[jlsch1]

I will give everyone advice to get more out of any outdoor power equipment.
1. 80% of returns or service calls are the carb.
- Ethanol is corrosive and within 30 days or less of sitting it will do some damage.
- How to solve this
A. Use a fuel stabilizer like Stabil or your favorite brand
B. Best way when you know you are not going to use the equipment weekly drain the tank and run the carb out of fuel.
C. Fuel solenoid which goes up and down in the carb shuts fuel off and on.
This gets stuck a lot if ethanol sits and it an easy fix.
Please don't get back yard Leroy cutting down your fuel solenoid, and put a fuel line with a fuel shutoff on your unit.
It does work, but if you forget to shut it off you get fuel dripping all over.
Good idea but you run into 1 stupid person that screws this up plus it voids your warranty.
D. Please don't ask me on lower end commercial or residential which motor is better.
Briggs has issues
Kohler is better but they had their run of some bad models not as bad as briggs
Kawasaki has issues also on their low end commercial models not as bad as briggs

Low end rider units (got to make the motors in china to keep the riders under $1,200)
Yup skippy not made to cut 5 acres. They will do it, but it just won't last due to hours this units designed for will be reached quicker.
They guy that has a little yard if he takes care of it these mowers will last due to he will never reach the hours they were built for.

Briggs made in China Not bad have a larger percentage of service than other two below but not huge like people think
(no oil filter in this price range)
Kohler made in China Not bad like others has a small percentage of bad units
( I think they do have oil filters)
Powermore made in China MTD makes not a bad engine for being out 6 years very few complaints.
(surprised me that it does have an oil filter and lasted as long as it has without a lot of issues)
It is made in a plant that Chi***** use to be made which everyone thinks is so great
I put the Chi infront due to it throws people off to what motor was made in this plant before powermore.
I been surprised about this motor also in a low end motor its a pretty good little engine.

Now remember change your oil per mfg's recommendations and filters.
Good fuel and use a stabilizer
Run engine fuel out of the engine if you sit it up.
Change your mower blades or sharpen blades