Bought a Husqvarna mower early last year with a 24 hp BS. Was a great mower but eventually discovered it a hard starter at times when it was cold. After finding it wasn't suffecient for the fields i mowed for my business i decided to go out and buy a Bad Boy ZT 26 60" ZTR. With a 26hp BS ELS engine. Was in the shop recently because of erratic idling and at times a dead cylinder. It was found that an intake o-ring gasket was missing from the factory causing it suck air. Got it fixed and got it back, ran great for about 10 hrs and now I'm getting the erratic idle again. Like a high-low idle, and if I let it sit it will begin to sputter and pop. Sounds very sick. It will only do this without the blades engaged. When I engage the blades it runs fine and has plenty of power.

Thank God i have a service plan from TSC that will cover it when this happens. On my 2nd incident. One more time and it will be considered a Lemon and I can get the new badboy ZT 27 with the Kohler engine. I've just about had it with Briggs and Stratton. What do ya'll think.

 

I've had nothing but good luck with B&S and John Deere engines.

 

I've had good luck before also, but only with the single cylinder engines. Its the v-twins causin me problems.

 

I have a V Twin that is original built in 73........still runs great.

 

They are just like everyone else that has had a great product. They build a excellent reputation by overbuilding and using quality components then the bean counters and CEO's step in ruining everything.

Of the newer engines I have had good luck with Kawasaki. I have an old Cub Cadet 1711 with a Kohler cast iron engine that will not die. I have had other mowers with BS engines that everything else rotted out but the engine still ran.(1980's era)

 

The John Deere engine is a Kawasaki.

 

I have a Kawasaki single cylinder in a little John Deere 175 hydro. That thing has a MEAN rap to it when you rev it up .

Before that I had a 20HP B&S V-Twin in a Huskee (basically MTD) riding mower - it had loads of power but it had its fair share of issues, most dealing with the carb. And it sounds nowhere near as good as that Kawasaki does .

 

I also love BS but have only had single's. Sorry for your problems.

 

I've always had the best luck with Honda engines.

Kaw's seem to hold up OK too.

 

Good old 'Briggs and Scrap-Iron'!

Don't put too much faith in Kohler either. I have 3 of them in various pieces of equipment and not one of them has been trouble free. They should stick with their other product line; toilets.

chaikwa.

 

Yeah if I could afford Honda or Kawasaki I wouldv'e done it a long time ago. I'm trying to save money and make money, don't wanna spend too much on equipment til I move up and know I will need it. With both these mowers, they run perfect when the blades are on, its either cold starting them or idling them that gives me problems. The Huskee will flood when its choking at startup and die. It'll do it even when i kill the choke. If I don't immediately put it in high throttle it will begin to choke, like fuel just diverted itself to nowhere.

The Bad boy will start right up, it just don't sound right. Doesn't do this everytime, but it is becoming more and more common. The exhaust begins to smell rich, the motor seems to run hotter, and it will begin to pop on average every 3 seconds, a pretty dull pop, not like a backfire, almost like a knock.

Anyone ever had these problems????? Any known solutions???

 

Oh and out of all the kohlers I've used none of them have caused me the grief, Had a Kubota with the Kohler I use for a cemetery and it has been problem free for 300hrs now. But i have heard of them having problems too.

 

Personally I'd stick to honda or if your a real fan of cummins try to find yourself an Onen, they are built by cummins. That's whats in my welder it's a 25hp and has never let me down. Starts in -40C weather and gets not bad fuel economy.

 

I love my Cub Cadet Tank ZT with the 25 Kawi.. 500 hours and not one problem yet. Starts up with a little smoke (always has) but clears as soon as the choke is off.

 

On youtube I've seen a worn out briggs and stratton mower go through a $100.00 bottle of nitrous and keep running...