John Deere lawn mower
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
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John Deere lawn mower
Hey guy's. Kind of a vent/question.
I have a LT 166 with a 16 horse Briggs on it. Good little mower. Saterday I am finishing up the yard and motor desides to puke a bearing and blow a hole thru the case. Totally without warning. Mower has been maintained buy myself and oil is always checked. Naturally the 2 year warrenty has past by about 7 months. John Deere basiclly said I am out of luck. John Deere repair shops in area all say they can tear it down and hope the company will split cost of replacement if it was "premature failure". Mower has less than 250 hours on it and has had oil changes and maintence done per the manual. Anyone ever heard of this before?
I am almost in shock. I though this mower would last 10-15 years at least. For the money, I could have had 2 cheaper mowers but I figured "hey...it's a John Deere...got to be good.
Just really fustrated.
:-(
I have a LT 166 with a 16 horse Briggs on it. Good little mower. Saterday I am finishing up the yard and motor desides to puke a bearing and blow a hole thru the case. Totally without warning. Mower has been maintained buy myself and oil is always checked. Naturally the 2 year warrenty has past by about 7 months. John Deere basiclly said I am out of luck. John Deere repair shops in area all say they can tear it down and hope the company will split cost of replacement if it was "premature failure". Mower has less than 250 hours on it and has had oil changes and maintence done per the manual. Anyone ever heard of this before?
I am almost in shock. I though this mower would last 10-15 years at least. For the money, I could have had 2 cheaper mowers but I figured "hey...it's a John Deere...got to be good.
Just really fustrated.
:-(
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,577
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From: Southern MD
John Deere lawn mower
Get the Model/Type numbers off the blower housing, then do an on-line search for B&S short blocks. You may be way ahead moneywise by doing it yourself. Make sure you get the proper replacement, so you don't have to do any modifications.
I used to be in the business, and doing a short block is pretty easy and quick.
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I used to be in the business, and doing a short block is pretty easy and quick.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
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John Deere lawn mower
Yeah, I figured if the shop said JD was not going to cover anything I would go the short block route and do it myself. It just sucks. Usually they puke right off the bat but I've had this thing for over 2-1/2 years. Didn't even make a sound except for boom. :-(
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,358
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From: Nebraska
John Deere lawn mower
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Oct-02 AT 04:21 PM (EST)]I'm not too impressed with the engine in my LT 155. After two years, it knocks, smokes, and burns a lot of oil. But this is a different motor (15 HP Kohler).
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1995 F-150 Supercab XLT 155" 4x4 M5OD 302
1986 F-150 4x4 NP435 300
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1995 F-150 Supercab XLT 155" 4x4 M5OD 302
1986 F-150 4x4 NP435 300
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 831
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From: Utica, NY
John Deere lawn mower
We have a John Deere lawn tractor. My father bought it new in 1988 and it still runs good with no major problems. We also have a John Deere snow blower. Last winter, I saw a pool of oil under it on the garge floor. I discovered a huge crack in the gear box for the augers. John Deere treated us very well, seeing as how this was only a couple years old. They paid for a good chunk of it meaning it was not much out of pocket for us. Try working with your dealer or go directly to John Deere. Good luck 
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Pampa,Tx
John Deere lawn mower
First off, the warranty on the Briggs engine is not covered by John Deere. It is Briggs & Stratton that decides what will be covered under warranty.Not your John Deere dealer.
You could have bought a Murray at Wal-Mart for under a thousand bucks and got the same Briggs engine.
As for the engine, if it were a flaw, it would have showed up in the first year.If you have a hole in your block its not from a thrown bearing. Your connecting rod broke.
A Briggs engine usualy throws a rod from lack of lubrication.Not changing the oil on a rugular basis or letting it run out of oil.
If your high beem switch is not a button on the floor you ain't got #####.
You could have bought a Murray at Wal-Mart for under a thousand bucks and got the same Briggs engine.
As for the engine, if it were a flaw, it would have showed up in the first year.If you have a hole in your block its not from a thrown bearing. Your connecting rod broke.
A Briggs engine usualy throws a rod from lack of lubrication.Not changing the oil on a rugular basis or letting it run out of oil.
If your high beem switch is not a button on the floor you ain't got #####.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 788
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From: CHEESELAND, USA
John Deere lawn mower
I think Briggs engines run better on Pemex now that they are made in Mexico.
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: utica n.y., u.s.a.
John Deere lawn mower
hey this has nothing to do with you but(my 2 cents) i had an ariens 5hp briggs rider that was older than dirt and i had it 2 days and it puked its guts because the guy i got it fro m rigged the idle so it was too high and when i ws using it i hadnt kept an eye on the oil and then just going along and BOOM! and i see smoke coming from the side of the block so i figured it a loss because it was a 30$ item
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,498
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From: Raleigh, NC
John Deere lawn mower
Keep in mind that the engine is not a John Deere, it is a Briggs and Stratton. So the coverage should come from B&S. My JD has a B&S in it and has had no trouble. By the way, be glad it wasn't a Tecumseh. A Tecumseh is lucky if it lasts a year.
Nothing Runs Like A Deere!!!
Nothing Runs Like A Deere!!!
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