On Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 9:54:04 AM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tue, 13 Apr 2021 06:36:25 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:
On Monday, April 12, 2021 at 8:49:28 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On M
The Surplus Center in Lincoln, NE sells engines.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Engines/.
Also Home Depot, Lowes, and, Harbor Freight of course. NO idea if replacing just the engine
would be worth your time.I

It sounds like there are three ways to go. I just got my tax refund so I can afford to buy something good.

Anyway, I can buy electric, I can buy decent gas, or I can buy a new engine that fits.

I like my mower and of the three I'd prefer the engine solution, if the cost were reasonable and I could get an exact fit - my experience with exact replacements has been that I don't seem to understand the word "exact". It doesn't always mean unbolt the old one and bolt in the new one. Lots of times it means unbolt the old one and do a bunch of machining to make the new one work. If it matters, it's a Toro Recycler, 6.5 HP. I looked at some engine prices and they cost as much as a new mower, but i wasn't sure what engine would fit mine.

Corded electric? sounds good, but I know dragging that cord would get old. Electrics in general run from 3/4 HP up to about 1.3, and I'm not sure that will handle my grass, and rechargeable batteries have a lifespan. I like the idea of an electric but I'm leaning away. .

What brand of gas mower do lawn companies use? Or do they just wear them out in a year and replace anyway, so it doesnt matter?
The mowers the pros use cost as much as a small car. You can pay $5k+
for a used Grasshopper. It has nothing to do with what a guy who
spends an hour or two a week needs. These things run all day long 50
or 60 hours a week. Some are even diesels.
I would just find something with a Honda motor and it might outlive
your willingness to cut your own grass. 10-15 years is not unusual
tho.

I bought a Craftsman for $160 on Ebay. Some local guy had it listed, it was
brand new. That must be ten years ago, it still runs fine. The only thing that
failed was the drive engage. I took two screws off a plastic cover to expose
the belt and spring. The end of the spring had broken off, a cable tie fixed
it. It does need a new belt and front wheels at this point, but it's still usable.

Previous mower was a Honda. Their brilliant idea was an actual gear drive
transmission that had 3 speeds. The drive bushing on the transmission wore
out and it failed. It was unbelievably complicated to take apart, dozens of
pieces I put into two egg cartons. And a new tranny would have been $130
plus shipping. That's when I bought the Craftsman instead. The Craftsman
if you bought it at Sears would have been half the cost of the Honda.

The differences between the two:

Craftsman

Half the price
Noticeably more powerful
More noise
Simple belt slip design that gives variable speed and cheap to fix that

Honda
Much quieter
Composite deck that can't rust
Fixed 3 speeds, I never used any speed other than 3, $130 plus just for parts
if it fails. So the part that failed, I didn't even need.
Two blade mulching design that gave the smoothest, nicest cut and mulched
into very small pieces that disappeared better.

IMO that last part is the one reason to buy a Honda, if the new ones still have
that dual blade design. It was one blade over the other on the one shaft,
spaced about 1/2" apart, different shapes. It's the only thing I really miss.
Not that the Craftsman cuts badly, it's just the Honda was nicer cut than
any mower I've had.