Carolinatlc
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2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
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I recently bought a used John Deere Commercial mower off facebook marketplace for a good deal. It's in great shape with low hours and has run great with no real issues since purchase. Last weekend I got home late and decided to cut grass quickly before dark. Mower was almost empty so I added what I thought was regular ethanol free gas. After cutting my front yard and the widow lady across the street, I shut the mower off and it backfired loudly. Come to find out my son had filled the container with 93 octane for one of his Polaris RZR turbos. I didn't think it was a big deal but went ahead and siphoned the gas and filled with ethanol free the next day and cut the backyard.
When I was finished and parked it, I could smell burning oil. After looking around, there was oil coating the outside engine and on the mower frame. I checked the oil level and it was a little low. I went ahead and degreased it and washed it down to help check for leaks.
Today I used it to cut grass again. Mower still runs great. I added a little oil before cutting. I stopped halfway to check oil level and could see oil was leaking. Went ahead and finished up cutting grass and parked it to cool down. I'm guessing it leaked 1/4 quart of oil in the hour or so of mowing. Oil is everywhere so at this point I'm thinking crankshaft seal and the air cooled fan is blower it all over the engine. I pulled covers and degreased everything again tonight.
Any ideas what happened or where to start diagnosing the oil leak? I called the local small engine shop who is also a Kawasaki dealer and they said it would be 6-8 weeks before they could repair it. Anyone around Charlotte that can repair a Kawasaki engine sooner?
Current plan is to run it checking oil regularly until later in the summer when hopefully the shop slows down some.
When I was finished and parked it, I could smell burning oil. After looking around, there was oil coating the outside engine and on the mower frame. I checked the oil level and it was a little low. I went ahead and degreased it and washed it down to help check for leaks.
Today I used it to cut grass again. Mower still runs great. I added a little oil before cutting. I stopped halfway to check oil level and could see oil was leaking. Went ahead and finished up cutting grass and parked it to cool down. I'm guessing it leaked 1/4 quart of oil in the hour or so of mowing. Oil is everywhere so at this point I'm thinking crankshaft seal and the air cooled fan is blower it all over the engine. I pulled covers and degreased everything again tonight.
Any ideas what happened or where to start diagnosing the oil leak? I called the local small engine shop who is also a Kawasaki dealer and they said it would be 6-8 weeks before they could repair it. Anyone around Charlotte that can repair a Kawasaki engine sooner?
Current plan is to run it checking oil regularly until later in the summer when hopefully the shop slows down some.