What Would You Do? (Riding lawn mower advice)

[jjohnson5150]

I have a John Deere 111 riding lawn mower that is about 30 years old. It's been a great tractor for the cabin. Something blew on the engine last summer. It started knocking really loud, oil starting spilling out and smoke followed. I've called the Elbow Lake JD dealer & another shop nearby that works on JD's. They quoted $500-$600 for a new engine to be put in. I could get a brand new one with hydro drive for $1699 right now & actually have the money set aside to pay for it.

Here's the question - would you repair the classic tractor knowing all the other parts are 30 years old or just spring for a new one?

If I was to go with a new one, what would the market be for a 30 year old JD with a broken engine?

[echo2010]

Personally, I would say you got your moneys worth with it.

I think I would opt for a new one if you are able...Everything else on that mower is old and eventually going to need some kind of repair.

30 years huh? They sure dont make them like that anymore

[jjohnson5150]

My Dad gave it to me when they moved out of their house. I'm kind of attached to it, which is the only reason I'm struggling with getting rid of it. I wish I had the space & time to work on it myself to get it going again. Everything on the tractor is in great shape too.

[IcePro]

30 years, no wonder their slogan is "Nothing Runs Like a Deere".

Maybe you can have it made into Deere sausuage

[Dave]

Maybe find a motor at Northern that would fit or a used one

Or find a guy that works out of his home to fix your motor. I suspect it'd be less expensive than a JD dealer.

[Tom7227]

A lot depends on what shape the rest of it is in. How are the axels/spindles/ Transmission? Mower deck? How well did you maintain it by cleaning it up, greasing where needed etc. Rusted out in critical places?

You may find out that the new unit is not built all that well - that price seems low to me for a Deere rider. I don't know about Deere at all but I do know that a lot of the lower end stuff is really built on the cheap and doesn't hold up well. Then about 5 years down the line some $4 jobberdo breaks, you can't find it and you end up with a lawn ornament.

I'd bet there's a back yard mechanic somewhere near Ashby that would do this for a lot less than the dealer.

[wishing for walleyes]

I'm the kinda guy that thinks 2 is better then 1.Buy the new one and fix the classic.2 people mowing will also get the job done faster

[kudu63]

I agree with Tom7227 - if the rest of the mower is in decent shape the $5-600 price is good for a new installed motor. About 12 years ago I replaced the motor on my JD 111 with a 12.5HP Brigg IC motor from Nor-Hydralics and I also opted for the the recoil option as well -although I never had to use it. I think that motor then cost me like $500 and I installed it myself. Only had one small issue with the oil drain not fitting through the frame. Just cut the hole opening with a hack saw and it dropped right in. You just have to make sure that the motor shaft is the same length and diameter as your old one. You can bet that new one for $1600 won't be around in 30 years.... You can't get a decent used rider for the money it will cost to get this one running again - IMO.

[jjohnson5150]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm giving some serious thought to replacing the motor. It's true, they don't make them like they used to. I'm not really much of a mechanic, but am somewhat handy. Is motor replacement someone with mid range fix it skill can handle? The tractor has been well taken care of. No rust to speak of. No cracks on the seat. Minimal scratches. Etc.

[kudu63]

JJ,, I guess I would grade myself in your same category for fixing. If you question it just take the old motor out yourself being it don't work anyways. Then you can tell what your up against. Just remove mower deck and hood to get at everything. I'm assuming there is an electric clutch on the bottom of the motor shaft. You may need an impact wrench to loosen the nut on the pulley assembly because it will turn the shaft when you try to loosen it. If I remember right there is like 4-5 bolts holding the motor to the frame and few wires to the starter. Heck you got nothing to loose and if you take it to the shop you already have the motor out if you go that route. Remember to verify the mounting hole pattern and shaft size to a new one. Again I did have a slight issue with the oil drain plug not fitting correctly as I mentioned earlier but I upgraded from a 11HP to a 12.5HP so that may have been the reason.

[Tom7227]

Well right now you are assuming that the motor is toast. Probably a good assumption but if you don't really know then maybe having someone check it out makes sense. It may be worth fixing the motor you have.

A cracked seat isn't the big issue. Check the front end pieces and see if there is wear around the spindles, places where the axels mount, stuff like that were there's a lot of stress. That's how you're going to determine if it's worth replacing the motor or not.

[spearchucker]

A $1699 John Deere has to be one from Home Depot or something. These newer consumer grade mowers are no better than any of the other cheap ones out there. The newer cheaper mower will not be built anywhere near as good as your old JD unless you buy one from a John Deere dealer.