New lawn mower

[maw_76]

So, I was out mowing last weekend and noticed that the deck on my Simplicity started to scalp the yard. I shut it down and hopped off to inspect and noticed the bracket that holds the threaded rod to raise/lower the deck broke a weld. I rigged it up and was able to lift the deck enough in transport mode to finish the lawn. I don't have a welder so I'll have to bring it to my buddies or brother-in-laws place to get that done. In the meantime, I went to my local big box store (Menards) and grabbed a Pulsar 200cc 21" 3 in 1 (mulch, side-discharge, bag) self-propelled for $350. I've been meaning to get one anyways since my rider doesn't have a bagger and fall leaves can be a challenge with the amount of trees we have in the yard.

My question is, what do you guys think of these Chinese version of a Honda motor? My research tells me they're made by Ducar and they entered into a partnership about 25 years ago. I've only ran the engine once, but it seems to run well and I like the fact it's a little bigger motor to handle longer/thicker grass with the 200cc's. I only run non-oxy premium in my small engines, so carb issues shouldn't be a problem. I plan to run 10w30 conventional, whatever's cheapest on the shelf. After I get my deck welded it'll more than likely see little use (occasional trim around trees or perhaps just a front yard mow), or if the wife feels like getting out and mowing because she doesn't like using the rider. All in all, I'm happy with the purchase, but time will tell if it holds up. I plan to change the oil after about 5 hours and probably yearly after that. I originally wanted a larger deck and rear-wheel drive, but since it won't be my primary mower I wanted to get the cheapest on the shelf that was self-propelled and could bag leaves, which led me to the Pulsar.

 

[DCDG]

Chonda engines are reliable just change out the factory spark plug for a NGK

 

[14Accent]

Chonda engines are reliable just change out the factory spark plug for a NGK

2nd vote for ditching the Torch plug that's likely in there now.

OP, you're dead on with the 5 hr oil change, but I'd add one after the first hour too just to get the initial machining bits out of the crankcase. We're only talking a few ounces of oil per change, might as well do it a few times.

 

[E150GT]

Change that oil. The oil in my ducar GX clone on the pressure washer was like water

 

[lilspenny]

So, I was out mowing last weekend and noticed that the deck on my Simplicity started to scalp the yard. I shut it down and hopped off to inspect and noticed the bracket that holds the threaded rod to raise/lower the deck broke a weld. I rigged it up and was able to lift the deck enough in transport mode to finish the lawn. I don't have a welder so I'll have to bring it to my buddies or brother-in-laws place to get that done. In the meantime, I went to my local big box store (Menards) and grabbed a Pulsar 200cc 21" 3 in 1 (mulch, side-discharge, bag) self-propelled for $350. I've been meaning to get one anyways since my rider doesn't have a bagger and fall leaves can be a challenge with the amount of trees we have in the yard.

My question is, what do you guys think of these Chinese version of a Honda motor? My research tells me they're made by Ducar and they entered into a partnership about 25 years ago. I've only ran the engine once, but it seems to run well and I like the fact it's a little bigger motor to handle longer/thicker grass with the 200cc's. I only run non-oxy premium in my small engines, so carb issues shouldn't be a problem. I plan to run 10w30 conventional, whatever's cheapest on the shelf. After I get my deck welded it'll more than likely see little use (occasional trim around trees or perhaps just a front yard mow), or if the wife feels like getting out and mowing because she doesn't like using the rider. All in all, I'm happy with the purchase, but time will tell if it holds up. I plan to change the oil after about 5 hours and probably yearly after that. I originally wanted a larger deck and rear-wheel drive, but since it won't be my primary mower I wanted to get the cheapest on the shelf that was self-propelled and could bag leaves, which led me to the Pulsar.

Can you buy air filter, carburetor, coil, etc?? I don't buy that bargain equipment because I'm concerned that a small problem might cause me to need to junk it. I sold new cars for a short while in the mid nineties. A fellow came in wanting to trade his Hyundai in for a new Ford Explorer. The used car manager lowballed the customer significantly below book value so I asked the manager why and his response was "because it's Hunday and not a Honduh".

 

[mk378]

Often the Honda or other compatible parts will fit. They copy the design milimeter for milimeter.

The other parts of a push mower typically fail before the engine does.

 

[skyactiv]

Keep the Torch plug in and report back how long it last. Have a NGK on hand when you need it.

 

[maw_76]

Actually, I stand corrected, it's a rear drive self-propelled. I thought it was front wheel because of the large plastic cover on the front and it's actually really slow compared to other self-propelled mowers that I've owned. It took me 40 mins to mow the front of my lot that's approximately 1/3 acre. I'm roughly 3/4 acre total. It seems to run decent and it sips gas (only used 1/2 of the .5 gallon tank). I just wish it were a bit quicker to speed up mowing time.

 

[DCDG]

Change that oil. The oil in my ducar GX clone on the pressure washer was like water

I wonder what they're using for oil. Champion generators always came with a bottle of oil from USA

 

[E150GT]

I wonder what they're using for oil. Champion generators always came with a bottle of oil from USA

I don't know but it's not something I want in my engines

 

[maw_76]

I grabbed a bottle of Supertech 10w30 since mine didn't come with any oil. I figured that would be good enough to run in this machine for the little use it'll get

 

[RaymondP]

Any Briggs and Stratton engine powered mower plus Mobil 1 15w50 has proven effective and long lasting with the occasional spark plug and air filter replacement. Use the same oil in the 2013 air cooled Triumph Thruxton, so keeping my stored oil varieties down to four. Still working on further consolidation as running out of shelf space.

 

[Not Sure]

If you take care of it and change the oil every year and most importantly check the oil level before each use it will probably outlast you. Especially considering you aren’t going to put many hours on it much since you have a rider.

However I would highly recommend doing the first oil change on any new engine without an oil filter after the first hour of use because they have terrible quality control in many of these Chinese factories and they don’t do a very good job cleaning all the junk created from machining and grinding parts. You want to flush as much of that abrasive stuff oit as early as possible so it doesn’t create a bunch of excessive wear.

I have a Toro self propelled push mower I use to get the corners of my yard and a small strip behind my shed where I can’t get the rider. I probably put less than an hour a year on it as it only takes me a couple minutes to hit those spots after I mow everything else with the rider.

As for bagging leaves with a push mower, good luck! Those things have tiny bags on them and you’re going to spend an eternity trying to use it to bag leaves as you will have to stop and empty the bag 100 times or more! Not to mention just pushing the tiny thing around only clearing a 21 inch path is going to be a painfully slow and tedious. It may take you all day just to do 1 acre!

Get a tow behind yard vac preferably one that you can dump from the seat of the mower. These things are worth every penny. They hold far more than even a bagger on a rider does. You can find them pretty cheap locally on Craigslist in non working order. Many times they only need a carb rebuild or an ignition coil or something else cheap and easy to fix. I found one with a blown engine at the dump for free a long time ago. Put a used engine on it and have been using it ever since. I can’t imagine trying to clean up leaves without it, it was a game changer.

 

[Arc]

If you take care of it and change the oil every year and most importantly check the oil level before each use it will probably outlast you. Especially considering you aren’t going to put many hours on it much since you have a rider.

However I would highly recommend doing the first oil change on any new engine without an oil filter after the first hour of use because they have terrible quality control in many of these Chinese factories and they don’t do a very good job cleaning all the junk created from machining and grinding parts. You want to flush as much of that abrasive stuff oit as early as possible so it doesn’t create a bunch of excessive wear.

I have a Toro self propelled push mower I use to get the corners of my yard and a small strip behind my shed where I can’t get the rider. I probably put less than an hour a year on it as it only takes me a couple minutes to hit those spots after I mow everything else with the rider.

As for bagging leaves with a push mower, good luck! Those things have tiny bags on them and you’re going to spend an eternity trying to use it to bag leaves as you will have to stop and empty the bag 100 times or more! Not to mention just pushing the tiny thing around only clearing a 21 inch path is going to be a painfully slow and tedious. It may take you all day just to do 1 acre!

Get a tow behind yard vac preferably one that you can dump from the seat of the mower. These things are worth every penny. They hold far more than even a bagger on a rider does. You can find them pretty cheap locally on Craigslist in non working order. Many times they only need a carb rebuild or an ignition coil or something else cheap and easy to fix. I found one with a blown engine at the dump for free a long time ago. Put a used engine on it and have been using it ever since. I can’t imagine trying to clean up leaves without it, it was a game changer.

The pull behind sweepers do a good job too.