Sick John Deere riding mower (is it terminal?)

[JayW]

It is an LX172 with the 14HP OHV Kawasaki engine. My son was mowing and got stuck. He tried to ride it down a steep hill to escape and ended up smacking into a tree. The engine stalled, he thinks. When he restarted it he says there was "lots of white smoke" so he shut it down right away. When I got home we hauled it out with my truck and tried to start it again. The engine turned over (but did not fire) for a couple dozen revolutions then stopped with a sudden clank. Since then, the starter only manages to turn it a couple of revs, if at all, before it internally hangs up somehow.

 

So what happened? I am afraid the connecting rod broke.

 

This machine has endured hard year-round use for 14 years both mowing and hauling. I service it regularly. It ran fine before this incident. It introduced 3 of my children to the fine art of throttle/gear/clutch relationships. I have one more approaching teenagerhood who needs to learn too. I am not sure how to proceed with sorting this problem out.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Jay

[Hermes]

White smoke is usually unburned oil. In this case most likely your engine oil. I would guess the valve(s) got stuck/broken open and due to the tractors position after the crash, oil poured into the cylinder.

The fact that the engine turned over and created the smoke in the first place, makes a broken connection rod less likely.

 

I would take off the cylinder head before anything else and look at the valves. If you can turn the overhead cam somehow see if the valves open and close properly. Also check that you can crank the engine over by hand, e.g the piston(s) is moving nicely up and down without binding, if not, your problem is at the crank/rod/ crankbearing etc. Also, check the piston('s) top surface for punctures, (likely if valves got out of timing)!!

 

If all is well below, then my guess is, that the timing chain, driving the camshaft (which after 14 years of faithful service would have been rather sloppy)jumped a tooth or two (due to the impact).

If that's the case, look for the line-up marks on the crank and cam and reposition correctly, then tighten gently the chain with the idler gear or friction plate (if present).

 

Good luck and keep us informed if you dare to take this one on.

 

[Calvin (no socks)]

It could be due to hydraulic lock from oil ingested into the breather from the steep angle and sudden stop, which would have created a slosh of oil in the crank case. I would remove the spark plug(s) and see if it will turn over. We have many vehicles that have been saved from submersion and or inversion. I used to work on a golf course and have seen everything.

[Matts_12GS]

That's pretty similar to what happened to my RT up on the BRP during the BRR

[JayW]

White smoke is usually unburned oil. In this case most likely your engine oil. I would guess the valve(s) got stuck/broken open and due to the tractors position after the crash, oil poured into the cylinder.

The fact that the engine turned over and created the smoke in the first place, makes a broken connection rod less likely.

 

You were on the right track. I took the spark plug out and found it covered with oil. Several tablespoons of oil also drained onto my garage floor. As suggested by Calvin, it must have been hydrolocked. I replaced the spark plug and the engine started right up. Clouds of light blue smoke poured from the exhaust - and kept coming, and coming! I thought it might clear up after a few minutes, but I ended up shutting the engine down after the neighbors behind us rushed over thinking the garage was on fire!

 

I still hope this is just oil burning off from the cylinder and/or exhaust. Maybe I'll try to run the engine for a while again after dark and see if it clears up.

 

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

 

Jay

[Matts_12GS]

Jay,

My bike did that for about 10 miles after I locked it on the parkway. You have probably got some pooled oil in the exhaust that's burning out too.

[Huzband]

Jay,

My bike did that for about 10 miles after I locked it on the parkway. You have probably got some pooled oil in the exhaust that's burning out too.

 

 

Either that, or a broken oil ring from the hydrolock.

 

No matter what, 14 years from a mower? Good job!!!

[Art..]

I'd be VERY surprised if the LX172 has a Kawasaki engine in it. Most 172's have Kohler engines.

 

Worst case, you can replace the entire engine for $800, and still have a better tractor than some cheap home center special. The new Kohler drop-in engines are 15 hp.

 

You can't kill 172's, believe me, I tried.

[JayW]

I'd be VERY surprised if the LX172 has a Kawasaki engine in it. Most 172's have Kohler engines.

 

Mine has a Kawasaki engine, just like this one:

 

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/grd/1209093633.html

 

Jay

[Art..]

Does it say OHV on the valve cover, with a vertical dipstick with a large yellow knob on top and a triangular air filter?

 

Ignore the pull start and the muffler.

 

Lot's of people THOUGHT they had Kawasaki engines because of the K notation in the model number, but in fact most 172's have Kohler engines, according to my local supplier. I had some problems with mine and needed parts, and I thought I had a Kawasaki. That's why I mention it. If it's actually a Kawasaki, sorry to confuse you.

 

[JayW]

I am not confused. The engine does not look like the one in your picture. It says Kawasaki right on the engine case. Also, it delivers 14 hp, not 15.

 

Cheers,

 

Jay

[Art..]

10-4, I'll shut up now!

[Lone_RT_rider]

10-4, I'll shut up now!

 

*grin*..... Art, Jay is usually pretty squared away on his facts. Don't let his dry posts fool you either, he is a heck of a nice guy.

 

Shawn

[Art..]

10-4, I'll shut up now!

 

*grin*..... Art, Jay is usually pretty squared away on his facts. Don't let his dry posts fool you either, he is a heck of a nice guy.

 

Shawn

 

No worries, I stuck my nose where it doesn't belong.

 

I owned a 172 for 17 years. It cut my two acres and plowed my snow faithfully during that time. It finally died permanently when the transaxle failed, and the new transaxle from Deere was unavailable. I would have had to convert it to hydro, which cost more than the tractor was worth.

 

Good machine. Simple and easy to work on. Keep her running, Jay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JayW]

Good machine. Simple and easy to work on....

 

Yes it is. I am happy to report that the blue smoke finally cleared after several more minutes of running it last night. It seems to be operating normally again. Several years ago, the transaxle failed on mine too, probably from all the heavy wood hauling we did through the years (not to mention the 5 acres we mowed). The local JD dealer managed to rebuild it for a couple of hundred dollars. The engine is unmolested. The entire machine does seem to be of stouter construction than the current crop of similar tractors.

 

Jay