Newly purchased 520xi

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Hopefully you got that cleaned out. To me that would be pretty bad as I bought a 520xi that looked similar. Cleaning did drop the temperature. Kohler states in their manual to clean it every 100 hours.

[Rxracer 12]

Well it's getting cleaned and gonna hit time with brake clean also. 

Found the bearing and the seal. So changing those. Also doing spark plugs. 

Not sure what else would cause it to run hot. Deck bearings and fully bearings all feel pretty good. 

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

2 hours ago, Rxracer said:

Not sure what else would cause it to run hot

 

You've caught up to where I am.  I've tried everything I could think of.  Wish I could buy a new oil temp sensor, but they are NLA.

Edited May 4, 2019 by Kurt-NEPA
My Mistake

[Rxracer 12]

Got it all back together, took it for a spin mowed my brothers yard for 30-40 mins and hit it with a laser temp gun, oil filter area still around 235° other side of the sump around 200°.

Not sure if that's normal or what. 

Really confused as I could feel the air pumping out from around the shrouds and everything.  

[Rxracer 12]

Oh yeah one more thing, is the max rpm while the blade are going or just stopped with the engine are WOT.

I did a check at WOT in the shop no blades on and got 3220rpm.

[Rxracer 12]

I installed new plugs before testing the mower again. And after running for 40+ minutes this is what it looked like... Running lean? 

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

Hi RXRacer,

 

I just came in from mowing my lawn.  2 hours of mowing heavy wet grass at about 78 degrees. I thought you might like to see my temperatures

 

Tractor was a 2000 522xi that was repowered with a new 22.5 HP Kohler Command Pro - V-twin and an oil cooler.  There are about 50 hours on the engine.  The temperature gauge was reading mid - green.  Right where I would expect it.

 

My temperature readings (IR spot meter)

 

Oil Filter - 245F

Crankcase - 235F

Oil Sump - 220F

Oil Cooler 260F

 

That doesn't look far off from what you were reading.

 

I was hoping someone with more experience than I have would comment on your plug picture.  To my eye, that plug looks normal.

 

Best of luck with your 520xi.

[Rxracer 12]

Ok well I just pulled the rear fenders to find the hydro unit completed coated with junk! Crazy how people let these machines go. 

 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

1 minute ago, Rxracer said:

Ok well I just pulled the rear fenders to find the hydro unit completed coated with junk! Crazy how people let these machines go. 

 

Yep, the 250 hr 523Dxi looked nearly as bad, even the little 3 cylinder diesel engine in it was just as bad...

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

13 minutes ago, Rxracer said:

Ok well I just pulled the rear fenders to find the hydro unit completed coated with junk! Crazy how people let these machines go. 

 

 

 

 

Wow!, that's even worse than mine.  Time to get busy.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Kurt-NEPA

[Rxracer 12]

Finally all cleaned up. Just need reassembly now! 

Think I'm going to also order an oil cooler and remote mount it under the steering wheel vents. Just for piece of mind. 

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,040]

You will love that machine!! 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

It doesn't look like it but be careful that you don't pinch the fuel lines and gas tank vent lines when you reattach the fender. There are channels in the top of the tank that they run in.

[Rxracer 12]

So I've been tying up loose ends which included changing the anti scalp wheels. They were all wollered out. I ordered some new ones and went to change them and found this... 

 

It's pretty wore. A new bar with the stud is 50-75 each. My thoughts is to grind it smooth. Cut it off and weld a new one on. Has anyone tried  using these that I have a screen shot of so they would be replaceable in the future? 

Thanks 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

9 hours ago, Rxracer said:

So I've been tying up loose ends which included changing the anti scalp wheels. They were all wollered out. I ordered some new ones and went to change them and found this... 

 

It's pretty wore. A new bar with the stud is 50-75 each. My thoughts is to grind it smooth. Cut it off and weld a new one on. Has anyone tried  using these that I have a screen shot of so they would be replaceable in the future? 

Thanks 

I think you would be better off with the new ones that you posted especially if can do the work (drilling and thread tapping), replaceable is better IMO.

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

9 hours ago, Rxracer said:

So I've been tying up loose ends which included changing the anti scalp wheels. They were all wollered out. I ordered some new ones and went to change them and found this... 

 

It's pretty wore. A new bar with the stud is 50-75 each. My thoughts is to grind it smooth. Cut it off and weld a new one on. Has anyone tried  using these that I have a screen shot of so they would be replaceable in the future? 

Thanks 

 

Wow!  That is really shot.  I would replace them, even at that cost.  Or in my case I would make my own.

 

[Rxracer 12]

Well I have no issue cutting them off. Just didn't know if anyone had tried those axles from the zero turn to make them replaceable. My first option was to just cut it all off, clean it up, weld a new stud to it and sleeve it. But this seemed like a nice option. 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

37 minutes ago, Rxracer said:

Well I have no issue cutting them off. Just didn't know if anyone had tried those axles from the zero turn to make them replaceable. My first option was to just cut it all off, clean it up, weld a new stud to it and sleeve it. But this seemed like a nice option. 

As I said above, I'm all for being able to replace them easily when needed...honestly that's what I would do.

[Rxracer 12]

So I ordered this. If anyone wants I can report back if it works. Should he rather easy.  Grind smooth and drill a 3/8" hole, run bolt though put on sleeve and wheel and tighten down. 

[Rfp55 33]

If you have an owners manual, check if the deck is to "hang" from the tractor frame - with the deck wheels just in play for rare humps & irregular ground. Some manufacturers decks have full continuous rollers meant to support deck and float blades over everything always. If you have only two wheels at the back or four small wheels at the corners they might not be designed to carry the deck weight. Argued with quite a few mis-informed people that thought a small plastic wheel was there to hold up a 175# deck for a thousand miles of bad ground while packed with sand. That very worn shoulder bolt says something was used wrong.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

6 hours ago, Rfp55 said:

If you have an owners manual, check if the deck is to "hang" from the tractor frame - with the deck wheels just in play for rare humps & irregular ground. Some manufacturers decks have full continuous rollers meant to support deck and float blades over everything always. If you have only two wheels at the back or four small wheels at the corners they might not be designed to carry the deck weight. Argued with quite a few mis-informed people that thought a small plastic wheel was there to hold up a 175# deck for a thousand miles of bad ground while packed with sand. That very worn shoulder bolt says something was used wrong.

Not trying to be rude here...but with these Toro WH decks these 2 rear wheels are the "gauge" wheels it is how the height of cut is maintained once the deck is lowered from transport height, the other oval plastic type wheels on these decks are the anti-scalp wheels...

[Rfp55 33]

Thanks a bunch hillbilly for the specific deck explanation - I would still like to get an xi someday. Have two steel serpentine belt idler pulleys from a Dodge with sealed bearings I'd use for the load bearing gauge wheels maybe?

[Rxracer 12]

Wonder if my deck is set wrong than. Cause it was riding on the front wheels. Not only that the height adjustment is in the mid range. 

So these decks should "hang" and not run on the anti scalp wheels? 

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

1 hour ago, Rxracer said:

Wonder if my deck is set wrong than. Cause it was riding on the front wheels. Not only that the height adjustment is in the mid range. 

So these decks should "hang" and not run on the anti scalp wheels? 

 

If you download the deck manual from Red Square it will walk you through the deck set up.  If I remember correctly, you adjust your gauge wheels to your normal cutting height, lower the deck and adjust the outer anti-scap wheels to 3/8" above a level surface.  I just use my little finger as a gauge.

 

You might want to adjust the front/rear tilt too so that the front is nose down a bit.  But that is another issue.

 

Good luck!

+

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

4 hours ago, Rxracer said:

Wonder if my deck is set wrong than. Cause it was riding on the front wheels. Not only that the height adjustment is in the mid range. 

So these decks should "hang" and not run on the anti scalp wheels? 

Unless the height adjustment is all the way forward (down) the front anti-scalp wheels in the front should NOT be touching the ground, but as you can see from my xi pic above they have the anti-scalp wheels set all the way up (the classic series decks aren't adjustable)...i had 2 xi series a 520xi and 523Dxi, I just prefered the classic 520H Wheel Horse, then bought myself a 4wd sub compact Mahindra eMax.