QuestionMy husband drove our Murray 42" Widebody riding mower w/out checking the oil since we bought it new in 2000. Last summer the engine coughed, spat out some grey smoke, and died...never to start again. When I checked the oil, it was virtually empty and very, very black, and had a burnt smell. We know very little about engines - obviously! - and need a hint as to what to do next. Pay a pro to look at it and try to fix it? Assume the engine is fried, order a new one, and attempt to install it ourselves? Give up entirely and buy a new machine? Everything else on the mower worked perfectly. A comparable machine runs about $1,100.00. What do you think would be the most time/cost/frustration effective course of action? The engine was a 12.5 hp, part #289v707. Thank you so much for your input!
Melisa
AnswerA short block would be the least expensive repair method if you did the labor yourself. This involves swapping all the external parts from one engine to another. It's been a long time since we ordered a short block, but I'm guessing the price would be $350-450.
A new engine, much eaiser to do,would probably costs around $500-600. Of course with either option you would need several tools and an air impact gun would be very helpful.
Labor costs at a shop would be cheaper for a straight engine swap. Labor for short blocking can add up quickly.
I would recommend calling a few repair shops in your local area and getting estimates for engine replacement and short blocking costs. You will need to provide them with the engine MODEL,TYPE and CODE number so they can look up the correct part number. You will find all this information on the engine housing.
If the parts and labor are more than 50% of the replacement cost for a new mower then I recommend considering replacing the mower.
Let me know if this helps.
Eri
