So you’ve done your research and the Husqvarna riding mower is your choice. That is a good one right there. Husqvarna is a well-known and trusted manufactures of lawn mowers. If you read a lot of reviews on the top best lawn mowers, you will find that they are always amongst the best lawn mowers in the business. You know numbers do not lie.
But now that you have the lawn mower, It is not just okay to have it. You also need to know the possible problems that could occur when using the lawn mower. This was good ‘ole maintenance routine comes to play. But even with these maintenance routines, a couple of issues might still occur.
Well, if you already have the lawn mower and it is already having some issues, you are in luck. Because here, you will get to know how to fix those problems. And for those still anticipating the purchase of the products, this will prepare you.
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Husqvarna Riding Mowers Problems And Their Solutions
Although Husqvarna riding mowers are reliable and efficient, like every other thing, they have their problems. As time goes on and as it is used, it will develop some faults. Even if you maintain and care for it so well, there will come a time when some of its parts will be worn out and need to be replaced. To help you with these faults and prepare those who are new to the system, here are some of the problems and their solutions to help ensure that you have a good experience with Husqvarna.
1. Mower Stops/Dies While Mowing
This is one of the most common problems with lawn mowers and it is quite frustrating. When the mower suddenly stops while mowing, it could be as a result of many reasons. These reasons include:
Bad or Stale Fuel:
When a lawn mower is left unused for days or weeks and has fuel in it, the quality of the fuel degrades. And if the stale fuel is left inside the tank unattended, it might block the fuel engine. Even if it doesn’t, the fuel will be too weak to keep the engine running.
Solution:
Open the fuel tank and drain it of all the old fuel. Clean the fuel tank/system with a stabilizer like sea foam, then go ahead to pour new fuel into it.
Blocked Air Filter:
When mowing the lawn, grass and debris can gather inside the air filter thereby blocking the air filter.
Solution:
Detach the air filter from the lawn mower and clean it. If it is beyond cleaning or repair, get a new one and replace it.
Clogged Fuel Filter:
Specks of dirt, grass, and debris can clog the fuel filter thereby obstructing the flow of fuel or gas to the engine. And when the engine does not get enough fuel to keep it running, it stops.
Solution:
Remove the fuel filter and clean it. You should use compressed air or carb cleaner to clean the filter properly. If the filter is damaged, then cleaning won’t help. You need to change it.
Dirty Carburetor:
Carburetor is responsible for the mixture of air and fuel which ignites the engine. As far as a lawn mower is being used, stale fuel deposits and dirt can gather to block the carburetor. When this happens it keeps the right amount of fuel and air from flowing through the unit and into the engine.
Solution:
Locate the carburetor, and remove its covering and the components around it. Clean both the carburetor and its components properly. If a replacement is needed, do that.
2. Mower Engine Problems
You know your Husqvarna riding mower machine has a problem when it starts smoking. This can be a very frightening problem but before anything is done, you need to calm down. It is not that bad a problem. This happens because of three main reasons.
Not enough oil:
Try walking for hours with your thighs rubbing against each other at every step. Hot and Hurtful, right? That effect is almost the same as having engine parts work without oil. When oil is not enough to lubricate the parts of an engine, it causes a lot of friction. This friction causes a lot of heat that eventually causes smoke.
Solution:
It is sensible to want to apply lubricant but first, the engine should be checked for damages. Damages to an engine can be properly detected by professionals so take it to a local store to have it checked.
Excess oil:
Excess oil can overflow into the cylinder and other parts of the engine. Smoke could be a result of the spilled oil burning off.
Solution:
Drain the oil until it reduces to the recommended amount.
Internal problems:
Apart from the amount of oil, this problem can be caused by internal damage to the engine. These damages are not easy to detect. Late detection would cause a lot of bad effects on the lawn mower.
Solution:
Take it to a local store and contact the manufacturers to check the land mower.
3. Carburetor Problems
A carburetor is the part of a machine that regulates the amount of air to fuel mixture as required by a machine. When a carburetor develops a fault, it causes a lot of problems. It could cause:
- the lawn mower to start and stop after a few mins or seconds
- The lawn mower to not start at all
- An unexplainable high consumption of fuel
- Smoke
- The engine stalls when started
Solution:
A carburetor causes all of these problems when it is clogged. Do you need to remove it, lean it thoroughly, and put it back? If the carburetor is damaged, it needs a replacement.
4. Mower Won’t Move Forward or Reverse
After starting your Husqvarna riding mower, you drive it but it doesn’t move. It may be the drive belt or the tensioner has become faulty. The drive belt grip on the pulley might be too loose thereby causing no force for movement or the tensioner might be damaged.
Solution:
- If the drive belt is falling off that means it is too loose. Tighten its grip on the pulley.
- A damaged drive belt or tensioner should be replaced.
5. Mower Won’t Start
When a riding mower refuses to come on, it is most times caused by a fault with the maintenance of the unit; Problems such as clogged filters and other parts of the mower, a faulty spark plug, broken recoil, broken or faulty switch and even bad fuel. In some cases, it could simply be that you forgot to pour enough fuel and oil into the fuel tanks.
Solution:
First of all,
- Check if the safety buttons are off and if the engaged option has the freewheel control set to it.
- For clogged or dirty parts, the parts should be removed and cleaned with stabilizers or compressed air and carb cleaner depending on which part is clogged.
- For bad fuel, drain it completely from the tank and clean it with a stabilizer like a sea foam and replace it with new fuel. While for the case of not enough fuel, just add more fresh fuel.
- If the parts are broken and beyond repair, replace them with new parts.
6. Mower Blades Won’t Engage
When cutting activities are in progress, damage may occur and the engine belts and riding mower blades refuse to engage. While you might be tempted to replace your engine belts right away, experts advise that you should not do that at least not until you have checked to see if they are worn out. So first things first, check the blade belt to see if it is worn out or not. In case you do not know, a mower blade’s performance can be significantly impacted by faulty engine belts.
Solution:
It makes sense to replace a damaged belt. However, if the drive belt is incorrectly placed, you cannot expect an engagement. It can be fixed for you to avoid mistakes, calling an expert is a better idea. However, if you want to learn how to properly mount the drive belt in your lawnmower by yourself, please do well to read the instruction manual.
7. Mower Fabricated Deck Problems
Husqvarna fabricated deck problems that could cause the blades of a lawn mower to cut unevenly. It could also cause the lawn mower to stop when cutting. When the lawn mower stops when cutting, it is because the grasses are tall and the deck is too low.
Solution:
The heights of the deck should be adjusted properly to the manufacturer’s recommendation as given in the user’s manual.
8. Mower Electric Clutch Troubleshooting
The electric clutch (PTO clutch) is used to manually disconnect and connect the blades from the mower engine. Problems with this clutch cause the blades to not engage even when it is in use. This is because the PTO clutch is not receiving power. If the clutch is faulty or worn out, it does not receive enough power to engage the drive belt hence the blades won’t move.
Solution:
The problem with an electric clutch is not repairable. A replacement is the best option.
9. Mower Hard to Start
If your Husqvarna mower seems hard to start or seems stuck, it is most likely one of two things.
The freewheel brake is engaged:
The freewheel brake is the bar in the handle that is always held down and when released, stops the engine.
Solution:
Ensure that the bar on the freewheel brake is pressed down before trying to start the mower.
The blades are stuck:
Another reason could be that there are grasses stuck on the blade and they are dragging. Dragging grass clippings will make the blade stuck and unable to move thereby making it difficult to start the lawn mower.
Solution:
Take the mower to a more leveled and hard surface. Remove the spark plug wire, turn off the mower and clean the undersides. When that is done, put the mower in the right position and try starting it.
10. Weak Hydrostatic Transmission
Most riding mowers including Husqvarna mowers work with a hydrostatic transmission. When the hydrostatic transmission has a problem which most times result in a weak transmission, it is because the hydraulic oil is low, not enough, or old. In this case, the oil fails to lubricate the hydraulic system enough to keep the transmission strong.
Solution:
If the reason for the weak transmission is the oil, create regular intervals at which the oil will be changed, keep to it and check the hydraulic tank to ensure that it’s full all the time.
Another reason for this problem could be that the deck belt is not in good condition. This is not popularly known by most users, especially the new ones but the efficiency and how well the pump works depends on the deck belt.
Solution: Replace all worn-out or damaged belts.
Damaged tensioner pulley:
This part is responsible for putting and keeping tension on the belt. If this is worn out or damaged, the tension it puts reduces or there will be none at all.
Solution: Check to see if it is indeed damaged. If it is, replace it with a new one.
11. Mower Shakes Or Vibrates
Riding a mower over a lawn full of stones, sticks and other materials that are not like grass or lightweight leaves can cause your riding mower to vibrate or shake. This is because they could get stuck inside the pulley or even get wrapped around the mower spindle. Mowing with a mower like this can be quite uncomfortable with the jerky movements here and there.
Solution:
Clean the mower thoroughly. And at subsequent times after use, always check those parts of the lawn mower and clean them.
Another thing that could cause this problem is the blades. It might seem unlikely but, if the blades of the mower are not balanced, it could cause the mower to vibrate.
Solution: Check if the blades are unbalanced and replace them if they are.
Also, it could be caused by loosened parts of the mower. When some parts of the mower are not tightened to fit the lawn mower properly, it will cause the mower to vibrate.
Solution: Check for those parts and tighten them.
12. Uneven Cutting
The beauty of a lawn is the evenness in the height of the grasses. But when the lawn is uneven, it looks very disorganized and it makes you wonder if you did mow the lawn. Now, this issue is not only limited to unbalanced blades but also unleveled tires. If the tires are unleveled, it causes one side of the mower to go lower than the other, thereby causing an uneven cut when in use. It is advised to first check the tires of the lawn mower before going on to check the deck and blades.
And yes in most cases, the blades are the reason for this problem. It is either the blades are uneven, bent or it has become blunt. Also, the bent spindles and spindle bearing might be responsible for this. If the vent blades can be repaired which is very rare, then fine but it is best to change it. And if the fault is with the spindle and spindle bearing, they should be checked too.
13. Gas Leak
A riding mower gas leak is one of the most dangerous yet unnoticeable problems with Husqvarna and any other unit. The fuel or gas evaporates leaving no wet a lot for you know. But if you are lucky enough to perceive it, that could show that the leak has been going on for a while. Meat frustratingly it does not leave a clue for you to find the leaking spot.
While changing the fuel tap seems like the simplest and easy thing to do the problem might not be with the fuel tap. It could be a damaged carburetor, clogged fuel filter, bad fuel pump, malfunctioning fuel shutoff valve, or a seal in the gas cap.
Solution: Repair for most of the parts mentioned above is not ideal. It is ideal to change and replace the parts instead. If they are just clogged, cleaning will unclog them.
Why Is My Husqvarna Riding Mower Losing Power?
A lawn mower needs three basic things for it to work efficiently; Air, gas, and spark. If they are both not enough or damaged, the lawn mower develops a problem. If your lawn mower keeps losing power when in use, checking the parts associated with those things should be the first thing to do.
- Clogged air or fuel filter: The fuel and air filters are responsible for keeping dirt from contaminating the air and fuel before they enter the engine. And over time, the dirt will accumulate and block fuel and air from entering the engine.
- Stale gas: Fuel breaks down when left for a long time untouched. It could even become a lump. When this happens the fuel loses its value and becomes almost useless. If you have fuel that has been left for up to 30 days on a lawn, then you should not expect the lawn mower to work with that same fuel. Drain it out and pour fresh new fuel.
- Dirty or damaged spark plug: The spark plug is responsible for giving life to the fuel. Without this spark, even if your fuel tank is full, the lawn mower will not come to life. This is one part of the lawn mower that requires constant checks. Over time, the spark plug could get dirty and I’m some cases damaged. The dirt will cause the spark plug to release very little or no spark at all to the lawn mower. And with time, it totally shuts off.
- Overflowing or too little oil: Oil does not only lubricate the Husqvarna mower but also cleans and cools it. The importance of having the right amount of oil as recommended by the manufacturers cannot be overemphasized. It does not just take your eyes only to do so, the right way of measurement will go a long way to saving you from oil problems. When the oil is not enough, there will be nothing to lubricate the inner parts of the lawn mower, especially the engine. And if the oil is too much, it overflows into some parts of the lawn mower creating a possibility of clogging. Air also enters the oil and degrades its value.
Whether it be that the oil is not enough or too much, the same problem occurs; the lawn mower loses power.
- The condition of the lawn: This might sound funny but the height and position of the grasses in your lawn can cause the lawn mower to lose power. How? Now if the grasses are high, the mower blade will try to cut the height as low as possible as it. This would require a lot of engine power from the lawn mower and the grasses might get stuck in the spindle. Also, If the grass is just an average height but on a sloppy side of the lawn, the same thing happens. If the lawn has stones or objects that are not as lightweight as grass, the mower will try to cut through it and the blade will get stuck. If this happens the lawn mower will lose power. To avoid or solve this problem, adjust the cutting height of the Husqvarna riding mower deck.
Why Does My Husqvarna Lawn Mower Keep Shutting Off?
When it seems like the mower has come to life, it sputters and goes off after a couple of minutes. The cause of this problem is most likely fuel and air-related. It may be due to damage to the parts responsible for the free flow of air, fuel, and spark to the engine.
- The Fuel Filter is clogged. This limits the flow of fuel to the lawn mower engine.
- The air filter is clogged. It restricts the flow of air into the engine.
- The spark plug was probably plugged loosely.
- The spark is damaged or dirty.
- The grasses on the lawn are too tall.
Why Does My Husqvarna Lawn Mower Only Run For A Few Seconds Then Dies?
Most Husqvarna problems that have to do with its inability to stay on fall under the same reasons. It is either the parts are dirty, clogged, or damaged.
The reasons could be one or more of these:
- The air filter is clogged or dirty
- The fuel filter is dirty or clogged
- There is old or contaminated fuel in the fuel tank
- Faulty cooling fans
- Damaged gas lines
- Too little or too much engine oil
Conclusion:
If you read attentively, you will find that the reasons for most of the problems a riding lawn mower can have are with the gas or fuel, oil, and spark plug. Most of them are also a result of clogging, and blockage of the parts of the mower meant to spread those three. If you did not read every single line of this article, you will surely understand that a maintenance routine is definitely needed to encounter fewer of these problems.
The problems talked about should not keep you from getting a Husqvarna riding mower but a way to prepare you for its purchase and use.
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