Help With My Steiner Mower...

Technical aspects of automobiles, et. al., post #20,761
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 922er
 2008-06-22 19:43:54
 Help With My Steiner Mower...
I know this is a car forum...but you guys give such great advise that I'm
hoping someone may have a suggestion for me. I own a 2wd Steiner tractor
mower and yesterday I cleaned it inside and out with engine degreaser than
hosed her down. Now it's not running right. You should know that before the
cleaning, when I let the mower idle, it wanted to progress forward as if the
pedal was being pushed (slow rate of speed, of course). Anyway, after I
cleaned the mower, it is now doing ALL of the following: running rough,
accelerating and de-accelerating on it's own, if I push the pedal down it
will bog down and eventually stall...unless I release the pedal...then it
will eventually kick back up to speed again, same thing when the mowing deck
is operating, it will bog down, eventually stall but if I stop moving the
mower (don't have to necessarily turn off the mowing deck) it will get back
up to speed in a minute or two. When it is running at normal rate, it mows
fine. But that only last about 2 minutes until it loses it's power.

HELP! These things cost a mint...and even more to repair. Maybe it's
something simple. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Calab
 2008-06-22 21:47:03
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
> in a minute or two. When it is running at normal rate, it mows
> fine. But that only last about 2 minutes until

Wires/etc. are probably still wet. Do you have an air compressor? Try
blowing water out from around spark plugs, ignition wires, etc.

Also, did you have the carb protected from overspray? Any chance that
you've gotten water into the air cleaner or gas tank?

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Author:
Date:
Subject:
 922er
 2008-06-23 00:43:03
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
Calab wrote:
>> in a minute or two. When it is running at normal rate, it mows
>> fine. But that only last about 2 minutes until
>
>Wires/etc. are probably still wet. Do you have an air compressor? Try
>blowing water out from around spark plugs, ignition wires, etc.
>
>Also, did you have the carb protected from overspray? Any chance that
>you've gotten water into the air cleaner or gas tank?
>


I did find a small amount of water in the carb. Emptied that out. Emptied
out all the gas from the tank and the gas line. Put fresh in. Air cleaner
was dry. It ran a little better today than yesterday, but still nothing
close to where it should be. The fact that it loses power to the point of
stalling when I'm going up hill or trying to run the mower deck bothers me.
It will idle fine, I can increase or decrease throttle with no problems, run
the mower on flat ground with no issues but have problems, like I mentioned,
when going up hill and when turning on the mower deck. No power.

How long could it take for this thing to complete dry out? Is there a risk
of lasting effect?
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 HLS
 2008-06-22 20:10:24
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
"922er" <u44403@uwe> wrote in message news:861444c3f41e9@uwe...
> Calab wrote:
>>> in a minute or two. When it is running at normal rate, it mows
>>> fine. But that only last about 2 minutes until
>>
>>Wires/etc. are probably still wet. Do you have an air compressor? Try
>>blowing water out from around spark plugs, ignition wires, etc.
>>
>>Also, did you have the carb protected from overspray? Any chance that
>>you've gotten water into the air cleaner or gas tank?
>>
>
>
> I did find a small amount of water in the carb. Emptied that out.
> Emptied
> out all the gas from the tank and the gas line. Put fresh in. Air
> cleaner
> was dry. It ran a little better today than yesterday, but still nothing
> close to where it should be. The fact that it loses power to the point of
> stalling when I'm going up hill or trying to run the mower deck bothers
> me.
> It will idle fine, I can increase or decrease throttle with no problems,
> run
> the mower on flat ground with no issues but have problems, like I
> mentioned,
> when going up hill and when turning on the mower deck. No power.
>
> How long could it take for this thing to complete dry out? Is there a
> risk
> of lasting effect?

Can take a long time if water gets in the distributor or other occluded
places.

I have no idea what kind of engine, ignition, etc a Steiner has but consider
doing a WD-40 job on it, if applicable.

WD-40 was designed as a water dispersant. Spray the plug wires, carburetor
linkages, and especially spray inside the distributor cap (if it has one).
Sling
the excess WD-40 out of the distributor cap and reassemble. This kind of
shotgun treatment has put a lot of motors back in play after a hosing down.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Steve B.
 2008-06-23 00:22:01
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
> in a minute or two. When it is running at normal rate, it mows
> fine. But that only last about 2 minutes until


I've never seen a Steiner mower and wouldn't know one if it bit me on
the ass but....

I would suspect water in the ignition system. Does it have a
distributor cap and plug wires? If it does pull them off and let them
dry or better yet go ahead and do a tune up and replace them along
with the plugs and points if it has them. Make sure everything is dry
in the distributor.

You could also try opening the hood (assuming it has one) and let the
sun bake on it for a couple of days.

Steve B.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 cuhulin@webtv.net
 2008-06-23 08:10:27
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
www.steinerturf.com mowers, tractors and utility trucks.

I don't own a Steiner.My cheap little $100.00 walk behind lawn mower is
good enough for me.
cuhulin
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 John S.
 2008-06-23 10:05:33
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
On Jun 22, 3:43 pm, "922er" <u44403@uwe> wrote:
> I know this is a car forum...but you guys give such great advise that I'm
> hoping someone may have a suggestion for me.  I own a 2wd Steiner tractor
> mower and yesterday I cleaned it inside and out with engine degreaser than
> hosed her down.  Now it's not running right.  You should know that before the
> cleaning, when I let the mower idle, it wanted to progress forward as if the
> pedal was being pushed (slow rate of speed, of course).  Anyway, after I
> cleaned the mower, it is now doing ALL of the following:  running rough,
> accelerating and de-accelerating on it's own, if I push the pedal down it
> will bog down and eventually stall...unless I release the pedal...then it
> will eventually kick back up to speed again, same thing when the mowing deck
> is operating, it will bog down, eventually stall but if I stop moving the
> mower (don't have to necessarily turn off the mowing deck) it will get back
> up to speed in a minute or two.  When it is running at normal rate, it mows
> fine.  But that only last about 2 minutes until it loses it's power.
>
> HELP!  These things cost a mint...and even more to repair.  Maybe it's
> something simple.  I'll keep my fingers crossed!

You've probably for water inside thegas tank, inside the ignition,
et. If it were me I would drain all of the gas from tank and
carburetor and check the oil closely for any water. If that doesn't
work, set it out in the sun for a couple of days and let it dry out.
If that doesn't work you have have bumped into the carb and governor
during this cleaning and hosing job and altered the settings.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 922er via CarKB.com
 2008-06-23 20:01:16
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
Today was a new day. Let the mower sit again overnight and about noon
started it up. Didn't want to start at first. Then I was able to get her
running. So, I tried mowing. Flat ground, uphill, fast slow...all of that...
for about first 1/2 hour it would run great for about a minute, then bog down,
take about a minute to regroup then run fine again for short period of time.
As time went on, it appeared the time between poor running lapses was getting
farther apart...after about an hour, it finally let me mow for 15 minutes
straight with no issues. Then the storm blew in so I had to call it quits.
I'll see what tomorrow brings.

Thanks for all your advice!

John S. wrote:
>> I know this is a car forum...but you guys give such great advise that I'm
>> hoping someone may have a suggestion for me.  I own a 2wd Steiner tractor
>[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>> HELP!  These things cost a mint...and even more to repair.  Maybe it's
>> something simple.  I'll keep my fingers crossed!
>
>You've probably for water inside thegas tank, inside the ignition,
>et. If it were me I would drain all of the gas from tank and
>carburetor and check the oil closely for any water. If that doesn't
>work, set it out in the sun for a couple of days and let it dry out.
>If that doesn't work you have have bumped into the carb and governor
>during this cleaning and hosing job and altered the settings.

--
Message posted via CarKB.com
http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/car-maintenance/200806/1
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 John S.
 2008-06-23 13:22:48
 Re: Help With My Steiner Mower...
On Jun 23, 4:01 pm, "922er via CarKB.com" <u44403@uwe> wrote:
> Today was a new day.  Let the mower sit again overnight and about noon
> started it up.  Didn't want to start at first.  Then I was able to get her
> running.  So, I tried mowing.  Flat ground, uphill, fast slow...all of that...
> for about first 1/2 hour it would run great for about a minute, then bog down,
> take about a minute to regroup then run fine again for short period of time.
> As time went on, it appeared the time between poor running lapses was getting
> farther apart...after about an hour, it finally let me mow for 15 minutes
> straight with no issues.  Then the storm blew in so I had to call it quits.
> I'll see what tomorrow brings.
>
> Thanks for all your advice!
>
> John S. wrote:
> >> I know this is a car forum...but you guys give such great advise that I'm
> >> hoping someone may have a suggestion for me.  I own a 2wd Steiner tractor
> >[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> >> HELP!  These things cost a mint...and even more to repair.  Maybe it's
> >> something simple.  I'll keep my fingers crossed!
>
> >You've  probably for water inside thegas tank, inside the ignition,
> >et.  If it were me I would drain all of the gas from tank and
> >carburetor and check the oil closely for any water.  If that doesn't
> >work, set it out in the sun for a couple of days and let it dry out.
> >If that doesn't work you have have bumped into the carb and governor
> >during this cleaning and hosing job and altered the settings.
>
> --
> Message posted via CarKB.comhttp://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/car-maintenance/200806/1

Good deal - now get to mowing that lawn!! Could have been moisture.