Zero Turn No Power, Bogs/Dies Under Load Head Gasket Replacement Final Repair

[@Jocitb4utryit]

I can’t thank you enough for sharing your videos. I don’t have any formal training nor am I knowledgeable about engine repairs. Your style of teaching is notable and easy to understand. As you’re explaining everything you’re doing and giving the reasons for it and possible other scenarios of what else could be why you’re doing that specific task. I can retain the knowledge being taught longer while attempting to conquer new situations in life. Thank you for sharing your skillful and knowledgeable service repair experiences. They’re especially helpful to a female who’s trying to fix things before asking for help. Nowadays, it’s not affordable for me to pay the labor costs with the amount of time it takes to fix small engines. The cost for parts have increased along with everything else in this economy. Thank you again and God Bless.🙏

[@IndRepair]

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching!

[@brianchristopher4493]

Hi Milton, just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your "Master Class" I found you while trying to rehab a Toro Recycler and have been hooked ever since. I also have a Kubota Z and an X Mark Z. I feel so much better about digging in the next time trouble arises. I'm just a regular guy, but obsessed with small motor applications. I want to add, you are A very talented technician. And a very good presenter of information. You have a professional air about you many in this World could learn from. I have no doubt your success will continue to thrive. I would love you to do a video on adjusting the hydraulic levers on Z turn someday if you ever think about it. All the best.

[@IndRepair]

I appreciate your kind words of support! I will do a video on the next adjustment I get coming in, haven't seen many that need any adjustments lately. Almost like they come in waves. Again, thanks for your support and I wish you the best!

[@Shalla85]

Thank you sir! These two videos really eased my mind… I saw a small amount of smoke in my oil thing, and figured it was over. I also want to applaud your instructions. I am still 50/50 on whether I will attempt this myself as a non-mechanic… but that’s up from 10/90 before lol though I feel like paying an actual mechanic will save me some hassle, and help the local economy.

[@IndRepair]

Glad to help! Thanks for watching!

[@donmayberryjrsOPE]

Excellent! Thanks! You didn't miss a beat!

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for watching!

[@knighthawk86855]

Just subbed. Got a story for ya, the same engine on a snapper pro 50. Back story, I do work for this guy on his fleet of zero turns, I am a snapper nut... Lol... He had this snapper pro 50, I've taken care of it since he bought it new, it was his personal unit, he had issues with the pto clutch wiring, I repaired it many times, he use to scrap the back of it getting it out of his shed, and that in turn shaffed the wiring. So long story short, he like a bonehead to it to a proshop, proshop in name only, this was during the covid shutdown, so mechanics were far and in between, this had this kid there, and he snapped the crankshaft bolt off in the crankshaft getting the pto off, he didn't know really how to use a air impact, and had it tighting instead of losing, and snapped the bolt, the pro shop was going to charge him for a new crank shaft and new pto, well you know the price of that. He calls me, I yell at him for taking to any place but me... Lol, I go to the shop with him, and they release it to me, that had had it for 3 months, they wanted to charge him for the work done so far, I told them nope, not going to happen, so they had the nerve to charge him for storage, they caused the problem but still charged him. OK now for the best part, he's rich, in the time they had it he bought himself, a 10k Hustler 56" monster 36hp kawasaki engine, water cooled a real beast, any who he knew I wanted the snapper, so he gave it to me, Yeaaaaah.... LMAO. I cut the crank shaft very slightly, since the so called pro shop butchered the end, and I couldn't even weld a nut on it to back out the broken bolt, I was able to cut the end of the crankshaft off slightly, just enough to get a bolt welded to it, and back out the bolt, it's all redone now, and everything looks new on it, and it only has 175hrs on it. Just wanted to share thst with ya, as you are working on the same engine.

[@IndRepair]

That's awesome stuff right there!!

[@knighthawk86855]

@@IndRepair thanks yes, it certainly is.

[@philliphall5198]

I would never take any equipment to a pro or dealership period Nothing but trainees and a lead man who couldn’t make it as a mechanic It’s the truth 😊

[@philliphall5198]

Merry Christmas and Thank You’ll for videos all year Keep them coming. Ok

[@IndRepair]

Merry Christmas to you also! Thanks for watching! We will keep them coming!

[@larryblair4765]

I am a very new small engine mechanic and you have absolutely done a tremendous job on these two videos. I am very new to this and am thankful for your videos. Do you ever offer personal help through email or telephone ? You are definitely a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for all the videos.

[@IndRepair]

That's awesome! Glad to help! Great trade to learn just think about everything with an open mind and you will go far! I normally don't do personal help but reach out if you need me I'll help you

[@richarddobbins9184]

How can you tell between head gasket and problems with rings in the cylinders? I know mine had a blown head gasket should I do rings too? Nice video.

[@IndRepair]

Sounds tells a lot during starting or a leakdown test tells for sure without opening the engine up

[@AltonRowell-gb1lb]

I have tied a chain around my engine and yanked it of the frame. But you better be careful I've seen a friend of mine killed. Engine hit him in the head bone.

[@IndRepair]

So sorry to hear that! Ill try to make sure I don't swing one around and get hit in the head bone. Thanks for watxhing!

[@SendItBilly]

Excellent video.

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for your note and for watching!

[@ClassicNathan]

I missed it...where does the grey RTV go? I'm thinking about doing my head gaskets myself. I didn't know if RTV is "as needed" or "best practices"?

[@IndRepair]

Skip the RTV, just use the head gasket and valve cover gaskets they sell. Thanks for watching!

[@SOUTHTHIRTY1]

Any reason you didn't activate the PTO for the blades? I thought that was when you could hear the motor bog?

[@IndRepair]

Not sure been a long time since this but you can tell soon as an engine is fired with a trained ear. It was fully tested before sending out

[@lancehughes4335]

Great tear down sir!!! When the head is removed, is it good to verify the head and block are not warped by running a know straight edge across both surfaces?

[@IndRepair]

This can definitely be done! If there is extreme discoloring you can tell it has gotten extremely hot then it may need to be checked for plane I do not see it happen very often. When it does happen it is pretty obvious, before even grabbing a straight edge. They usually have channels that show up like craters or a large visible dip. All of these can be checked for by touch and sight on an application like this. If you can still see the original milling marks across the entire surface and there is no sign of excess heating then it will still be flat. Thanks for watching!

[@philliphall5198]

I do but I allready had the straight edge, so why not

[@Smalltechguy]

Nice presentation. I was lucky on a zero turn with the same engine. Dirty carb and bad coil. Right now I'm at the point of a rusty clutch om a Kohler 20. It's gonna take an air hammer and lots of heat.

[@IndRepair]

Awesome! Those stuck on clutches sure are a bear sometimes! Thanks for watching!

[@ScottStOnge]

I guess I can camcel plans for that small engine repair course 😄

[@IndRepair]

Still have money left to take those other core classes then

[@ScottStOnge]

@@IndRepair ❤️

[@ScottStOnge]

@@IndRepair your videos are pretty comprehensive. I was looking at an online course covering all the components and systems of the small engine set up. I'm on the fence currently. Wondering if I take the course it may increase the learning curve but videos like yours are so informative, given time and attention I may learn all I need to learn and save some money, but maybe not necessarily time. The way you structure your videos are very unique . It's almost long or going to shop class. Other channels cover some of the same stuff but in a much less comprehensive way

[@IndRepair]

@@ScottStOnge I think education can help no matter whether you learn everything in one place or not. The easiest way I have learned is by actually doing the repairs and making the mistakes. Information was few and far between when I started so tearing it apart and finding the issue eventually is what led me to learn. Each situation is different but if you go over each one systematically, I think it is much easier than some other ways. Good luck to you, I wish you the best and please let me know if I can help in any way!

[@ScottStOnge]

@@IndRepair Thank you for your consideration and feedback!

[@jameshawkins8654]

Noce commentary. Talking us thru as you do your skilled work. Kinda made me giggle as I myself tend to talk myself thru this type stuff as I repair things. As if im talking and teaching one or both my son's. Or as if im commentating a student thru the work. Oh lort maybe im nuts Id think just an odd habit. Others would say talking to ones self so he nut's. Thanks however this show was indeed a big help.

[@IndRepair]

Haha we have to be a little crazy to do this work anyway, I think! I am glad to have been able to help! Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@TomTwoFour-24]

When you removed the Upper Drive Belt, you mentioned that it came off awfully easy, and that you'd follow up on that after you had the engine re-mounted with that belt back on. You didn't mention how to troubleshoot or add more tension that belt. I replaced my belt about a year ago and mine went back on too easy as well. When I go to engage the PTO to engage the blades to turn, it's slipping due to a lack of tension on that Upper Drive Belt....when it's under a high load. Please (if you can) let me know what I need to do. Thanks! -Tom P.S. This is a terrific video for all those DIY guys like myself.

[@IndRepair]

Hello there! The top seemed to come off really easy but the spring and tension was correct. The top belt (hydro pumps belt) will not affect the tension or performance of th3 deck. I would make sure there are no bad pulleys/spindles and reinstall the belt to check tension again

[@TomTwoFour-24]

@@IndRepair Thanks again! I will definitely take a look at all of the pulleys and spindles, as you have recommended. I've had to replace the a couple of spindles over the years, but quite a few pulleys. Those bearings just don't last very long no matter lubricated you keep them! Again, terrific video! Teaching videos like you have produced is truly an ART. You have mastered it!

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for watching!

[@Vermontwalleyeguy12.56]

I have a bobcat fx750 Kawasaki motor on a green bobcat I’ve had to replace the head gasket twice and now I engage the blades and mow it has NO power and I’ve looked all over and no one can tell me I’ve check the spark that’s fine gas is fine gas lines fine carbs fine torqued down head to the right torque not sure what else to do don’t want to bring it somewhere and spend 5000$ to fix it when I can buy a new one for 7000$ help and answers?

[@IndRepair]

I would have run a leakdown test to see if you are loosing compression through the piston/cylinder or the valves somewhere

[@mattsmillie2131]

What's the charge on something like this? looks like a great deal of work.

[@IndRepair]

Depends on what exactly was done/needed labor wise but in this case with parts and labor it ran a little under $600 total. Definitely a lot of work and prep takes forever when removing old gaskets. Worth the hassle or money on a $10,000 machine though. Thanks for watching!

[@philliphall5198]

Very very very fair price

[@stevenwinnie646]

Nice video man! I've worked on cars for 10+ years but now have began dabbling with small engine stuff and video's like your's are VERY insightful. I'd like to pick your brain for a minute lol: so a friend of mine has an exmark zero turn with this Kawasaki engine that had some similar symptoms as this one. It starts up fine, revs up and runs good with the blades on UNTIL you move forward at full speed (it loses power and bogs down). It's running on both cylinders, has good fuel, and good air flow. I did smell some gas in the oil but haven't done a compression test on it. Could that happen with bad head gaskets or does that indicate an issue in the bottom end? Have you ever seen issues with the bottom end in these engines (piston rings, etc?). the owner was not the best with preventative maintenance, any suggestions or info you could give would be much appreciated.

[@IndRepair]

Definitely could be blown head gaskets I see that a lot! Could also be rings but happens less often, normally get some good smoking when this happens. Thanks for watching!

[@stevenwinnie646]

@@IndRepair Hey bro, just checking in a year later to tell you that the head gaskets were indeed the issue! when I started pulling everything apart I could tell someone had been in there before. (one of the head bolt holes was stripped out and they cut away a part of the cooling fins to put a nut on the other side of the bolt, not the worst idea I've seen 😆). But I put the new gaskets on, I followed the steps from your video as well as the service manual and the mower has been running great for months now! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and pro tips with all of us. It is very much appreciated!

[@IndRepair]

Awesome news! Great job, I am so glad to be able to help!

[@PastorJ601]

Pros always clean engine makes your work look professional, just my way

[@IndRepair]

We power wash everything well once it is finished. Keeping the important areas dirt free during the repair is what is important. Some people like to do it while the engine is out but to each their own. Thanks for watching!

[@philliphall5198]

Head gaskets are really a problem if it’s been overheated at all They raised the compression but not the amount of head bolts

[@IndRepair]

Yeah it doesn't make any sense unless your the one selling the replacements!!

[@brianpeterson4985]

Too bad toro have motor rotated up against seat poor design made your job twice as long.

[@IndRepair]

Yeah It definitely is not a great design in many of the things we work on! Engineers lol