185 dead

[SONNY]

Finally got the sg completely re-done by a pro shop, ($200), put it on, motor started up, oil light wanted to stay on. well after 3 blinks it always went out, this time on the 5'th blink I hit the kill switch. Dusty said I gotta "prime the oil pump"? NEVER have I done anything like that before! ---- didnt know how, --- anyway I took the filter out and stuck a small funnel down the hole and filled it with oil and put filter back in and started it again, 3 blinks, light goes out so we ready to mow. Got 500 feet and gov opened,--blue smoke came out of the muffler AND the crankcase breather, then promptly died to never start again.
Can only sorta check compression on #1 without taking gas tank off and warm motor and dry piston had 50 pounds, a few squirts of oil and I got a 91 pound reading.----- I would say motor is blown.
Got HOT spark, gas,new battery and cables, and motor turns over fast----wont fire a shot.
Question is,----- rings worn out? ---- right? --- I know it needs rod bearings, has needed them for 6 years.
Right a band-aid fix is all I want so I can finish the mowing season with it then do something else this winter. Was thinking about just rings and rod bearings for now IF I can put them in with motor in the tractor.
Other option I have is to drag the motor out of the other 185 or the 154 ( 154 has 3-pt. on it and dont really want to take that motor) and put in this one. GOTTA have this one cause its got creeper drive which I have to have for what I mow with it.
Thoughts and opinions welcome here----good or bad! lol! Thanks!

[indy61]

I would install the mower on one of your other tractors and rebuild the engine over the winter. I'm not sure why you need the creeper to mow but maybe you can make half passes or raise the deck on first pass than lower for another.

[BigBill]

Blue smoke out of the crankcase breather? Sounds like some serious blowby. I piston let go?

[SONNY]

I kinda think all 4 pistons may be gone. It had been getting awfully low on power lately!
IF I can get oil pan off without taking motor out,----It would be quicker to push pistons out and stick new rings on, but if crank is egged,-- new bearings wouldnt hold either. I know the oil pump is worn out cause it didnt have pressure on startup and all of my c-60 motors ALWAYS has pressure.
Not sure this mower would fit the 154 with the 3 pt on it and the other 185 has been stripped for parts except the complete motor still intact, so cant put mower on it. Kinda down to getting this one back running, and sadly --yes I do need creeper gear to mow with.

[outdoors4evr]

I would install the mower on one of your other tractors and rebuild the engine over the winter. I'm not sure why you need the creeper to mow but maybe you can make half passes or raise the deck on first pass than lower for another.

Temporarily, (meaning for the rest of this year) I'd move the mower. It should fit another numbered series lowboy with the 3-point.
The oil pan can be removed after pulling the rockshaft, steering arm, and the flywheel cover.

[SONNY]

Looked at another 154,---mower, loader, and 3-pt, with creeper gear, BUT not for no $4,200 ! the guy is nuts! --- still havent had time to drag the other 185 out and see how big of a deal it is to take the motor out of them,---I know its time consuming! --- wish my 154 had creeper gear in it! lol!
Getting the mower off is as hard as taking the motor out! --- I said when I put the new mower on this 185 that I would NEVER try to take it off again! lol!

[TacticsFirst]

I hate to resurrect an old thread, but what did you end up doing?

[SONNY]

Right now it's sitting, still dead! --Started taking the motor out of the other 185 and will stick it in this one. I have the motors partly un-bolted , but got side tracked on the bucket truck rear axle repair.
I think I can get the motors out without messin with the mowers, since they are so hard to get out,---at least for me they are! Health problems again are slowing me down so work is at a crawl at this point!