OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Four Stroke Lawn Mower Frames Ariens 911 series - 324-LM21SW to be precise

Hello all,

Once again I prevail upon the good offices of OutdoorKing forums to deliver unto me information or other helps with which I might ameliorate my recent rash ebay purchase of an example of this mower.
Here is a picture or two (from the ebay listing) of the mower for anyone interested.






The mower was listed as "for parts or not working" as the seller could not get it going, so I should have known better. All I really wanted was a self propelled mower for Christmas - for cheap!

The seller also said in the ebay auction listing that the mower used to work well. When I collected the mower however, he gave me some "additional" information in the form of a statement to the effect that the self propelled drive had some issues. Namely, the drive slipped from time to time.

So my laundry list when I picked the mower up was:

1) The mower won't start
2) The self propelled drive does not work properly
3) I have no full idea about what I am dealing with

I have downloaded an owners manual and a parts manual for the Ariens mower, as well a technicians manual for the VLV60 Tecumseh motor and a Basic Troubleshooting and Service guide for the Tecumseh 2 and 4 cycle engines.

Reading the manuals helped a bit with 3)

After definitely determining that there was a no spark condition which was not going away, I took the shroud and petrol tank off the mower in order to expose the ignition module. I pulled the green wire (kill switch? some other term?) from where it connected to the module and then reassembled the mower. It basically started on the second or third pull... What does this mean for 1)?

Once the mower was going, I gave it a burl on some longish grass and it did quite well!

I tried to get the self propelled feature to work....

It seems to engage but won't turn the wheels - on or off the gound. Does anyone know what this might mean for 2)?

Thanks for reading. Any input is welcome.

Paul

Pulling the wire off and having it then start means everything upstream from that point needs checking to find a possible short to earth on the kill wire. With the cowl off move the throttle linkage and determine how the kill feature works on that particular engine. You could probably tell how it is supposed to work from the manual you downloaded. Many just have the full off position making contact with the kill wire to earth it. Follow the green wire to see where it goes and see if you can find any place it has worn through or if there is a stray strand touching somewhere at the end.
As to the self propelled, sorry, can't help there.

Re the self propelled not working. Does the manual state the maker of the self propelled. Is it a Peerless transmission. It could be as simple as a belt not engaging, or something loose. If you can find the manufacturer of the transmission, and locate a manual, you should be able to repair it. There also may be a you tube video on it.

hi Paul, the Ariens mowers where not a great sucsess in Oz and where only imported
for a few years, they would have worked great in USA but most sucummed to harsh
conditions here, very few if any would be still self driving, and not many will still have
the swivel wheels in tact..
the self drive is a friction disc type with a massive horizontal drive disc that was supported by a centre
bearing that would collapse making the friction wheel, that is a smaller vertical wheel, not making contact.
if you look behind the motor above the deck you will see what i mean, if there is play in either discs
then there will be no drive, good luck mate,
ps, i have an original sales brochure for them!! sad i know

Ariens 911324 (324-LM21SW) 6 HP Tecumseh engine.

No drive could be that the fiction ring is either worn out or simply not engaging the fiction drive disk. The system is similar to those used on snow blowers here. The fiction rubbers wears just like automobile tires. There is also a second fiction disc used too that could worn out.