Snorkel for 520-H?

[fng120 0]

Has anyone ever made a snorkel for a 520-H? My cover over the fly wheel always gets plugged with debris and its a pain to keep it clean. It dies from not getting enough air. Any help I would be greatful. thanks

[kpinnc 16,241]

Can't say I haven't thought of something similar, but I've never seen it done.

And just a suggestion: If you have problems with debris at the flywheel cover, you may want to check the fins on the rear cylinder UNDER the cover. Buildup there causes cooling problems, which is believed to be the cause of valve seat issues and resulting piston rod failures. You could end up having at best a dead cylinder, or at worst a destroyed engine.

[fng120 0]

Thanks for the suggestion. I always make sure I blow it off completely with the air compressor after every use.

[nick909 0]

I have a 416-H that had a similar problem of collecting stuff on the blower screen. I use a 42 inch side discharge deck and the grass clippings, leaves and othe debris fly up and collect on the screen, which caused me to stop many times while cutting grass, to clean the screen. I've read too many stories about the back cylinder problems not to keep the screen clean. If you ever watched dirt track race cars they have a "shaker screen" in front of the radiator to keep dirt from plugging up the radiator fins, dirt collects on the front screen and falls off with the car bouncing around. So with this thought in mind, I bought some hardware cloth at Tractor Supply, 1/8 by 1/8 squares and made a screen that covers the blower screen from the bottom to top and stands about four inches away from the engine blower housing(I'm sorry but I don't have a photo). This screen is open at the top, so now debris collects on the screen I made and very little gets to the engine screen because air gets thru the hardware cloth screen and over the top. Right now my screen dosen't look real pretty, but it's effective; next Spring I hope to improve it's looks and access to the oil drain tube that is now brhind my screen.

[MalMac 1,333]

I have had this problem myself. I use my 520 with a bagger system on it in the fall for leaf pickup. When the leaves are thick I can't go 15ft without wiping off the flywheel screen. It really gets to be a pain in the a------s. I started carrying a short handled broom that I would reach down and brush it off. That way I did not have to stop all the time, still a pain. I like the idea of using hardware cloth.

[Wheelbearing 49]

Tell me about it. Mulching leaves is the worst. half cut up leaves are always stuck to it.