John Deere LA165 Riding Mower

[mml373]

Subject mower was running fine till recently. Now it is making a lot of relatively quiet popping sounds. NOT backfires. No perceived loss of power. Air filter is clean, spark plugs are new and should be gapped properly (I'll check tomorrow). Water in fuel is the only thing I can think of but wanted to ask to see if anyone here may know differently.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Is the engine Briggs & Stratton, or Kohler?
Do you burn non-ethanol gas, or E-87?

 

[mml373]

Good old Briggs & Stratton. It's running 87 octane but everything here I think is 10% non-ethanol except for high-test non-ethanol stuff (higher octane rating than the B&S is designed for).

 

[Supervisor42]

Subject mower was running fine till recently. Now it is making a lot of relatively quiet popping sounds. NOT backfires. No perceived loss of power. Air filter is clean, spark plugs are new and should be gapped properly (I'll check tomorrow). Water in fuel is the only thing I can think of but wanted to ask to see if anyone here may know differently.

If it gets worse as the engine warms up...
Check valve lash (gap between rocker arm and valve when it's closed).

 

[mml373]

If it gets worse as the engine warms up...
Check valve lash (gap between rocker arm and valve when it's closed).

Thank you. I was afraid that would come up...I'm a newbie to that stuff...it'd be a trip back to the shop and days without a mower to isolate if I had to send it back. How can a newbie to small engine stuff do this, himself?

 

[Supervisor42]

Thank you. I was afraid that would come up...I'm a newbie to that stuff...it'd be a trip back to the shop and days without a mower to isolate if I had to send it back. How can a newbie to small engine stuff do this, himself?

If you can remove the screws on the valve covers and can get a 'feeler-gauge', it's easy.
The gaskets on the covers should be reusable and bolt right back on.

 

[mml373]

If you can remove the screws on the valve covers and can get a 'feeler-gauge', it's easy.
The gaskets on the covers should be reusable and bolt right back on.

Thank you. I'll find one and try this.

 

[Supervisor42]

Thank you. I'll find one and try this.

Over simplified: You put your finger over the sparkplug hole and turn the flywheel manually clockwise until you feel pressure, then measure the gap between the rockers and valves on that cylinder. Repeat for the other cylinder.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I use only non-ethanol premium fuel in all of my small engines. I keep 300 gallons on hand here.

 

[Bacpacker]

Same here 100% gas only in small engines. And I rotate that out yearly and treat with StaBil when purchased

 

[Pearl]

Over simplified: You put your finger over the sparkplug hole and turn the flywheel manually clockwise until you feel pressure, then measure the gap between the rockers and valves on that cylinder. Repeat for the other cylinder.

Thank you SuperV, we buy JDs All the time, CHEAP!! Mowers are easy fun!

 

[Cabin Fever]

You may have water in the fuel tank especially if this is the gasoline that was stored in the mower all winter long. I would add some HEET to the fuel to see if that makes a difference.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Good old Briggs & Stratton. It's running 87 octane but everything here I think is 10% non-ethanol except for high-test non-ethanol stuff (higher octane rating than the B&S is designed for).

I have re-habbed quite a few mowers over the years.
The very first thing I would inspect is the carburetor float bowl for the red gunk E-87 gas leaves. It could be affecting your carb’s main jet.
Look on the side of the carb and if it’s a Nikki (embossed in good size letters on the side) don’t mess with the float bowl - the gasket is a PITA and you’ll end up having to remove the carb and put new gaskets in it.
If it’s a Walbro you can take the float bowl off no problem and squirt everything you see down good with spray carb and choke cleaner. All up inside, everything.

At the minimum, and especially if it’s a Nikki, put Sea Foam and fuel injector cleaner in your fuel. You should be doing that along with Stabil every time you fill your can at the station anyway.

 

[backlash]

If you have never adjusted valves get someone to help. It's easy but the first time can get confusing.
Dump the gas out of the carb then try running it.
Always start with the way stuff and work your way up.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

In 50 years of tinkering with Briggs & Stratton I’ve never had to adjust valves.
Start simple, like Backlash said.
Start with fuel related issues.
Clean the float bowl, put in a new fuel filter, use fresh gas. 87 octane E-10 starts going bad in 30 days.

 

[Pearl]

In 50 years of tinkering with Briggs & Stratton I’ve never had to adjust valves.
Start simple, like Backlash said.
Start with fuel related issues.
Clean the float bowl, put in a new fuel filter, use fresh gas. 87 octane E-10 starts going bad in 30 days.

And make sure the magneto is free of rust and gapped properly!!

 

[mml373]

Thanks everyone! I will proceed with the simple things, first, and will see what happens. I think SeaFoam/HEET and fresh ethanol-free gasoline are easy initial steps to try, beyond doublechecking spark plug gap (just installed new plugs not long ago and gapped them and things ran fine till lately). My suspicion is old gas in the tank that set through the winter, even though fresh gas was added more recently and things were "fine" the first week or two of use.

 

[Pearl]

Updates and don't take it to the dealership!!

 

[Tirediron]

If premium pure gas is all you can get it is fine to run higher octane, it might run tiny bit better even, and will run a bit cooler, the higher the octane the smother the burn, but if it is over head valve, you should check the lash as supervisor said. the other method of finding lash set point is to rotate the engine until the exhaust valve is just closing, at this point, the intake should start to move. mark the flywheel and a reference point, rotate the flywheel exactly 1 full turn, check the lash watch for tight exhaust lash. repeat with different marks for the other cylinder. make sure you get a little dirty grease or oil on your cheek or forehead, so people know you been wrenching, put everything back together and bask your new skill.

 

[Supervisor42]

If premium pure gas is all you can get it is fine to run higher octane, it might run tiny bit better even, and will run a bit cooler, the higher the octane the smother the burn, but if it is over head valve, you should check the lash as supervisor said. the other method of finding lash set point is to rotate the engine until the exhaust valve is just closing, at this point, the intake should start to move. mark the flywheel and a reference point, rotate the flywheel exactly 1 full turn, check the lash watch for tight exhaust lash. repeat with different marks for the other cylinder.

That is a more accurate method..... if he knows which valve is which.
Edit: that is the method I used to help Mr.Meerkat get his unmarked camshaft/timing-gear back in time on his Nissan and the valves adjusted.

 

[Tim Horton]

About 99.999% of my riding mower problems went away when I got a diesel powered small compact tractor with a mower deck.. Even a small JD10 series compact tractor will mow circles around a yard tractor, not be too big and every bit as maneuverable as a yard tractor.. Even with similar engine horse power the compact tractor will handle rough terrain, mowing conditions, and be faster than a lawn tractor.. Besides the compact tractor will have a limited or full range 3 point category 1 hitch to use with other implements.. For instance like a dethatching rake..

A compact diesel tractor will cost more up front, but last a lifetime..
My 5 cents of experience.. Good luck...

 

[Bacpacker]

About 99.999% of my riding mower problems went away when I got a diesel powered small compact tractor with a mower deck.. Even a small JD10 series compact tractor will mow circles around a yard tractor, not be too big and every bit as maneuverable as a yard tractor.. Even with similar engine horse power the compact tractor will handle rough terrain, mowing conditions, and be faster than a lawn tractor.. Besides the compact tractor will have a limited or full range 3 point category 1 hitch to use with other implements.. For instance like a dethatching rake..

A compact diesel tractor will cost more up front, but last a lifetime..
My 5 cents of experience.. Good luck...

100% agree. I went three riding mowers trying to keep up with our place in not too many years. Got a 17hp Kubota with a belly mower. Made life much easier, faster cut time. And nearly no breakdowns, and I caused what broke. Still running the original belt and blade on the dexk

 

[zoomzoom]

We're drifting the thread a bit if we're talking about spending money for something like a JD 1025 or similar sized Kubota. They're both $15-25,000+ tractors. Don't get me wrong, as I have a JD utility tractor as well and love it but it's not something I mow with (mine is too heavy). I personally use a ZTR. It's 20 years old and that beast will most likely outlive me.

 

[Bacpacker]

I thought about a zero. Butvi use mine as a tractor as well as mow. Plow garden drag logs, pull a trailer.

 

[Pearl]

I thought about a zero. Butvi use mine as a tractor as well as mow. Plow garden drag logs, pull a trailer.

And I can't hold a beer on a zero turn....not an option for me!!

 

[zoomzoom]

And I can't hold a beer on a zero turn....not an option for me!!

Au contraire.
I drive a Country Clipper Charger. It's a joystick control instead of the 2 arms out front. Beer in one hand, joystick in the other. The thing can also climb/mow hills I can barely walk up.

https://www.countryclipper.com/products/commercial/charger/

 

[Pearl]

Au contraire.
I drive a Country Clipper Charger. It's a joystick control instead of the 2 arms out front. Beer in one hand, joystick in the other. The thing can also climb/mow hills I can barely walk up.

https://www.countryclipper.com/products/commercial/charger/

WOW, I'm almost in love again!!

 

[Tim Horton]

Agree..... The ZTR mowers are fast, cut nice, they seem to cost at least double a lawn tractor, but also seem pretty much a ...one trick pony... Likely the best to have if all you do is mow or do commercial mowing..

Like said, for a while some manufacturers made ZTR mowers with a steering wheel or other one hand operation... This it was said so the red necks could wave to the neighbors as they drove past...

Again.. I had the compact tractors to do other things with other attachments as well as mowing.. Especially front end loader work both with the bucket and pallet forks.. The biggest job for me other than mowing seemed to be moving snow...

 

[rice paddy daddy]

If we had the money, we would have a 4WD compact tractor with a bucket and a mower.
But, when the deck on our Husqvarna rotted out and I was looking at used mowers I got a shock.
New ones go for over $2,000 and UP, good used ones go for around $850 in these parts.
Even $850 we could not afford. Our adjusted gross income every income tax period is markedly below the poverty level.

A friend had an old Craftsman 42” that I gave him $200 for. It runs and mows, and I know how to keep old stuff running.
The Husky will be used deck-less to pull a disc harrow, box blade, and my home made drag for leveling the horse paddock. Plus haul cut brush to the mulch pile out back in the wood lot.

God provides. Might not always be what I want, but He will give me the tools I need.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Au contraire.
I drive a Country Clipper Charger. It's a joystick control instead of the 2 arms out front. Beer in one hand, joystick in the other. The thing can also climb/mow hills I can barely walk up.

https://www.countryclipper.com/products/commercial/charger/

I made my own riding mower. It has a beer holder.