In search of a dedicated small engine community I come here.

I have an older husqvarna frontrider with a hydrostatic transmission. While checking the transmission oil I noticed that the fan had broken of most of the blades.

Looking at the transmission cover I can see that it has been grazed by the blades, suggesting that the fan has been pulled sideways.

The oil check was part of a small service, that I was doing since I had to replace both belts going to the cutting deck as well as the belt in the deck. Those belts died when the belt tensioner, in middle of the mower, came loose and dangled beneath the mower.

My questions are these:

  1. WTF?
  2. If the belts have pulled that much in the engine driveshaft, as to do this, what else would you look for before starting the mower again?
  3. Given that it’s about 10°C outside, would you run the mower without a fully functioning fan?
  4. Have I missed something? Any wisdom you wish to impart?
  • jmiller@lemm.ee
    16·
    1 month ago

    I don’t think the hub of the fan was pulled over to make those grazes, I think it’s more likely those happened when blades broke off or something went into the fan and was dragged over the transmission case.

    As for running without, that fan is partly there for direct cooling, partly to keep grass clippings from collecting on top. Even in cooler temps, a blanket of clippings could make it get hotter than it should be.

    • GloriousGherkins@lemmy.world
      7·
      1 month ago

      This is the right answer. The fan should be easy enough to fix since it’s held in with a clip, and a quick search for that fan shows they’re less than $20 in the US.

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
      1·
      1 month ago

      Crazy to me there’s no guard on that fan. Even one with large openings, chicken-wire type (but stronger) would’ve prevented whatever got in there to cause the blades to break.

          • BigDanishGuy@sh.itjust.worksOP
            1·
            1 month ago

            I thought the same, but it would have had to be another time, because the only belt in reach didn’t snap and fly off, it stayed in place but was shredded so the inner stands were exposed.