Lawn Boy Gold Series 2 stroke

[Chuck McB]

Found this mower leaned up against the county dumpster Sat. and figured if I couldn't fix it it would still be worth as few bucks due to it's aluminum chassis.

I didn't notice it was a 2 stroke until I cleaned the dirt off the gas cap and saw it required a gas /oil mix. It's a first for me as I'd never seen a 2 stroke mower before. After cleaning the air filter, spark plug, defeating the safety mechanism and adding fresh fuel I still couldn't get it to start. I pulled the spark plug again and cleaned once more and as I was putting it back in the plug wire fell out of the magneto! I removed the magneto, cleaned it and put the plug wire back in and presto it runs!! Smoking pretty bad at first but what the hey! I ran it all weekend. Anyhow are any of you guys familiar with this type of mower??

 

[osborn.ozzy]

its a magnesium deck

 

[Kurt4440]

Very familiar

 

[mikew13]

Suzuki powerhead?

 

[Bruce Amacker]

Those two stroke Lawnboys have awesome torque and are great grass cutters. I don't think the EPA allows them to be sold new anymore.....

 

[tatra]

they are great for cutting on inclines as they don't have to rely on splash lube like 4 strokes...........

 

[toolchaser]

Like Bruce said awesome torque! Don't be fooled if it sounds like its not reving up very high, thats how they run. Check the exhaust to make sure it's not coked up and mow away. I had one until I moved to the farm, sold it since I don't have a yard to mow anymore

 

[chrisexv6]

I picked one of these up for actual money needed a mower in a pinch.

I love it. Goes thru everything. Magnesium deck wont rust, I think some years had a magnesium deck but the deck height adjustment mechanism was steel and bolted to the deck. Mine has the molded holes in the deck with steel adjusters. Mine is "only* 4.5HP.

The engine actually blew on me about 2 years after buying it used (live and learn, I guess) but I love the mower enough that I bought a brand new short block to fix it.

Unfortunately I havent run it in a while (getting lazier as I get older....using a tractor now)......now you got me thinking I should pull it out of my shed and fire it up just for the heck of it.

 

[jvitez]

Does it look this this?

Gold Series or Gold Pro? Round or square engine shroud? Does it say 4.5 hp or Duraforce?

The Gold series has the F series Lawnboy made 2 stroke engine: fabulous! Fix it up and keep it. It'll last your lifetime if you maintain in. These 2 strokes can cut hay! They rarely bog down, are perfect ditch mowers because no issues with oil starvation from splash lubed 4 cycle engines, and the aluminum deck lasts forever as long you don't crack it. Older Lawnboys had magnesium decks, these are aluminum.

I've got a Gold Pro Duraforce mower, and a late 70's F series 19" aluminum decked Lawnboy I bought refurbished. I'm keeping them forever. I love cutting grass with these: love the smell of 2 stroke exhaust. The 19" one is so light, and is pre-compliance so no zone start dead-man bar either.

 

[Chuck McB]

I's the 4.5 Gold Series so that means I did good! What maintenance is required for this mower and how much did it cost new. When was it manufactured? Thanks guys.

 

[chrisexv6]

If you can find some Mobil 1 Racing 2T (AutoZone USED to carry it but cleared it out a few years back....I bought 4 or 5 qts), Id run that mixed with your fuel of choice.

I make a "cocktail" of the Mobil1 along with 1oz/gallon of Seafoam and 1oz/gallon of MMO and the correct amount of Stabil.

It smokes just a little bit (I run about 40:1...Lawnboy specs 32:1 of their oil, but thats their old school stuff), but to me Id rather have smoke than no smoke....at least I know there is oil in there somewhere.

I use the same mix for all of my 2 stroke stuff, even stuff that specs 50:1. It all works just fine.

 

[chrisexv6]

I's the 4.5 Gold Series so that means I did good! What maintenance is required for this mower and how much did it cost new. When was it manufactured? Thanks guys.

Check the model sticker if you can find it. Mine is a 10515, I forget where the sticker is on the mower at the moment. Lots of information can be found using that model number by going here: https://support.lawnboy.com/portal/server.pt/community/product_center/217

As far as maintenance, do it like every other 2 stroke. Make sure you keep a good fresh mix in it (make sure to shake up the fuel container before refilling....and just for the heck of it I try to lift and lower the deck a few times before starting to mix up whats already in the tank), change the air filter (it has a sponge like element....you can get a bunch of them pretty cheap on ebay) and spark plug when necessary. Make sure you get the right plug though, I think more than a few people have tried a slightly longer plug and whacked a piston.

 

[cashishift]

there is an entire forum for the lawnboys.. google it.

 

[Chuck McB]

A forum for mowers...... learn something new everyday!

 

[twincam00]

Ive got 3 two-stroke lawnboys, great mowers. They run like a top until someone runs them with straight gas and they seize up. Nothing better than some good two stroke smoke

 

[Bkf350SD]

Ive got a bunch of these. Im always fixing and rebuilding them. Great machines and they will run forever with little attention. Any questions about it, let me know...

 

[bobcatdan]

Hands down the best mower ever made. About the only thing that goes wrong with them is the muffler will carbon up, otherwise they will run forever. I maybe a little bias, my Grandpa sold them brand new for 30 years.

 

[TDLMOMOWERS]

I have a Lawn Boy mower that was built in 1966. It has a magnesium 19'' deck and is very light. I use it for a trim mower and love it. I have repaired Lawn Boy Mowers for years and I still prefer the early D series over the newer models. I can usually pull mine out of the barn and have it running in 2 pulls. You have to keep the fuel fresh and use the proper ratio of oil to gas. Mine runs so clean you can't even smell it or see any smoke. I only use ashless oil and always run Stabil. These were great little mowers but a lot of folks didn't like 2 cycles and having to mix gas and oil.

 

[crewchief888]

i used to love my old lawn boy, bought it for $5, cuz it didnt run.

cleaned the crud outta the muffler, new plug, and some fresh fuel and she was ready to go.

neighbors couldnt figure out what the strange smell was tho...

110 octane race gas, belray synthetic @ 50:1

if it was good enough for my atc 250r, it was ok for the lawn boy

 

[Justin1776]

These are awesome for mowing ditches!

 

[BMEP]

I've fixed hundreds of them in a small equipment repair shop. They're nearly industructible as long as you do basic maintenance and don't run fuel without oil. I' had customers bring in 20 year old models (this was in the mid 80s) that only needed minor repairs. They have needle bearings on the PTO end of the crankshaft and the connecting rod so you can run them forever. The starters were problematic but I think your model has a stop mounted starter which is a whole different animal.

Maintenance: Make sure to keep the air filter clean and oiled (foam). The best thing is to buy a new filter, put a tablespoon or so of 30w oil in a ziplock bag, throw the filter in and work it evenly into the filter.

You also need to clean the exhaust ports every couple years (three round holes in the cylinder, accessible by removing the blade and muffler bottom. Lawn Boy recommended using a wooden dowel rod to knock the carbon loose from the port "holes".

Nice mower!

HTH

 

[hobie1dog]

I just inherited my father-in-laws that is dated a 1968 model....won't run, need to possibly rebuild the carb?

 

[jvitez]

Chuck McB: yup, ya dun good! Definitely download the owners manual and parts info off of the Lawnboy website. They still have information available for old mowers. Here's the link again:

https://support.lawnboy.com/portal/server.pt/community/product_center/217

I use Amsoil Saber Professional 100:1 2 cycle oil mixed at 50:1, and mix each jerry can with 2 oz/gal of Seafoam. I've never had to knock carbon out of the exhaust port in 12 years of using my Duraforce using this mixture. I've only replaced the spark plug once.

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atp.aspx

 

[twincam00]

I prefer genuine Lawn-boy ashless oil (in the green cans) mixed with seafoam, I think its makes for the best smelling exhaust

 

[Chuck McB]

Thanks guys! This is now a keeper!

 

[Chuck McB]

This mower starts with no problem and has knocked down some heavy Johnson grass that my Craftsman riding mower would have choked on. LOVE IT!!

 

[Chuck McB]

Old thread new question. Where can I buy an engine rebuild kit?

 

[bobcatdan]

Put straight gas in her? Only way to kill a lawn boy. Only thing that ever goes wrong is the muffler plugs up.

 

[Chuck McB]

No I didn't put straight gas in it. I've noticed the shaft has a lot of play in it. It's like its flopping around in the bearings.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Lawn Boy was bought out by Toro years ago. Toro still stocks many parts.

 

[outdoorsman310]

Lawn boys are great especially for steep hills. I run 32-1 in them and love the 2t sound

 

[bobcatdan]

The hub come loose on the crankshaft? Can't say I've heard of the shaft wobbling like that. Pretty sure the crank has bearings.

 

[j.c.whitney]

Old thread new question. Where can I buy an engine rebuild kit?

Pretty sure you can buy a new OEM shortblock on ebay. Yep.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=lawn-boy+short+block