft, as to do this, what else would you look for before starting the mower again?
- Given that it's about 10°C outside, would you run the mower without a fully functioning fan?
- Have I missed something? Any wisdom you wish to impart?
I don't think the hub of the fan was pulled over to make those grazes, I think it's more likely those happened when blades broke off or something went into the fan and was dragged over the transmission case.
As for running without, that fan is partly there for direct cooling, partly to keep grass clippings from collecting on top. Even in cooler temps, a blanket of clippings could make it get hotter than it should be.
This is the right answer. The fan should be easy enough to fix since it’s held in with a clip, and a quick search for that fan shows they’re less than $20 in the US.
In addition to getting hotter than it should be, the grass could catch on fire and make for a very bad day.
If you can, I recommend waiting until you can replace the fan. Maybe this fits?:
https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-Fan-black-1a646083070-Replaces-414415-583350101/dp/B00TD59K9K/
Have you discovered why the tensioner failed?
If you haven't already, considered getting new belts.
If you can, I recommend waiting until you can replace the fan. Maybe this fits?:
https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-Fan-black-1a646083070-Replaces-414415-583350101/dp/B00TD59K9K/
Thanks, I've already found a local source though. I'm in Denmark and much of the stuff on Amazon doesn't ship here. It does look exactly like the one I need. The part number in my manual is 5069868-01
Have you discovered why the tensioner failed?
My theory is that I attempted to cut too much too fast. Normally I'll just rip belt #2 in the picture below. This time shaft #14 came loose from bolt #15 so the entire assembly dangled below the mower. The tensioner pulley #25 may have gotten stuck, because it was demolished in the process.
If you haven't already, considered getting new belts.
Oh, I have. I replaced belt #3, as well as pulley #25 and the belt in the cutting deck. Belt #3 and the cutting deck belt was ripped, while I belt #2 seems ok. I did order a replacement for #2 though. Just kinda annoyed that I didn't notice the fan issue earlier, because I was really planning on giving the garden an autumn mowing this weekend.
When your finally able to start the mower please update this thread! I have to know.
I was able to get it to run. There, updated :)
I'll elaborate.
What I ended up doing was:
- I replaced the fan, only to find that the battery was dead.
- Yelled at a tree
- Rejuvenate the battery by popping the caps off this "service free" sealed lead acid battery, and filling it back up with water from the clothes dryer (because why by demineralized water, especially when all the shops are closed)
- Repair the caps because some broke during their removal.
- Charge the battery
As you can see, that list took a fair bit of time. Could have been done faster by not repeating #2 so much. But in the end the mower works, and there's no indication of further defects in relation to the fan.
It will reduce the lifespan but not kill the transmission to run it without the fan- especially because you said it's 10C.
As you can see the fan is held on with a clip and easy to replace- unlike my zero turn.
Time for a new lawnmower
You sound like the mrs... But a new, comparable, mower is about 5000€ and I have a too close and personal relationship with my money to part with that much money for when a 25€ part might do the trick.