I worked for a defunct department store in the 70's in the garden shop. Most of the mowers were MTD sourced. The machine we couldn't keep in stock was one with a larger engine and magnesium deck. It was a beast. It ran about $75 more at the time. Well worth it!
I know this is a old post but there are so many things here. I am not sure of this guys background on engine repair, but this one got me. It is clear what is wrong with this mower and he touched all around it but still missed it. The oily spark plug, dirty oil, the smoking exhaust, the low compression are all due to ring and cylinder wall damage. The damage was cause by the dirty air filter that he cleaned out at the first of the video. As he pointed out there was dirt getting around and or through the filter and into the engine. It is not the head gasket or the head bolts, the dirt has damaged the engine.
I have a 1 year old toro super recycler with the Honda engine and I love it! The thing has so much power that if you push the personal pace bar all the way down when you’re at a dead stop it will spin the rear tires! It also cuts really well and is certainly my favorite mower.
I have a 2008 yr model Toro Super Recycler. Have maintained it to very high standards even though Mordecai (that is his name) spends his life under a shed with no sides. He cranks on the 1st or 2nd pull every time. I very much appreciate your mower videos. Another great job!!
You've gotta use restore for at least a couple hours for it to work in my experience, it also works better with warmer running engines like Tecumsehs, I have an old Briggs classic I found on the side of the road and it was almost blown but now it starts consistently! Still poor performance because it's probably older than me but it helped!
@Home Garage I did some thinking and the reason it works with hotter engines is because when it sticks in the cracks of the cylinder, the oil is more efficiently removed from the metal compound that's in the solution, leaving the metal in the cracks. Forgot replies aren't working
I have 2 super recyclers. One a curb find will be a parts mower. The other is fromm 1999. I serviced it for a customer and he gave it to me when he finally bought a new Honda. I told him if he didn't replace it with another super recycler, to get a Honda. I serviced a trans on one that a friend used in his mowing business. He had 4 of them. It was made before the personal pace. It had a 3 speed manual transmission. That parts were available to rebuild it. Definitely a learning experience. He took really good care of his mowers. I would guess it is 30 years old. Still runs like a dream. I have customers that have these older ones that not part with them. And I don't blame them.
Love this mower have one for my mowing company with the 6.75 Briggs on it and seriously going to get another to have a back up possibility but it just so reliable
I just bought the exact mower off FB for $25.00. Really nice shape except for the rear axel and adjuster on the left side are worn. Dropped it off at a local shop that works on vintage mowers. Supplied a newer blade, air cleaner, new drive belt, rubber shield, and a quart of 30 WT oil. The shop will source me a new axel and do a complete service on it. The engine ran great. Looking forward to getting it back, soooooo much better than the newer mowers!!! I also have a similar Super Recycler with the same engine but has the 3 speed transmission on the console. My favorite mower....so far!!!
I suspect the slightly lower compression is due to the previous owner letting the air filter get so clogged that air and dust, dirt, debris, etc was getting past the filter and into the engine. People just do not realize how just a little bit of dust and debris can put tiny scratches into the cylinder wall. Also causes damage to the valves and valve seats.
There is a way to fix this, which is to make the bore a few tenths bigger and replace the rings. A fresh cross-hatch and proper break-in can get the compression to insane figures. Insane enough to risk knock
It's a basic b&s engine and I have seen fairly new ones with around the same compression as you got. Seemed to run really well so the oil burning before was just from it being overfilled. Rings might be worn a bit but again they are really basic engines inside. I would be super happy to use that for years.
I have the same mower minus the self-propel option. It's about 20+ years old now and works pretty good. I do have trouble starting it at the beginning of every spring now. One common failure point I've found is the little gasket between the air filter housing and the carb. It's usually the first thing I check.
@@HomeGaragechannel I think it's a matter of duration and duress. More time may be needed to make that difference, or thick grass. Do it with two more oil changes and regular mowing, see if that does make a difference.
Great mower and engine honestly! Still sounds like it runs like new, nothing lasts longer than a flathead Briggs & Stratton motor. My Craftsman push mower is still going after 16 years! Take care of the equipment and it will take care of you. I didn't know a mower could last so long and still work like new. Don't plan on replacing it anytime soon since it still works great. Really shows if you take care of something properly it will last! I love your videos!
i have the exact same mower i bought used a few years ago. best mower i have ever owned. mine read the same at 55 lb but runs like a champ. i have found those things only take around 14 oz instead of the 18 oz of oil listed. the oil burning you saw might be because it was overfilled. the aluminum deck is awesome. if my engine goes bad i will look for another engine to replace it . there are some grease fittings for the rear wheels that need to be greased also
hey home garage. in youre last video i commented about my stihl fs 86 over heating and u said to comment how it goes. i took the engine apart and then got the engine block and washed it out with my electric pressure washer. it is only a weak unit so i wasn't worried about it damaging the block. then when i opened the fan housing it was covered in a really thick layer of grime and mud caked to the wall. i cleaned it off with the pressure washer and then put it back together. once i put it back together it worked really well and ran like a dream. thank you very much for you're help home garage.
This mower has been used in my family for 18 years. At around the 15 year mark, the self propel has started to give way and has requires frequent maintenance and even a new part. But still, it runs like a dream.
Nice Freebie! An SR4 is an SR4 I didn’t know there was a commercial version of this mower. I always ASSUMED…Recycler, SR4 and then Timemaster. Machine is in great shape and will get top dollar for it. Guarantee smoke at start up is a combination of excess oil and improper handling. As these engines get older I found myself finding loose head bolts. I only found this out while getting the machine ready to be sold for a profit. I would start up the engine to get the oil hot so I could change it. During the time I cover the machine in soap and hit it with the pressure washer. During the cleaning process when I go to clean the front and the motor starts to surge and/die I know the bolts are loose or head gasket blown. Now as PM, every Quantum I see gets the head bolts retorqued. You do a lot of volume like us. You should look into buying the A.F. 100 back of air filters use to be $100 3 years ago now it’s $125ish. That makes changing out the air filters a mindless, effortless, and easy task.
I bought this same machine from a guy that had used it so much he had to put all new wheels on it. It starts, runs and operates fine but putting the bag on and off is terrible. It causes me not bag as much as I would like to.
You and I would get the better mower because we take care of our equipment. The average Joe just uses the mowers up, don't change oil or filters, sharpen blades, clean it up etc. Thanks for another excellent video.
When i was watching video so glad you didn't try and start the mower with the drill. I've seen older people around here do that and I'd be afraid with the torque to break my wrist ,the drill or do damage somewhere. Also The toro I have is close to what you were working on but it has the 3 speeds on it. Forgot to mention that last time. If you can find one I believe you can get a mulcher cover where the door for the bagger sticks up if you were going to keep it then you wont get as much dust all over it. So far so good and it's been a great mower. The older stuff seems to last a lot better I'm sure you've found that out to. Just a shame some mowers you have a very hard time finding parts for them.
I do mostly 2 stroke builds working for a large tree service I do their chainsaw builds. In the world of Stihl 90psi is minimum threshold for an engine to start cold. Typically at that compression they won't restart hot. On a fresh build I like to see 150psi plus. I rebuilt a MS260PRO with a pop up piston, heavy port job and a base gasket delete and was pushing just under 180psi. Talk about a thumper... Great vid!
@@HomeGaragechannel hey man no problem. I like your channel and I enjoy fooling with little motors. I'm a heavy duty diesel mechanic by trade but lend a hand with chainsaw repair when I'm not snowed over with greasy trucks! Have a good one dude keep up the good content!
Personally I’ve never seen a L head make much more than 120 PSI. They’re low compression engines. I rebuilt a Briggs opposed twin with brand new rings/honed cylinders and it only made 120 after being broken in.
Engine Restorer does work. It doesn't give instant results. It just takes use and time. I have had it work on some mowers and cars. On a car, it takes about 1000 miles for the best results. On a mower, you have to leave it in and use it a full mowing season or a month of full-time commercial use. You should see better compression. Yes, there are some it will not work on due to deep or heavily scored cylinder walls, carbon stuck rings or valves just not full seating or seal leaks. Have you rechecked any of the other mowers compression you have used it in after a season of use? This is just my opinion from personal use I have seen over many years of repairs. Thank you for another fun video to watch. I always enjoy them and give them a thumbs up. And look forward to your next posts on both your accounts.
wow, I didn't think it would that long, and about your question, no I haven't checked them but the problem is the I drain all the oil from all the mowers so I can move them to my Storage unit. That means I would have to add it again to the oil for this season.
If engine oil is overfilled it will cause these motors to smoke. Just drain the oil and keep it at the full mark , the smoking should go away. I have older 2 Toro Recyclers. The one I use every year since 1988 is still running fantastic. It has the Suzuki 4-stroke motor. The aluminum decks won't rust but beware they will corrode badly if wet grass is left to build up underneath. My friend had one that corroded so bad it had holes ate thru the deck. The other backup toro I have has the Briggs motor. Both mine have the aluminum decks. This is the only mower I would buy. The only problem I've had was the wheel tread wearing down and those wheels are not cheap. Thanks for the Vid. :)
Nice toro I work at a toro dealer and the quality of toros is excellent usually you could try and run a thicker oil in the engine such as sae 30 weight which helps against smoking usually taking the spark plug out and just examine the bore of the cylinder can tell you a lot about maintenance and how hard it’s been used a healthy reading of compression should be around 90- 120 is good anything less will probably run just very poor or oily and Smokey you ideally want above 120 I’ve never tried engine restore but I would let the mower run about an hour
I have always tended to lean towards straight 30W but according to this fellow, it doesn't matter if you use a single vs. multi-grade oil. That is, 10W30 will behave like straight 30 as soon as the engine gets hot, which is super fast on an air cooled engine. Honda recommends 10W-30 for its GCV160's and similar. th-cam.com/video/sHs89xCbD-o/w-d-xo.html
yes honda says 10w-30, I don't have a problem using straight 30 weight, but it would have to be something I only use in the summer, when it's warmer. I use my mower anywhere from 50 degrees and up.
Briggs&Stratton added synthetic 15w-50 to their list of approved viscosities. Where I live, it's common to be 105+ farenheit June-September. Since switching from sae30 and 15w40, I've noticed a dramatic decrease in consumption in my older, well worn engines.
Oh yeah, I got a free super recycler to replace my junk recycler. It’s so much better. They look the same at first, but the super recycler works much better. The clutch is a nice addition, and the drive system works amazing. The recycler could barely move on it’s own power, the super recycler was like a go kart.
I worked on one of these that I got for free several months ago. It was overfilled with oil which caused all kinds of problems but ultimately it wouldn't run reliably after sitting.
@@HomeGaragechannel Cleaned it up and sold it. It was a pretty nice unit, I should have mentioned that it was a different Toro recycler model, not the good one you have.
The compression on this lawn mower is not bad it's perfect I've been taught and trained that a good compression readings is between 60 and 120 PSI or anything above 120. I don't know why you're knocking the compression on this lawn mower this has good compression 125 is better than good!
Actually 60 PSI is on the low side. anything below 60 in a 4 cycle engine is not good it may still run above 60 but it's not the best compression ratio. The engine should run between 60 and 120 is okay. If you have a compressor 100 PSI or higher it means your valve are working okay. I learned this from a clip from doublewide6 a few years ago and I heard others say it too. I don't know if you're familiar with his video clips.
I used to have a husqvarna mower but it ended up completely locking up and I couldn't get it unstuck, but the Handel bar just snapped in half as I was mowing my yard
i have an old school toro recycler with the alloy/mag. base with a gts5 2stroke engine on it that i am rebuilding the engine. parts are hard to find but i have what i need for now.
I don't think that the compression is as bad as you think it is,the oil burning issue could also be due to the owner overfilling the engine with oil. My 3 horsepower Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine seems to test at 75 PSI with a brand new compression tester & 100 PSI with my dads compression tester so which one do I believe ? I have lapped the valves into the engine block & reset the valve clearance,I have also replaced the piston rings the engine only burned 150 mLs of oil in 10 hours of hard use instead of 200Ls of oil within 1 hour of use which it did with the old rings,it started burning a tiny bit of oil at full throttle with the old rings,it took 6 pulls to start it & it wouldn't restart with the automatic choke after 10 minutes of sitting while warm before I rebuilt the engine. The spark plug electrode runs a grey colour now so I believe the spark plugs condition & its low oil consumption in determining the amount of actual wear in the engine. It only takes a maximum of 3 pulls to start the engine now & it has more power,the spark plug electrodes started to get oil fouled before the rebuild as well !
The Briggs Quantum engines are usually bullet proof. I have a 2003 and it cuts better than a 2020 Toro Super Recycler and starts on the first pull. Not the new one which requires several pulls?!
I found that older SR was a terrific mulcher...I like them better than the new ones also...just not a Personal Pace fan...I prefer bales like on older John Deere's, commercial Toro/Exmark mowers...that engine even if a bit smokey at first is stalwart...tho again...I am a Kawasaki small engine fan...I would pay as much used for that mower as a new steel deck self-propelled...$200 may seem like a lot for a used mower but it would be hands down better than a $400 mower new
well for me from my view it all depends really whether it,s a hilly area or easier mowing and if you want good features and yep i,d replace the head gasket and maybe check the valves if that engine has it etc.
I have a Toro GTS 4! It's about 25 years old. Change the oil, spark plug and sharpen the blades like regular maintenance. Sounds just like yours when it first starts. Do you hear a knock? or is it me? Be honest.
I would pay more for all the features this mower has over others in the line-up provided the cost versus benefits stacked up. I must admit, back in the day when ball bearing wheels were introduced over "bush" type bearings, I did pay extra for that feature.
as far as I know, there is no, maintenance schedule for the transmission, they don't expect homeowners to service them. Instead, a technician would have to do it, by the request of the owner, And as far as the grease, It depends on each machine. Some transmissions, don't use grease but OIL, it just depends on the manufacturer.
That’s a good mower. That engine is still good too. Worth keeping just for the aluminum deck. Does that style of mower mulch good and do you consider it a better deck for mulching and bagging than the snapper decks?
@@HomeGaragechannel i dont have one, but i work with them all the time. Still see 30 year old ones putting around. Aluminium deck with most often a briggs. But the more pro models have a honda.
only on a rider, it was given to me, and I wasn't told that it didn't have any oil in it, I started it and drove it about 60 feet, where it promptly broke.
Probably shouldn't hose down the engine when it is hot should be ok if not overheated though , otherwise the sudden change in temperature due to it being aluminum could cause the head to crack
Well I'm a believer in you literally get what you pay for so yeah I would pay a little extra for a better machine. As a side note, I can't think of the time when priming with three has ever made the mower start right up. I've always had to go four or five if I wanted it to fire the first time 🙄
I would pay a little extra for more features. Considering I mow about a half acre those extra features would be beneficial for me. I almost bought that Toro super Recycler instead of the Honda but the Honda was on sale.
Hey there New suscriber here. Love this channel. Got a small Toro given to me . Ran ittle rough , done the basics a d good to go. Had it two years now. First pull ...after long cold winter 😊, fires up like a char. Ready to rock and roll. Best part... s# states built in 1984.. !!!alittle loud but i get ALOT , of comments how well she runs and how it cuts.. so its close to 40 years old.. just to prolong life alittle, should i put in an oil additive? Say stp engine supplement? You know, small blue bottle been around forever... use to use on my old cars. Since its an old mower i figure i use the ol school stuff... maybe a half an ounce or 1 ounce to to help live alittle longer? Just a preventative thing. What you guys thik. Keep up the great work on this channal. Think i got a new hobby!
Dang, you even got good wheels. Every time I have received a super, the wheels are bald :) Major score, Toro SR with a quantum will last a long long time!
The reason why the engine restoring didn’t work because poor maintenance so probably the cylinder was scuffed and engine restore cannot repair the engine if you have a worn out engine not scuffed it will work
I worked for a defunct department store in the 70's in the garden shop. Most of the mowers were MTD sourced. The machine we couldn't keep in stock was one with a larger engine and magnesium deck. It was a beast. It ran about $75 more at the time. Well worth it!
wow, that's definitely worth it, thank you George Mazich.
K-Mart?
I've got and have used extended life mowers. They're called SNAPPERS!
I know this is a old post but there are so many things here. I am not sure of this guys background on engine repair, but this one got me. It is clear what is wrong with this mower and he touched all around it but still missed it. The oily spark plug, dirty oil, the smoking exhaust, the low compression are all due to ring and cylinder wall damage. The damage was cause by the dirty air filter that he cleaned out at the first of the video. As he pointed out there was dirt getting around and or through the filter and into the engine. It is not the head gasket or the head bolts, the dirt has damaged the engine.
no you got the point of the video even without me saying it. Nice job.
I love the super recyclers. I’ve got the sr4 series, which was made from 2005-2021 with only minor changes. I have a 20057, a 20380, and a 21383.
thank you Riley Sindt I appreciate your time watching, and yes, they are fantastic mowers.
I have a 1 year old toro super recycler with the Honda engine and I love it! The thing has so much power that if you push the personal pace bar all the way down when you’re at a dead stop it will spin the rear tires! It also cuts really well and is certainly my favorite mower.
thanks for the information
I have a 2008 yr model Toro Super Recycler. Have maintained it to very high standards even though Mordecai (that is his name) spends his life under a shed with no sides. He cranks on the 1st or 2nd pull every time. I very much appreciate your mower videos. Another great job!!
You named your mower ? I have 13 riding mowers maybe I should name mine too
wow very nice, and that's an awesome name.
You've gotta use restore for at least a couple hours for it to work in my experience, it also works better with warmer running engines like Tecumsehs, I have an old Briggs classic I found on the side of the road and it was almost blown but now it starts consistently! Still poor performance because it's probably older than me but it helped!
Lol.. yes I see your point. thank you I'll have to do that.
Yes you need to use it for at least a season check out project farms video on it
@Home Garage I did some thinking and the reason it works with hotter engines is because when it sticks in the cracks of the cylinder, the oil is more efficiently removed from the metal compound that's in the solution, leaving the metal in the cracks.
Forgot replies aren't working
I have 2 super recyclers. One a curb find will be a parts mower. The other is fromm 1999. I serviced it for a customer and he gave it to me when he finally bought a new Honda. I told him if he didn't replace it with another super recycler, to get a Honda. I serviced a trans on one that a friend used in his mowing business. He had 4 of them. It was made before the personal pace. It had a 3 speed manual transmission. That parts were available to rebuild it. Definitely a learning experience. He took really good care of his mowers. I would guess it is 30 years old. Still runs like a dream. I have customers that have these older ones that not part with them. And I don't blame them.
thank you Raymond Campbell, for the information
Love this mower have one for my mowing company with the 6.75 Briggs on it and seriously going to get another to have a back up possibility but it just so reliable
I just bought the exact mower off FB for $25.00. Really nice shape except for the rear axel and adjuster on the left side are worn. Dropped it off at a local shop that works on vintage mowers. Supplied a newer blade, air cleaner, new drive belt, rubber shield, and a quart of 30 WT oil. The shop will source me a new axel and do a complete service on it. The engine ran great. Looking forward to getting it back, soooooo much better than the newer mowers!!! I also have a similar Super Recycler with the same engine but has the 3 speed transmission on the console. My favorite mower....so far!!!
congratulations! you're on your way to getting a great mower!
I have one from 2001.. still runs like a champ.
very nice
I suspect the slightly lower compression is due to the previous owner letting the air filter get so clogged that air and dust, dirt, debris, etc was getting past the filter and into the engine. People just do not realize how just a little bit of dust and debris can put tiny scratches into the cylinder wall. Also causes damage to the valves and valve seats.
that's a pretty good guess.
There is a way to fix this, which is to make the bore a few tenths bigger and replace the rings. A fresh cross-hatch and proper break-in can get the compression to insane figures. Insane enough to risk knock
@@Skyliner_369 bro, its not a car.
It's a basic b&s engine and I have seen fairly new ones with around the same compression as you got. Seemed to run really well so the oil burning before was just from it being overfilled. Rings might be worn a bit but again they are really basic engines inside. I would be super happy to use that for years.
thank you Tamiya Fan, I think you'r right.
120 psi compression is pretty good. Do a leak down test to pinpoint compression loss. Really solid mower.
it's more than likely the rings, but yes a leak down test would be best.
I have the same mower minus the self-propel option. It's about 20+ years old now and works pretty good. I do have trouble starting it at the beginning of every spring now. One common failure point I've found is the little gasket between the air filter housing and the carb. It's usually the first thing I check.
you are absolutely right about that gasket.
You had me at Restore with CSL.
I just wish I could get it to work on a mower, maybe I'm just picking the wrong engines for it work on.
@@HomeGaragechannel I think it's a matter of duration and duress. More time may be needed to make that difference, or thick grass. Do it with two more oil changes and regular mowing, see if that does make a difference.
you make a good point.
Great mower and engine honestly! Still sounds like it runs like new, nothing lasts longer than a flathead Briggs & Stratton motor. My Craftsman push mower is still going after 16 years! Take care of the equipment and it will take care of you. I didn't know a mower could last so long and still work like new. Don't plan on replacing it anytime soon since it still works great. Really shows if you take care of something properly it will last! I love your videos!
It sure was taken care of, and thank you C:\ DOS
If it means not dumping it in landfill after 10 years then yes. A good investment. Thank you for the video 👍🏻
No problem 👍
i have the exact same mower i bought used a few years ago. best mower i have ever owned. mine read the same at 55 lb but runs like a champ. i have found those things only take around 14 oz instead of the 18 oz of oil listed. the oil burning you saw might be because it was overfilled.
the aluminum deck is awesome. if my engine goes bad i will look for another engine to replace it . there are some grease fittings for the rear wheels that need to be greased also
thank you Whyme123 yes I just did a video where I put some fresh grease in them thru the fitting.
hey home garage. in youre last video i commented about my stihl fs 86 over heating and u said to comment how it goes. i took the engine apart and then got the engine block and washed it out with my electric pressure washer. it is only a weak unit so i wasn't worried about it damaging the block. then when i opened the fan housing it was covered in a really thick layer of grime and mud caked to the wall. i cleaned it off with the pressure washer and then put it back together. once i put it back together it worked really well and ran like a dream. thank you very much for you're help home garage.
no problem and you did a great job fixing it.
This mower has been used in my family for 18 years. At around the 15 year mark, the self propel has started to give way and has requires frequent maintenance and even a new part. But still, it runs like a dream.
wow nice to know it's still going strong!
Nice Freebie! An SR4 is an SR4 I didn’t know there was a commercial version of this mower. I always ASSUMED…Recycler, SR4 and then Timemaster.
Machine is in great shape and will get top dollar for it.
Guarantee smoke at start up is a combination of excess oil and improper handling.
As these engines get older I found myself finding loose head bolts. I only found this out while getting the machine ready to be sold for a profit. I would start up the engine to get the oil hot so I could change it. During the time I cover the machine in soap and hit it with the pressure washer. During the cleaning process when I go to clean the front and the motor starts to surge and/die I know the bolts are loose or head gasket blown.
Now as PM, every Quantum I see gets the head bolts retorqued.
You do a lot of volume like us. You should look into buying the A.F. 100 back of air filters use to be $100 3 years ago now it’s $125ish. That makes changing out the air filters a mindless, effortless, and easy task.
Thank You Pattay's Performance, and yes it's a great mower, I'll have to look into your suggestion.
I bought this same machine from a guy that had used it so much he had to put all new wheels on it.
It starts, runs and operates fine but putting the bag on and off is terrible. It causes me not bag as much as I would like to.
I hear you. I bagged for years, with this style and it was quite cumbersome.
You and I would get the better mower because we take care of our equipment. The average Joe just uses the mowers up, don't change oil or filters, sharpen blades, clean it up etc. Thanks for another excellent video.
Great point and you are correct.
i had the crappy mtd mower that was around 149 usd and i was wishing for a toro with those personal pace.
I think the Toro Personal pace mowers, didn't matter, which engine was on it, are all great mowers.
Love those mowers everything but the personal pace. If you get a mulch plug for it it will mulch better and have less dust.
thank you Billy Lawerance.
Some people like to have really nice things and others like to just be able to get the job done
very true.
When i was watching video so glad you didn't try and start the mower with the drill. I've seen older people around here do that and I'd be afraid with the torque to break my wrist ,the drill or do damage somewhere. Also The toro I have is close to what you were working on but it has the 3 speeds on it. Forgot to mention that last time. If you can find one I believe you can get a mulcher cover where the door for the bagger sticks up if you were going to keep it then you wont get as much dust all over it. So far so good and it's been a great mower. The older stuff seems to last a lot better I'm sure you've found that out to. Just a shame some mowers you have a very hard time finding parts for them.
I only use the drill on the engine to diagnose issues. The 3 speed is super nice, you got a good one there.
I wish lawn boys still made a version of this with the two cycle engine but sadly they were discontinued in 2005
me too.
I do mostly 2 stroke builds working for a large tree service I do their chainsaw builds. In the world of Stihl 90psi is minimum threshold for an engine to start cold. Typically at that compression they won't restart hot. On a fresh build I like to see 150psi plus. I rebuilt a MS260PRO with a pop up piston, heavy port job and a base gasket delete and was pushing just under 180psi. Talk about a thumper... Great vid!
I really appreciate you sharing some of the knowledge you have. thanks.
@@HomeGaragechannel hey man no problem. I like your channel and I enjoy fooling with little motors. I'm a heavy duty diesel mechanic by trade but lend a hand with chainsaw repair when I'm not snowed over with greasy trucks! Have a good one dude keep up the good content!
I will and thank.
Personally I’ve never seen a L head make much more than 120 PSI. They’re low compression engines. I rebuilt a Briggs opposed twin with brand new rings/honed cylinders and it only made 120 after being broken in.
thank you for the information
Never seen or had an 'L' head that wouldn't run.
Engine Restorer does work. It doesn't give instant results. It just takes use and time. I have had it work on some mowers and cars. On a car, it takes about 1000 miles for the best results. On a mower, you have to leave it in and use it a full mowing season or a month of full-time commercial use. You should see better compression. Yes, there are some it will not work on due to deep or heavily scored cylinder walls, carbon stuck rings or valves just not full seating or seal leaks. Have you rechecked any of the other mowers compression you have used it in after a season of use?
This is just my opinion from personal use I have seen over many years of repairs.
Thank you for another fun video to watch. I always enjoy them and give them a thumbs up. And look forward to your next posts on both your accounts.
wow, I didn't think it would that long, and about your question, no I haven't checked them but the problem is the I drain all the oil from all the mowers so I can move them to my Storage unit. That means I would have to add it again to the oil for this season.
If engine oil is overfilled it will cause these motors to smoke. Just drain the oil and keep it at the full mark , the smoking should go away. I have older 2 Toro Recyclers. The one I use every year since 1988 is still running fantastic. It has the Suzuki 4-stroke motor. The aluminum decks won't rust but beware they will corrode badly if wet grass is left to build up underneath. My friend had one that corroded so bad it had holes ate thru the deck. The other backup toro I have has the Briggs motor. Both mine have the aluminum decks. This is the only mower I would buy. The only problem I've had was the wheel tread wearing down and those wheels are not cheap. Thanks for the Vid. :)
thank you James K.
Great video, that is a great heavy duty built mower, I would definitely pay the extra to have a more robust well built machine that will last.
I would too, It certainly exceeded my expectations. thank you WildeFox
Cool video good info in a timely manner as well entertaining thanks keep up the great work
Glad you enjoyed it
Nice toro I work at a toro dealer and the quality of toros is excellent usually you could try and run a thicker oil in the engine such as sae 30 weight which helps against smoking usually taking the spark plug out and just examine the bore of the cylinder can tell you a lot about maintenance and how hard it’s been used a healthy reading of compression should be around 90- 120 is good anything less will probably run just very poor or oily and Smokey you ideally want above 120 I’ve never tried engine restore but I would let the mower run about an hour
Yes that makes sense, I'l have to get a smaller borescope for this year.
I have always tended to lean towards straight 30W but according to this fellow, it doesn't matter if you use a single vs. multi-grade oil. That is, 10W30 will behave like straight 30 as soon as the engine gets hot, which is super fast on an air cooled engine. Honda recommends 10W-30 for its GCV160's and similar.
th-cam.com/video/sHs89xCbD-o/w-d-xo.html
yes honda says 10w-30, I don't have a problem using straight 30 weight, but it would have to be something I only use in the summer, when it's warmer. I use my mower anywhere from 50 degrees and up.
Briggs&Stratton added synthetic 15w-50 to their list of approved viscosities. Where I live, it's common to be 105+ farenheit June-September. Since switching from sae30 and 15w40, I've noticed a dramatic decrease in consumption in my older, well worn engines.
@@aaronpowell4885 yeah
Oh yeah, I got a free super recycler to replace my junk recycler. It’s so much better. They look the same at first, but the super recycler works much better. The clutch is a nice addition, and the drive system works amazing. The recycler could barely move on it’s own power, the super recycler was like a go kart.
very nice. thank you jetpackjbd.
Had that same mower and sold it years ago. Wish I didn’t it was such a smooth mower.
I know right, sometimes you didn't realize what you had till it's gone. thank you weasel884
I worked on one of these that I got for free several months ago. It was overfilled with oil which caused all kinds of problems but ultimately it wouldn't run reliably after sitting.
that makes sense, what ever happened to it?
@@HomeGaragechannel Cleaned it up and sold it. It was a pretty nice unit, I should have mentioned that it was a different Toro recycler model, not the good one you have.
The compression on this lawn mower is not bad it's perfect I've been taught and trained that a good compression readings is between 60 and 120 PSI or anything above 120. I don't know why you're knocking the compression on this lawn mower this has good compression 125 is better than good!
I guess I want as much as possible thanks Joseph Pistachio. Just out of curiosity where did you get that 60 psi is a good compression number?
Actually 60 PSI is on the low side. anything below 60 in a 4 cycle engine is not good it may still run above 60 but it's not the best compression ratio. The engine should run between 60 and 120 is okay. If you have a compressor 100 PSI or higher it means your valve are working okay. I learned this from a clip from doublewide6 a few years ago and I heard others say it too. I don't know if you're familiar with his video clips.
can't say that I am.
Excellent video. Thank you for making and posting it. God[Bible] Bless.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I used to have a husqvarna mower but it ended up completely locking up and I couldn't get it unstuck, but the Handel bar just snapped in half as I was mowing my yard
🤣
wow, that's pretty amazing, what did you end up doing with It?
@@HomeGaragechannel we sold it and bought a new one
i have an old school toro recycler with the alloy/mag. base with a gts5 2stroke engine on it that i am rebuilding the engine. parts are hard to find but i have what i need for now.
nice good luck with it.
I just acquired a super recycler. Its old. Haven't looked at code on engine. Carb spray.... It fired....so that's my projects Saturday July 10th 2022
very nice, good luck with it.
Subscribed, keen to see what new content you release in the future.
thank you Alana Abstracts, I appreciate the comment and your time.
I don't think that the compression is as bad as you think it is,the oil burning issue could also be due to the owner overfilling the engine with oil.
My 3 horsepower Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine seems to test at 75 PSI with a brand new compression tester & 100 PSI with my dads compression tester so which one do I believe ?
I have lapped the valves into the engine block & reset the valve clearance,I have also replaced the piston rings the engine only burned 150 mLs of oil in 10 hours of hard use instead of 200Ls of oil within 1 hour of use which it did with the old rings,it started burning a tiny bit of oil at full throttle with the old rings,it took 6 pulls to start it & it wouldn't restart with the automatic choke after 10 minutes of sitting while warm before I rebuilt the engine.
The spark plug electrode runs a grey colour now so I believe the spark plugs condition & its low oil consumption in determining the amount of actual wear in the engine.
It only takes a maximum of 3 pulls to start the engine now & it has more power,the spark plug electrodes started to get oil fouled before the rebuild as well !
Well I was just hopeful that it would have at least 130 psi, which in my book is pretty dang good. thank you Russell Booth for the information
All depends on the price. Ty for a great video
Thanks for watching!
The Briggs Quantum engines are usually bullet proof. I have a 2003 and it cuts better than a 2020 Toro Super Recycler and starts on the first pull. Not the new one which requires several pulls?!
very nice skyemac8
I found that older SR was a terrific mulcher...I like them better than the new ones also...just not a Personal Pace fan...I prefer bales like on older John Deere's, commercial Toro/Exmark mowers...that engine even if a bit smokey at first is stalwart...tho again...I am a Kawasaki small engine fan...I would pay as much used for that mower as a new steel deck self-propelled...$200 may seem like a lot for a used mower but it would be hands down better than a $400 mower new
well for me from my view it all depends really whether it,s a hilly area or easier mowing and if you want good features and yep i,d replace the head gasket and maybe check the valves if that engine has it etc.
I could see you doing that. thank you Patrick Stapleton.
@@HomeGaragechannel for sure mate i have replaced head gaskets on a 4 stroke mower like this many times and not that hard at all really.
I have a Toro GTS 4! It's about 25 years old. Change the oil, spark plug and sharpen the blades like regular maintenance. Sounds just like yours when it first starts. Do you hear a knock? or is it me? Be honest.
No I don't, even in the raw footage, I don't hear it. but maybe your ears are more experienced than mine.
@@HomeGaragechannel Thanks for the reply. That's good news. It's ME! Whew!
I would pay more for all the features this mower has over others in the line-up provided the cost versus benefits stacked up. I must admit, back in the day when ball bearing wheels were introduced over "bush" type bearings, I did pay extra for that feature.
thank you Rob Peabo.
Definition of insanity.. "I've never had it work for me so I am hoping it will work this time." 🤣
you got that right
I have one just like that. I had the same issue but i just rebuilt the engine and it had worn rings
thank you James Hedrick, that would seem to be the best option.
What kind of maintenance can we do to mower transmissions? From what I understand, the are filled with grease. Just clean and pack with grease again?
yes if I recall it's just grease in the case, And as far as a maintenance cycle, probably after 3 to 5 years.
@@HomeGaragechannel I've never bought a mower new so I don't have onwers manuals. You have a recommendation for a certain type of grease to use?
as far as I know, there is no, maintenance schedule for the transmission, they don't expect homeowners to service them. Instead, a technician would have to do it, by the request of the owner, And as far as the grease, It depends on each machine. Some transmissions, don't use grease but OIL, it just depends on the manufacturer.
That’s a good mower. That engine is still good too. Worth keeping just for the aluminum deck. Does that style of mower mulch good and do you consider it a better deck for mulching and bagging than the snapper decks?
you are completely right about that Chad Riggs.
Do you guys have Klippo mowers? They are the benchmark here in Sweden
unfortunately no, I'll have to look them up. Do you have one?
@@HomeGaragechannel i dont have one, but i work with them all the time. Still see 30 year old ones putting around.
Aluminium deck with most often a briggs. But the more pro models have a honda.
that makes sense to me, thanks again.
Have you ever had a mower blow up on you, and then tear it apart o figure out what the cause of it was to blow up
only on a rider, it was given to me, and I wasn't told that it didn't have any oil in it, I started it and drove it about 60 feet, where it promptly broke.
Well I'm a person who would pay more for 4pot brakes on my bicycle so yeah, that's a lot more advantage then slightly more braking force.
Overfill engine oil will cause it to smoke.
yes you're absolutely right.
Yeah quality is good over economy sometimes. Cheers
thank you Aussie nebula.
When checking the oil level you're only supposed to set the dipstick on top of the fill tube do not turn it and lock it it on.
sure
Probably shouldn't hose down the engine when it is hot should be ok if not overheated though , otherwise the sudden change in temperature due to it being aluminum could cause the head to crack
I've heard the same thing growing up, But unless you get the aluminum a lot hotter than this, I don't it's going to hurt it.
Well I'm a believer in you literally get what you pay for so yeah I would pay a little extra for a better machine. As a side note, I can't think of the time when priming with three has ever made the mower start right up. I've always had to go four or five if I wanted it to fire the first time 🙄
me too, I figure the extra pulls is just insurance.
I would pay a little extra for more features. Considering I mow about a half acre those extra features would be beneficial for me. I almost bought that Toro super Recycler instead of the Honda but the Honda was on sale.
that makes sense
Great machine. Worth the extra.
It sure is! Thank you S Arnold.
Hey there New suscriber here. Love this channel. Got a small Toro given to me . Ran ittle rough , done the basics a d good to go. Had it two years now. First pull ...after long cold winter 😊, fires up like a char. Ready to rock and roll. Best part... s# states built in 1984.. !!!alittle loud but i get ALOT , of comments how well she runs and how it cuts.. so its close to 40 years old.. just to prolong life alittle, should i put in an oil additive? Say stp engine supplement? You know, small blue bottle been around forever... use to use on my old cars. Since its an old mower i figure i use the ol school stuff... maybe a half an ounce or 1 ounce to to help live alittle longer? Just a preventative thing. What you guys thik.
Keep up the great work on this channal. Think i got a new hobby!
nice mower Mark Menezes, and as for your question, if it was my mower, No, I would not put an oil additive. Regular oil changes will do just fine.
it depends on my needs and what I would be mowing.
that's a good point.
I had no idea if this stuff worked even at all, But i guess it only works to an extent of damage. Thanks Home Garage for putting my myth to bed.
Yes I think you're right, It's like taking medicine to save our life, when they were only when to make you healthy.
@@HomeGaragechannel 100% agree with you on that
It bad to run a mower without a blade to see if it runs I wonder what you think about
hey thanks for helping out with the algorithm.
Again, you get what you pay for and yes I would pay for those extra features.
thank you William Snow.
Buying used then yes, but new I don’t know if I would
that makes sense.
How do you rate Honda engine verses Briggs and stranton. I try to use n e30 but I use racing fuel or aviation gas to get away from gumming
I rate older Honda engines 9/10 and the Briggs flathead an 8/10. The newer engines have a different feel to them tho and don't rate as high for me
Did you throughly mix & shake engine restore?
yes I did
Dang, you even got good wheels. Every time I have received a super, the wheels are bald :) Major score, Toro SR with a quantum will last a long long time!
thank you Michael Jude, and I certainly hope so.
How much cc does stihl fs 55 have? And this mower sounds quiet
27 cc, and yes it is quite, thanks for the comment.
Wow
I don't why if they say that the stihl fs 85 is a good brush cutter than put it at 28 cc's
that's plenty of power for a brush cutter.
Okay.....
Have to wonder if Seafoam may work? Ever have any experience with Seafoam?
I've only used seafood for my cars, but not small engines, might have to try it out.
Did you just applied engine restore on the gas tank?
no
The reason why the engine restoring didn’t work because poor maintenance so probably the cylinder was scuffed and engine restore cannot repair the engine if you have a worn out engine not scuffed it will work
yes this one is that way
Yes pay more for beefed up hardware. Get what you pay for. Routine maintenance every season and last forever.
you got that right, thank you Phil Del Giudice.
I think it's worth the extra money for a more robust machine.
me too Brain King.
If you work with these types of engines you Can feel how many times you need to push the prime Ball
yes, If this was my mower, I could tell you exactly how times to push it. thanks for the comment. I appreciate it.
To me, type of mower is dictated by yard size. Big yard means big mower, with all the goodies.
that makes perfect sense, small yard, small mower
I'm not really one to talk, but regular maintenance goes a long way.
sure does
you probably advertised that mower as a mosquito repellent.
yes I think that would work.
Yes, I would pay more for quality.
thank you Bluor3.
I would restore this one if I was you. 👍🙏👍🙏
that's my plan, thank you RayFpv for your time.
I have a toro 21387 and it is garbage. Dealer replaced the carb due to service bulletin is 597096. Same issue. I paid over $600 for this junk.
sorry to hear that.
I’d pay more for it for sure
thank you 2035jim .
I would pay more for better quality I always do I never settle for anything less
wow very nice, thank you Hunter 747
Clean your air filter and change its oil and you won’t need engine restorer.
very true!
Too much oil !!
I hate watching nice things abused to failure...
Drity air filter 😡🤬😳😲 not great
no it's not great at all. .
@@HomeGaragechannel you got that right about that drity air filter 👍