# 960 bogs when I engage my finish mower



## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

I tried out my 90-inch finish mower on Friday. When I engage the PTO on my 960, the engine bogs almost to a stall. Once the mower RPM comes up, it's OK, but the tractor acts like it's very much under load ... like when I lower the plow too deep. Under a load like that, white smoke comes off the engine. If I disengage the PTO, the smoke stops in about 10 seconds.

I had thought the smoke might just be burn-off of the hydraulic oil from my leaking loader. But it's definitely when the tractor's under load, so I don't think it has anything to do with spilled/sprayed oil.

Am I running too big a mower? Or is this normal? Or do I have engine problems?

Thanks!


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## Morgan (Oct 26, 2006)

Does it do it if you have the finish mower in the air and not on the grass when you engage it.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

Yes, it still bogs.

I mowed some more tonight. It really bogs down when I engage the PTO, but then it does bring up the RPM and then I let out the clutch the rest of the way and go OK. 

My grass is barely long enough to need to be mowed ... so it's really not bogging me down.


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

Can you have someone else operate the tractor so you can pin point a little better where the smoke is coming from? It could be a head gasket but its hard to say without more info. 

Is the mower bogging down due to something inside not being right and rubbing? I would think your tractor should be able to get it going easier than that with little or no grass to stop it. You don't have a two speed pto do you? Is it set to 540 rpm?


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

no, I don't have a 2-speed PTO. I guess I could engage the PTO with the transmission in neutral and climb off and look for where the smoke is coming from. Just leaning forward while mowing, all I can see is that it's somewhere on the engine.

Getting my 7-month pregnant wife to operate it while I look ... I don't think so. My son would love to, but at 5 years old ... no, really bad idea 

Head gasket smoke -- would that show up just under load? I think I said I saw the same thing when plowing.

Something rubbing ... are you thinking something in the mower? Maybe I should set it up on something and check. I know I can't turn the PTO shaft by hand on it, but thought that might be normal on a mower that big.

Thanks for the ideas!


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## Morgan (Oct 26, 2006)

One thing it could be is water from the radiator. I had the overflow tube on mine one time break and it was blowing water on the hot engine but would only do it when the tractor was under a load. Check your water level in the radiator.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

This sure does sound like a fuel starvation issue to me. Have you gone through the fuel system to verify not blockages, clogged filters, or water in the fuel? 

The white smoke could be from the water in the fuel or just a leaking exhaust manifold gasket. 

Just taking a "swag" here.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

Well, guys, good call on the head gasket.

I found I had coolant bubbling out between the head & block on the right. But I kept mowing. Then all of a sudden i REALLY lost power and white smoke started billowing out the stack. Never mind the PTO ... I barely had power enough to drive the thing back up the hill to the garage!


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

Sorry to hear about your problems Daniel

I know on my old tractors I notice the head gasket leaks more when its under load. Sometimes you can go quite a while before they let loose but as you found out when they go you really notice the difference. 

Let us know if that fixes things for you. 

Andy


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