Expert Advice. Push lawn mower engine

Lawn Mower Engine Overheating

Your lawn mower works hard in the summer heat to keep your lawn beautiful. The combination of heat and long hours of operation can put thermal stress on your lawn mower engine, but your machine should be able to keep hot temperatures under control. Under certain circumstances, there are a few issues that can cause lawn mower engine overheating.

A lawn mower engine overheating can lead components to expand, seize up, and combust. Read more to see what can cause your lawn mower engine to overheat, and how to resolve the issue.

Dirty lawn mower engine

One of the main causes of a lawn mower engine overheating is a dirty engine. Dirt and debris may get into the vents, blocking the air intake. This means the cool air cannot get to the engine to cool it.

The solution: Remove the mower casing and clean the dirt and debris caught inside. Use compressed air or a soft brush to knock debris loose. Avoid using a pressure washer because this can push water into the lawn mower engine and contaminate the fuel and oil.

Low oil level

Always check the oil level before starting your lawn mower. Another major cause of a lawn mower engine overheating is a low oil level. A low oil level is the result of lubricant not circulating through the enough. This means internal friction that generates heat is not being reduced. Friction causes heat and too much friction will lead to overheating.

The solution: Check the oil level before you start the machine and add oil if necessary. If your lawn mower is already in use, allow the lawn mower engine to cool down and then add oil. Refer to your owners manual for the correct amount of oil to add.

Damaged cooling fins or shroud

The cooling fins and shroud work to disperse heat and move it away from the lawn mower engine and into the airstream. Broken cooling fins don’t properly direct the heat away, which increases the risk of overheating.

To keep cool air around the cooling fins, the flywheel has fins that act as a radial fan. When the lawn mower engine is running, these fans bring air in from the shroud and push it around the engine to remove heat. If anything gathers on top of the shroud it can cause airflow problems.

The solution: Once this issue has been found, replace these parts to avoid overheating the lawn mower engine. Fixing this issue will also save your engine from needing a rebuild.

Fuel-air mixture

Fuel plays a role in cooling as well. It absorbs heat from the combustion chamber and keeps combustion heat at a sufficient level. If your lawn mower engine runs lean, temperatures can increase and lead to overheating.

The solution: A lean mix is commonly caused by a dirty air filter so make sure the one in your lawn mower is clean. Also, consult your owner’s manual and adjust the carburetor for a mix that is heavier on fuel.

Keep an eye on signs or overheating. As you know, this can lead to lawn mower engine failure and expensive repairs. If your lawn mower is in need of repairs or maintenance feel free to bring it to our service experts.

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Weingartz, family owned and operated, began in 1945 as a farm supply store for local Michigan families. In the 1970s, we began to FOCUS exclusively on outdoor power equipment. Over time, we morphed into the “power equipment superstore” that now defines all of our locations. The staff and experts at Weingartz work diligently to provide the best service possible and give honest and helpful advice to each and every customer.

Weingartz also sells parts for all outdoor power equipment at https://weingartz.com/parts-lookup.

Weingartz46061 Van Dyke Ave. Utica, Mi 48317(586) 731-7240[email protected]

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Lawn Mower Oil Type

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The Down ‘n Dirty on Oil For Your Push Lawn Mower

Your mower puts in long hours in one of the dirtiest, dustiest environments imaginable. And like any other internal combustion engine, it relies on engine oil in the crankcase to keep everything lubricated.

While it’s easy to forget about the oil that’s in your mower, it’s not a good idea. All of its dirt and contaminants can cause a buildup of sludge and carbon on bearings and other parts and will wear down your engine. You don’t neglect oil changes in your car for that very reason; why do so in your mower?

What’s the Best Motor Oil For Your Mower?

The good news is, you don’t need a special oil for your lawn mover—ordinary automotive engine oil will do. (NOTE: This does not apply to weed-whackers or other lawn care equipment that use a two-cycle engine and needs an oil/gas mixture. They should only be used with a specially-formulated two-cycle oil.)

For most applications, straight 30W or a multi-grade engine oil such as 10W-30 will work just fine. If you are in an extremely cold area, you might consider a thinner viscosity multi-grade motor oil such as 5W-30. A thinner oil can circulate through the engine more quickly in cold weather, whereas thicker oil might become more viscous in extreme cold.

Just make sure the oil you choose is of good quality with an SF, SG, SH, or SJ rating and that it’s a detergent engine oil. There’s no need to use any kind of additives—straight oil will be fine.

Can I Use Synthetic Oil In a Mower Engine?

The answer to that one is an unequivocal yes. A small engine can get all the same benefits from synthetic oil as an automotive engine.

Synthetic oil is more stable across a wide range of temperatures and won’t thin out in extreme heat or thicken in cold weather like conventional oil. It also offers better engine protection all the way around and can go for longer intervals between oil changes.

Still, considering how dirty a mower’s working environment is, it’s a good idea to change the oil at the beginning of the season even if it’s a synthetic.

Changing the Oil in Your Lawn Mower

This is going to be a pretty simple task, since lawn mowers generally don’t have oil filters nor a drain plug. Start the mower and let the engine run for about 60 seconds to circulate any sludge and dirt that might be in the oil (rather than leaving it in the bottom of the crankcase). Tip the mower over on its side and remove the filler plug and dipstick.

Let the oil run out until the crankcase is empty, then refill. Be sure to drain it into an oil-safe drain pan, and don’t let any used oil drain onto the ground. Dispose of the old oil properly.

Most one-cylinder mower engines will require about a quart of oil. Check the oil level with the dipstick, and you’re ready to go with a crankcase full of the correct oil for your mower.

Mower Hard To Start When Hot – Mechanics causes fixes checklist

Stop to empty the grass bag, and the mower won’t restart? You’re not on your own, I had this exact problem with a Briggs engine, and the cause of the problem surprised me.

So what’s wrong with a mower that’s hard to start when hot? Hard hot starting mower issue is most likely caused by a failing coil, but there are other possibilities:

Now let’s take a look at all the simple stuff first before we go deeper.

This post covers the complete diagnosis and repair process. If, however, you need video help, check out “Mower won’t start video”. It walks you through the complete process, from diagnosing no-start issues (including hot start issues) to repair.

Check The Oil Level

OK, I know this sounds like it’s not relevant, but some mowers won’t allow the engine to start/restart if the oil level is low – it’s designed that way, helps protect the engine from a critically low oil level.

The oil should be checked regularly every time you fill the gas. Most mowers will take from empty.6 lt. of 5w30 or 10w30. Mowers don’t like to be overfull either, so add just a little at a time. If in doubt, Check out “Lawn mower oil level check”.

Check The Spark Plug

Plugs come in a variety of lengths and heat ranges. If the wrong plug is fitted to your mower, it can cause issues, including hot start failures. It’s a good idea to check the correct plug code with your engine maker.

How a Briggs & Stratton Engine Works — A Look Inside an Engine Cutaway

It’s always worth having a spare plug; it allows you to troubleshoot quickly by replacing the plug with a known good one. Sometimes simply changing the plug will fix the problem, and you only invest a couple of minutes. Check out “Spark test video”.

Spark

A spark plug is the most likely cause of a hot starting problem and is the easiest problem to solve. A new spark plug should be fitted at the start of every season.

Professional Petrol Cylinder Lawn Mower. Operator Instructions

What Is A Coil?

A coil is a solid-state unit that is dedicated to producing a voltage at every revolution of the engine. It works hard and is exposed to high temperatures; it lives right above the cylinder head next to the flywheel.

Coils are made from copper wire and wound around a metal core, known as a winding. Most coils will have two independent winding – primary and secondary.

How a Coil Works

The flywheel on the top of the crankshaft has a magnet attached, and every time it passes the coil, it creates a voltage in the windings. A transistor built into the coil controls the spark by opening and closing the circuit.

The high voltage travels along the plug wire, searching for ground. The spark plug provides an almost perfect path to the ground, and so the positive voltage is made the jump from the plug electrode to the ground; this is where the spark occurs.

The process takes milliseconds to unfold and is repeated every revolution for as long as the engine is running.

Coil Control

A mower engine is shut down by stopping the voltage from reaching the plug; this is done by offering the coil voltage a shorter, easier path to the ground. So when you release the bail lever, you’re offering the voltage a perfect path to the ground, and since it loves a shortcut, the engine shuts off.

If the coil control wire is chafing off a ground source, the engine will not run or run intermittently.

The coil is a non-serviceable item. Examine the plug cap for arcing and the coil wire for chafing. If damaged, it will cause an intermittent no start. Higher temperatures create higher resistance to the flow of voltage; that’s why coils usually fail when the mowers are hot and start working again when the engine cools.

The enemy of electrical systems is moisture, so a mower should always be kept indoors in a ventilated area.

The Coil Plug Test

In the following guide, we will test the spark plug, coil wire, plug wire cap, bail lever, and the stop/start switch. You won’t be surprised to know that there is a special plug spark tool called an in-line spark testing tool.

Check out the “Small engine tools page” to see the spark plug tester I use. It’s simple to use and gets the job done.

The tool loads up the coil, wire, cap, and plug, and so is a preferred way to test for spark. Anyway, we’ll do it MacGyver style.

Spark Check

Tools – For this test, you will need a new plug, plug spanner, insulated pliers, and a kind helper.

1 Remove – Hold the plug against the metal of the engine (Ground) using the insulated pliers, be sure to ground it well as poor grounding will lead to misdiagnosis.

2 Replace – Replace the plug with a test plug and check for spark again.

3 Pull – The helper now attempts to start the mower while you watch the plug spark.

Coil

4 Cap – If you have no spark or it’s poor, you may have a faulty: Spark plug wire; Plug cap: Bail lever cable: Short circuit of coil control wire: Coil damage.

If your spark is good and the problem still persists, then check out “carburetor cleaning”.

5 Wire – Plug wire damage can be caused by old age, mice, or chafing of the mower body.

If all looks OK, move on and check the bail lever and switch.

Bail Lever

6 Bail – Check that the bail lever cable is tight. If not, adjust it. Most models will have an adjuster at the handlebars or at the engine. If the bail lever isn’t pulling all the way, the mower won’t start.

7 Switch – The bail lever is connected to the engine brake, which usually incorporates a simple on-off switch. When the lever is released, a brake block pushes against the flywheel, slowing the engine down; at the same time, the simple ground on-off coil control switch is operated.

Check that the cable is operating the assembly.

Replace Coil

8 Coil – If all checked out okay, then remove the pull start assembly, and replace the coil. It’s not uncommon for them to fail, I replace lots, and the good news is – they’re easy to fit!

9 Remove – Remove these two bolts and remove push on wire connector. Coils are specific to each model, so check your engine type code before ordering.

10 Wire – On the underside of the coil, there is a single push on the wire connector; this is the coil control wire, usually on the underside of the coil.

Coil – Ordering a coil online is easy, but you will need your engine number or look for a part number. Although all coils look the same, they’re not. Check out the Amazon link below for common coil types.

11 Wire – Place a business card between the flywheel and coil. This creates just the right air gap. Push the coil snug against the business card and tighten the two bolts.

Fit push on wire connector. Reassemble don’t forget to remove the business card.

Engine May Be Overheating

This can cause serious damage; common reasons for an overheating mower: engine running lean; using the wrong plug or fuel type; air cooling fins obstructed.

Running Lean

A lean running engine is lacking fuel or getting too much air – the air/fuel ratio is off. The extra air could be from a carburetor fault or a vacuum leak somewhere in the engine.

Ethanol Gas

Small engine manufacturers recommend regular gas or e10 ethanol. E15 and e85 burn hotter and will damage the engine; worst of all, it voids your warranty.

Air Cooled

Small lawn mower engines are engineered with clever cooling fins that help cool the engine by having a larger surface area exposed to the atmosphere. These fins get packed with old dry grass, which, if not cleaned, starts to act as insulation, causing the mower to overheat. The solution is simple enough, remove the plastic engine covers and clear the grass with compressed air.

Low Oil Level

Oil is used to cool as well as lubricate. When the oil level is low, it will cause engine temps to rise. Engine components like coils and plugs will fail when they get too hot.

Is It A Mechanical Fault?

Total failure is rare, but it does happen; problems often only show up then. Coincidence? No, metal expands as it heats, problems such intake manifold cracks/gaskets, cylinder head gaskets tend to leak when the engine is up to temperature, bearings and valve train uglies are at their worst then too.

Cylinder head and intake gaskets are not expensive or challenging to replace, but anything deeper in the engine may not be economically viable to repair. Often a whole engine is cheaper, faster, and, as Spock would say, “the logical choice.”

A compression test will rule a mechanical fault in or out. You’ll need a compression test gauge; you’ll find all these tools on the “Small engine tools page”.

Is It Getting Fuel?

Most mowers will typically have a lever to control the choke; more recent engines from Briggs Stratton and Honda offer a thermostatically controlled automatic choke system. It’s a simple setup.

A thermostat positioned beside the muffler pushes open the choke plate progressively as the engine heats. The system is a great idea, no doubt; no more fiddling around with choke levers or priming bulbs.

Some of the BS auto choke carburetors tend to supply too much fuel to the cylinder when hot starting; this floods the spark plug, causing a no start. They have since modified the carburetor. So if you have an auto choke, Briggs, with the hot start problem, go ahead and swap out the carburetor.

In the guide below, we will check that the choke is working correctly. The test will apply to both auto and manual choke systems but not to the priming bulb-type carburetor.

AFR

Gas engines run best when the ratio of air to fuel is 14.7 to 1. Meaning 14.7 parts air to 1 part fuel, also known as an air-fuel ratio (AFR). Using the choke or priming bulb enriches the fuel mixture, which counteracts the lean condition caused by the dense cold air on a cold start.

Auto Choke

Most mowers will typically have a lever to control the choke; more recent engines from Briggs Stratton and Honda offer a thermostatically controlled automatic choke system. It’s a simple setup.

A thermostat positioned beside the muffler pushes open the choke plate progressively as the engine heats. The system is a great idea, no doubt; no more fiddling around with choke levers or priming bulbs.

Choke

Some automatic choke systems are prone to over-fueling when hot starting. If your mower has a priming bulb, this test does not apply. An engine fitted with a priming bulb-type choke that’s hard to start hot and is smoky – will likely need the carburetor cleaned or replaced.

12 Choke Off – When the throttle is set to run – the choke plate should be open.

Often a choke plate may be partly closed even though the throttle lever is set to run – adjusted cable. Your mower may not have a choke lever; you may have an auto choke; this test will still apply.

Check the choke plate when hot; it should be open. If not, check for binding in the linkages / failed thermostat.

13 Choke On – The choke plate is closed (on position). This is the correct position for starting a cold engine.

Check that the choke closes fully when the choke is lever-operated; if not, adjust the cable. If you have the auto choke system – the choke plate should be in the closed position as per the picture when the engine is cold.

If not, check for binding or fault with the thermostat choke control unit – fitted against the muffler.

Replace Carburetor – It’s also quite common for carburetors to fail, causing either too much or too little fuel. Cleaning the carburetor is always a good plan, and if this doesn’t help, replace it.

Replacement Briggs Stratton carburetors are inexpensive and easy to fit.

Check out the Amazon common carburetors link below.

Related Questions

How do you fix a mower that overheats? Remove the engine cover, and using a hand brush or compressed air, remove the dry grass clippings from the engine cooling fins. Check also that you’re using the correct gas; regular gas is best for small engines, e10 is OK, but e15 or e85 will cause the engine to overheat.

Lawnmower won’t start oil on a spark plug? The most common reason for oil on a mower spark plug is too much oil in the engine, but there are other possible causes:

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

The Lawn Mower Buyer’s Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Buy the Right Type of Lawn Mower

Not all yards are the same, and not all mowers are either.

By Roy Berendsohn Published: May 5, 2022

Nothing kills the joy of a sunny day like the wrong type of lawn mower. Fortunately, the opposite is also true. The right type of lawn mower can make cutting your lawn a pleasure.

If you know you need a new lawn mower, but aren’t sure how much mower you need or what features you might want, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Use this guide to select the right machine, and happy mowing.

Step 1: Walk or Ride?

The first step is the choice between two basic types of lawn mowers: riding mower and a walk-behind. Any more ground to cover than a 1/4 acre, you’ll want to ride if for no other reason than to get the lawn done faster.

First, make an approximation of your mowing surface. Simply walk off large rectangles. counting your steps as you go. Add up the areas of the rectangles. No need to get too precise here. An average man’s stride is about 30 inches and a woman’s stride is about 26 inches, or measure your own stride for the most accurate measurement.

An acre is 43,560 square feet, so one-fourth acre is 10,890 square feet. Anything above that threshold, and you’ll likely want to get a riding mower. In fact, the vast majority of people wouldn’t dream of cutting a ¼ acre of grass with a 22-inch walk mower, but we have to start somewhere. So think realistically about how much time you have to mow your lawn on a busy weekend and select your equipment accordingly.

For lawns from ¼ of an acre to 2 acres. you’ll most likely be most comfortable with a rear-engine riding mowers, light-duty lawn tractors, and residential-duty zero-turn mowers. Anything more than two acres and you’ll want a commercial-duty zero turn mower.

Step 2: Selecting Your Features

Once you’ve selected whether you ride or walk, there are two factors that will drive your purchase—your budget and your comfort. The more you spend on a mower, the more durable, versatile, intuitive, and probably, the quicker you’ll get the job done. The opposite is also true.

It doesn’t make as much difference with a small, simple yard. But the larger and more complex the yard, the more thought you need to give to selecting mower features.

Walk Mowers

We’ll begin with walk mowers. one of the most versatile cutting machines out there.

Walk mowers are somewhat like cars in that they are available with a wide range of options, all of which increase cost and complexity. Look carefully at the product’s hang tag and talk to the sales staff to get a better sense of whether the features are useful to you.

Let’s break down all the major components and what lawnmowers use them:

Drive

Look it at this way: You can push a mower, or the mower can push itself, in which case it’s either a front-drive or a rear-drive mower (we’ll get to all-wheel drive in a moment). A self-propelled mower makes your life a lot easier when mowing hills, or when you mow and bag. There’s nothing like pushing a fully loaded mower uphill to make you appreciate a self-propelled machine.

The Lawn and the Short of it

Front-wheel drive is best for level ground with a lot of obstacles. This allows you to push down on the handle, reducing traction on the front wheels and pivot into and out of corners.

Rear-wheel drive works best for for uphill mowing and sidehill mowing. Rear wheel drive works better here because when you push down on the handle going up a hill, the front tires will not lose traction.

Yes, a handful of mowers are all-wheel drive. built for homeowners who cut across washboard surfaces, sidehill mowing, steep uphill and downhill mowing that makes good of AWD. We were dubious when these mowers were introduced several years ago, but when we cut some very rough ground, we were surprised at how much easier AWD made things.

Functions

In this section, we’re talking about what the machines actually does with the grass. Mowers can mulch clippings (repeatedly cut and recut them), discharge them to the side or rear, or bag them.

Two-function is a mower that mulches and bags. Mulching is healthier for the lawn in that it returns nitrogen-rich grass clippings into the ground, but it doesn’t work particularly well for tall-grass conditions in the spring and early summer or early fall when the lawn bounces back from summer stress.

A three-function machine bags, mulches, and side discharges. Side discharging is useful for utility mowing (mowing areas with tall weeds and non-turf grasses). It also helps if the lawn gets away from you and you need to set the mower deck to its full height and take the grass down in stages.

Common Features

We’ve barely scratched the surface of mower features. These are the more common things you’ll find on your average mower’s spec list:

Deck levers come in groupings of one, two, or four. One lever is the most convenient, but it comes with a lot of linkage that adds weight and that you have to keep lubricated if you want it to work well. Two levers are a good compromise between one and four levers. Yes, these mowers have a bit more linkage than a four-lever mower, but it’s easier to get the height right. Four levers is the standard, time-tested design.

The only way to get a sense of whether you’ll like the ground speed control is to actually get your hands on a mower at a dealership, hardware store, or home center.

The control may be integral with the handle. The harder you press forward on the drive control in the handle, the faster the mower goes. Or it may be a separate lever or even a bail (a metal rod). Squeeze the lever to increase ground speed or to activate the mower’s drive system for fixed-speed mowers.

Self-propelled mowers are equipped with three types of transmissions. Hydrostatic is the most expensive and the smoothest operating. It drives hydraulic fluid past an impeller that spins an output shaft, which controls ground speed. This is your smoothest running and most reliable transmission, but it’s also the most expensive.

The typical front or rear drive walk mower uses some form of belt-and-pulley arrangement to direct power from the engine’s output shaft to a gear box on a front or rear axle (or a gear at the wheel). There are several variations of this design, but all work well and are reasonably easy to maintain and repair.

Make Your Lawn Last

Gas engines sizes run from 140 cc to 190 cc. Larger engines produce more torque and are less likely to stall in tall grass at the beginning and end of the cutting season. A larger engine also helps drive self-propelled mowers more effectively uphill.

From least-expensive to most-expensive, mower engines may be traditional side valve design, overhead valve, or overhead cam. expensive engines provide increased durability, reduced noise, and less oil consumption.

The rear wheel size of a walk mower may be larger than the diameter of the front wheels. The wheels’ increased diameter helps it more easily navigate ruts and rough ground.

Ball bearing wheels are easier to push than those with bushing-type wheels. The larger your yard, the more difficult its terrain, or if you’re hauling around a bag of clippings or clippings mixed with mulched leaves, the more you want this option.

A blade-brake clutch is a feature found on high-end walk mowers. It allows you to completely release the operator control handle without stopping the engine. That way, you can pause your mowing, move whatever obstacle out of your way and continue mowing without having to restart the engine.

Unusual Features

A range of unusual features have been introduced in the last several years to make mowing easier or the whole mowing experience better.

Some engines require no oil change. like the small gas engines made by Briggs Stratton. The feature is known as “Just Check and Add.” You just add oil periodically to replace the small amount of oil that’s slowly vaporized in the combustion process.

Need a Recommendation?

Toro’s innovations have created mowers that have power-assisted reverse and a vertical-storage design that lets you fold the handle down, tip the mower back, and store it vertically against the wall.

Front caster wheels are great for elaborately-landscaped yards that require a lot of pivoting. Front caster wheels don’t track particularly well on bumpy ground or mowing sidehills. Mowox mowers have replaced dual front casters with a single front caster wheel, perhaps the most maneuverable form of mower you can get. But Cub Cadet has been among the mower manufacturers that pioneered the use of front caster wheels.

Wash-out fittings enable you to hook up a garden hose to wash accumulated grass clippings from under the deck. A clean deck lasts longer because accumulated grass holds moisture and lawn chemical residue, which causes deck corrosion. Our tests show that these fittings do help considerably, but that you still need some under-deck scraping with a putty knife.

Wide-cut mowers with decks that range from 28 to 33 inches are a fast cutting alternative to a 22-inch mower. These are still comparatively rare products made by Cub Cadet, Toro, Troy-Bilt, and Craftsman.

Finally, electric walk mowers are a perfect fit if you have a small yard (under 5,000 square feet of mowing surface) and one that’s quite manicured. However, there are three important things to keep in mind:

• Cordless electric mowers tend to have smaller decks (19 and 20-inch sizes are the most common, though a few have 21-inch decks). That means it takes you longer to mow.
• They tend to be less powerful than their gas engine counterparts. They can struggle with tall grass, wet grass, and thick grass with leaves. For intermediate mowing conditions, cordless mowers do just fine.
• The larger the lawn, the more batteries you need. Manufacturers make recommendations about run time, but that’s very difficult to do accurately. It varies widely depending on your mowing habits and the height or thickness of the grass. We recommend you buy extra batteries so that you’re not compelled to rush the cut.

Related Story

Ride Mowers

If you can afford it, a riding mower is the way to go. Don’t get us wrong, we love walk mowers (goodness knows, we’ve used enough of them over the years here). But for speed and efficiency, there’s simply no comparison with a riding mower when you’re talking a large lawn.

When looking at riding mowers, you’ll likely come across three versions—lawn tractor, rear-engine riding mower, and a zero-turn mower. Let’s break them done one by one:

Lawn Tractor

Many people start out with a lawn tractor. With a steering wheel and a front-mounted engine, these look and feel familiar. Engine size range from 18-25 HP and most come with a single cylinder with step-up models having a V twin. Some fancier models also feature engines with electronic fuel injection.

When it comes to transmissions, less expensive models tend to be lever-operated gear transmissions. But a step-up from there comes pedal hydrostatic or continuously variable transmission (CVT) operated by a shift-on-the-go hand lever. The CVT is an automatic transmission powered by pulley drive to a sealed and lubricated gear case. You know you’re spending serious money if you’re considering a more expensive tractor with a heavy-duty foot pedal hydrostatic transmission.

Finally, how much can it cut? Well, much more than a push mower. Deck widths range from 42 inches to 54 inches. To know what size you need, divide the mower deck size by 12 to get an approximation of the acreage the mower can handle. So residential-duty a mower with a 54-inch deck can mow up to 4.5 acres. That’s a lot of grass and would result in significant wear and tear on a residential-grade mower in the course of the season. Still, it could do it.

These kind of mowers range anywhere from 1,300 to 3,000.

Rear-Engine Riding Mower

Many people with larger lawns too big for a walk mower but too small for a tractor or a zero turn should go with a rear-engine riding mower. The specifications below apply to deck under the operator’s position and not rear-engine residential/commercial mowers with the deck in front of the operator.

Need a Recommendation?

Most rear-engine mowers a single-cylinder engine ranging in size from 344 to 38 cc, estimated at 10 to 11 HP. The transmission is usually a CVT operated by a shift-on-the-go hand lever. Snapper’s famous rear-engine riding mower uses the company’s time-tested disc drive transmission, but a few rear-engine riders are offered with a hydrostatic transmission.

Deck sizes stretch anywhere from 30 to 33 inches, and operators use a manual hand lever for deck adjustment and deck engagement. That small cutting size also means a smaller price tag, ranging from 1,200 to 2,400.

Zero-Turn Mowers

In the last twenty years or so, zero-turn mowers have proved their worth to homeowners and landscape contractors alike. Their design enables forward speed and steering by means of dual hydrostatic transmissions at the rear wheels, each of which is controlled by a lap bar in front of the seat.

A pulley off the engine spins the impellers on the dual hydrostatic transmissions that power the rear wheels. When you move one of the lap bars farther forward than its neighbor, it acts as a throttle, allowing more hydraulic fluid to flow to the transmission at that wheel. This causes wheel to turn more rapidly than the opposite wheel, allowing you turn corners or pivot.

Power Up

Engine size can range from 452 cc up to 700 or more, with power estimated from 12 HP to 25 HP. This is powered by either a single cylinder or commercial-duty V twin, and transmissions are either hydrostatic or commercial-duty hydrostatic.

With deck sizes ranging from 32 inches to 60 inches, these mowers cut the most grass in the least amount of time. The decks are either stamped or heavy-duty fabricated, deck adjustment uses a manual hand lever or foot pedal, and deck engagement uses a manual hand lever or an electric PTO

All that grass-cutting power comes with a price, usually ranging between 1,200 to 6,000.

Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.