I just replaced my 14 year old John Deere with this model. This was my first self propelled mower. I have a small almost flat lawn so I didn't really think I needed the self propelled feature. I've only used it once but after mowing the front lawn I was fighting the mower. Seemed like it was more work than the old mower. I don't mow in circles so in some areas the distance I mow ranges from 50' to as little as 5' so there is a lot of turning around or pulling the mower backwards. The back yard went much easier as it is basicly just a big oval. I think with time I will get used to the mower and it will be fine. It is a little hard to match speed to your pace. It goes from too slow to too fast very quickly but I think I will like it as I get used to it. Adjusting speed without having to reach for a lever seems like a good idea to me but like I said I have never used a self propelled model before. I also looked at the next model up with the plastic deck. This appealed to me because the reason I replaced the John Deere was the deck corroded through. I always cleaned under the deck after mowing like the manual said but it started to corrode the 2nd year I had it. I was surprised it lasted as long as it did. I also liked the the way you can split between mulching and bagging but three things killed the mower for me. 1. The handle was to ackward to fold compared to this model. 2. It was much longer which would make it difficult to handle around the walls and raised beds in my yard. 3. Price. $200.00 more. I think that if people take the time to get used to the controls this will turn out to be a good mower. Some have complained about no liner in the cylinder and the lack of pressure feed lubrication, but what good is designing an engine that will last 30 years if the rest of the mower is dead in 10?

I'm sorry your salty rusty. IMO its a huge waste of time being bitter and in this application, loggers nothing helpful or insightful at all to help the OP with their issue. If you are only comfortable with the antiquated flathead design of some companies lawn equip then I myself would wonder if you have trouble pouring water from your own boots, directions included or not. To say that OHV design is finniky or hokey is quite amusing as its about as that design is almost as old as the hills aswell and is quite straightforward and offers myriad benefits in every aspect compared to other designs. I'm a 30y old car salesman and have been doing it for 10y. Even though I often work 50-60h a week, I have enjoyed replacing transmissions, engines, installing super/turbo charger systems on many different typed of real cars (perhaps to your delight/dismay, mainly Fords) and also just about every other electrical/mechanical process imaginable. So to make inaccurate, broad but mostly ignorant comments about younger generations just shows the exact same traits in yourself that you so loath in mine. OP, from what I gather with the info you have provided it sounds line you broke a chunk of the threaded plug material from the mower. IMO it would be best to either purchase a whole new engine (perhaps craigslist), or find a local reputable machincr shop and see if they can repair the problem. Other than that maybe you could get a gsv160 (newer Honda motor for lawn equipment) and put it on your mower. From the little searching I did on your motor, they are not readily available and when found are quite expensive. The gsv160 can be had brand new (not rebuilt/furbished) for ~$200.

I don't know anything about the seal problems, but a Toyota with only 76K miles could have a lot of life left. As for $3K, I again say look at the "book value" to see what it should sell for and look at the private sale value, that should be less than what you'd have to pay at a dealer. Again, I'd look at the book on Chevy and Ford (S10 and Ranger to be in the same size range as the Toyota) and see if it is possible to get one a couple of years newer and a few miles less used for the same money. I was talking to a fisherman I "bumped" into a couple of days back. He had noted my Chevy Colorado and asked how I like it. He had a Chevy S10 of some years, don't remember, but I do remember he said he had about 300,000 on it. Yes he had replace a number of things, but he engine/transmission/drive-train was original equipment. My 1988 Dodge Ram 50, similar size, had about 100,000 on it when I traded it in (gave away) on the Chevy and the only problems I had were: Head Gasket and Carb. It was a 4WD and the drive train/clutch seemed to be in "perfect" shape. A mechanic at the dealer bought the truck, and I see it from time to time, he's still driving it to work. He said he replaced the carb, I don't know if anything else has gone. Point? 76K miles isn't a lot of miles on a vehicle if it has been maintained (mostly just oil change/filter change).

We ended up with the Honda Civic EX. We looked again at the Corolla, but they checked and told us there wasn't a white Corolla in a 5 state area with ABS and side airbags. They said they had never seen one at all with stability control. ??? We had an offer of a white Honda LX without side airbags for $15,200 with 1.9% interest. There was no white LX with sidebags anywhere in the state. We almost took the one without the sidebags, but we really want the side airbags. They didn't have a white EX with sidebags, but they found one at a dealer 300 miles away. They wanted $400. over invoice. Too much I though and we left after 3 hours. They called me at home and knocked $100. off. Still too much. They called back and offered invoice. I took it. They are still of course getting a dealers holdback and I am sure there is more. The EX also has ABS brakes, sunroof, and a few extra bell and whistles. We are paying $17,475 with 1.9%. I hope this is fair. What do you think?