Thanks for making this video. I just had a mower just like this one suddenly make the same loud death knock. Was gonna change the engine, thinking it was a bad rod. After i watched this video i checked the throttle blade and it was missing a screw! It went into the combustion chamber and smashed into the head. I replaced the missing screw, locktighted both of em, cleaned the chamber, and put a new head gasket on it. It runs great, no death knock anymore! I wouldnt have found it if i didnt watch this video!
Same thing happened to my older neighbor whose stuff I work on with the butterfly screw. He took it to JD, and they told him it was done/blown. Thats when he came to me, and I actually looked at unlike JD and found the screw missing. I replaced the screw with another. It's been running great for a few years now but has an oil leak which I'm now researching and found your video lol. I'm looking for places the engine or trans may be leaking. H says it intermittent, but it does leave a puddle.
I picked one of these up for a steal of a price about 2 years ago by a guy that didn't know why it wouldn't drive. Gave her a good tune up and pulled the transaxle off and re greased it all. Such an awesome machine wouldn't trade it for nothing. Works like it just got out of the showroom floor. Tries to wheelie whenever I let off the clutch idler pedal!
Great videos. I was wondering if you might tell me how to tighten my slack belts on my JD gx85. Blades hardly turn and the mower will not reach maximum speed. Thank in advance. Mr. wArren
Tensioners might need adjusted, tensioner springs might be stretched or broken, might even be an incorrect belt. Flip yours up and look, it's fairly easy to check even the belt routing. Easy mower to work on.
If you lift it up you will see it right there. There's a tensioner and maybe idler. You can find the belt routing online, I did, but it's fairly obvious how it routes. It's not a bad job if you lift it up.
Surprised to see a briggs motor on this series of mower. I have a few kawasaki 9hp GX75 mowers, they are great little engines. Previous owner of mine put on a new carb, new starter, new coil pack, etc .. come to find the wrong spark plug (super short stubby one) installed and bad igniter lol. $40 later and she runs like a champ. Ive done a few valve adjustments on the FC290V motors and they run amazing after. I was hoping to see a valve adjustment fix your rattle/ticking noise. Mine sounded like hell with off adjustment valves. My kawasaki engines are running 30+ years still no issues, a little oil burn here and there. Definitely great machines to keep around.
I saw your comparison of weedeater one, wanted to thank you for that video. I was going to get one as a trade for my John Deere thinking its newer, looks lighter, maybe more reliable, less gas. Im sure glad i didnt after seeing all of your issues that thing and how you love the JD older tractors :)
Glad I was able to help. The tranny problems are very common. You made a good choice... that WE1 was a total pile of crap. It's all made of plastic. Even the newer "fake" JD's are crap, the ones they sell at Home Depot. They are also made in China. How many things have you bought, that were made in China, that actually lasted? It's like Dollar Tree lawn mowers! Junk!
these old Briggs and Stratton flathead motors they are no longer available the most efficent replacement engines are these OHV overhead valve engines the way the design of the engine is as the OHV engines burn less fuel than the Flathead motors. as John Deere in their upscale models use a Kawasaki FC420v OHV engine around 14 hp as my family had a Kubota T1560 with this Kawasaki FC420V motor and it outlasted the mower no internal problems before the machine got traded in for a new John Deere X350 with a 18hp Kawasaki Vtwin engine. as im not sure if John Deere even used the Kohler engines in these as they are good engines the command OHV but the courage twin cam aren't that great. as the Briggs and Stratton and these Kohler Courage engines the thing that fails most is the counterbalance weight the connecting rods to the weight as i seen some videos of the old briggs motor blowing up as it blows the back of the motor out when it throws the counterbalance weight out as briggs and stratton call it syncrobalance. if you are lucky to find a good used Kawasaki FC420v or a Kohler Command it will outlast your mower.
Different person here, I have the same model... with good tires it will cut those hills very well, having the engine on the back and relatively no weight on the front, makes it sketchy be sure to lean.. I’ve had mine tip a few times while cutting hills as such, never flipped it though luckily
Hey just for the record guy you totally messed that video up due to the fact you didn't show anything nothing at all but the bottom of the more how did you do it show me how you took it apart
Appreciate this video. Needed the shot at 3:55 to know how my belt guide went back on for the bottom.
Thanks for making this video. I just had a mower just like this one suddenly make the same loud death knock. Was gonna change the engine, thinking it was a bad rod. After i watched this video i checked the throttle blade and it was missing a screw! It went into the combustion chamber and smashed into the head. I replaced the missing screw, locktighted both of em, cleaned the chamber, and put a new head gasket on it. It runs great, no death knock anymore! I wouldnt have found it if i didnt watch this video!
That's awesome!! : )
Same thing happened to my older neighbor whose stuff I work on with the butterfly screw. He took it to JD, and they told him it was done/blown. Thats when he came to me, and I actually looked at unlike JD and found the screw missing. I replaced the screw with another. It's been running great for a few years now but has an oil leak which I'm now researching and found your video lol. I'm looking for places the engine or trans may be leaking. H says it intermittent, but it does leave a puddle.
You sir, are the ultimate "shade tree mechanic" ! :)
I picked one of these up for a steal of a price about 2 years ago by a guy that didn't know why it wouldn't drive. Gave her a good tune up and pulled the transaxle off and re greased it all. Such an awesome machine wouldn't trade it for nothing. Works like it just got out of the showroom floor. Tries to wheelie whenever I let off the clutch idler pedal!
Yeah I love mine. Runs like a top. Perfect size for my yard.
Hey I just bought one that won't drive is there anything you offer me on how to proceed?
That seat looks a lot more comfortable than the original short back seat!
Great videos. I was wondering if you might tell me how to tighten my slack belts on my JD gx85. Blades hardly turn and the mower will not reach maximum speed. Thank in advance. Mr. wArren
Tensioners might need adjusted, tensioner springs might be stretched or broken, might even be an incorrect belt. Flip yours up and look, it's fairly easy to check even the belt routing. Easy mower to work on.
What seat is on that, Its not the original low back. I was looking for something to replace my low back but dont know what ones will fit the GX85.
Not sure, it was on there when I bought it.
@@sparkingdogg Thanks for replying, Could you check if there is a JD part number on that ? Would be much appreciated !
Will see when I cut next week, it's out in the shed.
Hey do you know of any place I can find a spare muffler for the gx85 I have looked everywhere can’t find one.
I'm sure they are very obsolete... ebay, or something universal.
How do you replace the drive belt?
If you lift it up you will see it right there. There's a tensioner and maybe idler. You can find the belt routing online, I did, but it's fairly obvious how it routes. It's not a bad job if you lift it up.
Do you have to remove mower cradle to replace the drive belt?
No, absolutely not.
is there a way to level the deck? mine is cutting uneven.. thanks
Surprised to see a briggs motor on this series of mower. I have a few kawasaki 9hp GX75 mowers, they are great little engines. Previous owner of mine put on a new carb, new starter, new coil pack, etc .. come to find the wrong spark plug (super short stubby one) installed and bad igniter lol. $40 later and she runs like a champ.
Ive done a few valve adjustments on the FC290V motors and they run amazing after. I was hoping to see a valve adjustment fix your rattle/ticking noise. Mine sounded like hell with off adjustment valves.
My kawasaki engines are running 30+ years still no issues, a little oil burn here and there. Definitely great machines to keep around.
I haven't adjusted my valves but it should be simple. Kawasaki makes great motors! And for Briggs, many of them have run for 50 years, and still run.
I saw your comparison of weedeater one, wanted to thank you for that video. I was going to get one as a trade for my John Deere thinking its newer, looks lighter, maybe more reliable, less gas.
Im sure glad i didnt after seeing all of your issues that thing and how you love the JD older tractors :)
Glad I was able to help. The tranny problems are very common. You made a good choice... that WE1 was a total pile of crap. It's all made of plastic. Even the newer "fake" JD's are crap, the ones they sell at Home Depot. They are also made in China. How many things have you bought, that were made in China, that actually lasted? It's like Dollar Tree lawn mowers! Junk!
looking for a vid in the charging system?
I need help on my solenoid!! I don’t know how to replace it!!
jules mcniss
Hey what model is the seat I'd like to add a high back to mine thanks
No idea, there when I bought it.
No idea, it was already on there.
Show me the drive felt digram for a john Deere Gx 85
I don't have it, I just used common sense and it wasn't too hard to figure out.
these old Briggs and Stratton flathead motors they are no longer available the most efficent replacement engines are these OHV overhead valve engines the way the design of the engine is as the OHV engines burn less fuel than the Flathead motors. as John Deere in their upscale models use a Kawasaki FC420v OHV engine around 14 hp as my family had a Kubota T1560 with this Kawasaki FC420V motor and it outlasted the mower no internal problems before the machine got traded in for a new John Deere X350 with a 18hp Kawasaki Vtwin engine. as im not sure if John Deere even used the Kohler engines in these as they are good engines the command OHV but the courage twin cam aren't that great. as the Briggs and Stratton and these Kohler Courage engines the thing that fails most is the counterbalance weight the connecting rods to the weight as i seen some videos of the old briggs motor blowing up as it blows the back of the motor out when it throws the counterbalance weight out as briggs and stratton call it syncrobalance. if you are lucky to find a good used Kawasaki FC420v or a Kohler Command it will outlast your mower.
Thanks for the info!
are you still running that mower? how good is it mowing hills? can it mow a hill like this? ua-cam.com/video/9_3qCmCmlIg/v-deo.html
Different person here, I have the same model... with good tires it will cut those hills very well, having the engine on the back and relatively no weight on the front, makes it sketchy be sure to lean.. I’ve had mine tip a few times while cutting hills as such, never flipped it though luckily
Hey just for the record guy you totally messed that video up due to the fact you didn't show anything nothing at all but the bottom of the more how did you do it show me how you took it apart
No one helped me, figure it out. Over.
That's dumb. I need to see how to raise mine up by myself. No one wants to help.
E