12 Causes Ferris Zero Turns Run Rough
The Ferris wheel isn’t running quite right. The best performance from your zero-turn is not guaranteed without a powerful engine.
When the engine is not receiving adequate air, fuel, and spark, a Ferris lawn mower will start running roughly.
This could be the result of a clogged air filter, jammed choke, clogged fuel line, clogged fuel filter, filthy carburetor, defective gas cap, or a dirty spark plug.
Overworking the engine owing to a high ground speed, low engine speed, clogged mower deck, or dull mower blades could potentially cause this.
Be sure you observe all of the instructions in your manual regarding safety. The mower must be parked on a level place, the spark plug wires disconnected, the ignition key removed, and the engine allowed to cool down before proceeding.
Table of Contents
Why Ferris Lawn Mowers Run Rough and Bog Down
Ferris Zero Turn Mower with a Clogged Air Filter
Pure air is necessary for the engine to function. If the engine isn’t getting enough air, the rich fuel mixture could make it sputter.
This lack of airflow may be the result of a clogged air filter. The air filter needs to be serviced on a regular basis, either by cleaning it or replacing it.
If not, the filter can become clogged with dust and other particles, preventing enough clean air from passing through. A clogged air filter can cause overheating in a Ferris engine and make the engine function poorly.
The air filter is there to prevent engine wear caused by dirt being sucked into the air intake.
The air filter should be changed annually and cleaned multiple times during the mowing season. When operating your Ferris in extremely dusty environments, you may need to clean or change the filter more frequently.
THE SOLUTION: If the air filter appears to be slightly soiled, clean it. A new air filter should be installed if the old one is too dusty, too broken, or is no longer able to properly seal off the air intake.
How to clean the paper air filter on a Ferris lawn mower:
- Get rid of the air filter by taking it out of its housing.
- Remove any lingering dirt from the case by wiping it down. Avoid having any dust or other debris land on the air intake.
- Strike the filter against something substantial. Ideally, you want to loosen and knock out as much dirt from the filter as possible.
- Make sure that, when you hold the air filter up to a light, you can still see the paper element through the filter. Do not throw away your air filter if it may be used again. If not, it’s time for an upgrade.
- Put back the air filter and cover the housing.
- Wash the foam pre-filter with some mild soap and water if your air filter has one. Simply rinse and hang to dry. The pre-filter should NOT BE oiled. An inner filter should be changed once a year if your filter has one.
Ferris Zero-Turn Mower Has a Stuck or Incorrectly Set Choke
Your Ferris is equipped with a choke lever. The amount of air that is combined with the fuel is decreased by engaging this lever and closing the choke plate.
A cold engine won’t start without this. As the ratio of fuel to air in the fuel mixture increases when the choke is engaged, the engine operates in a rich condition.
After the engine has warmed up and is running smoothly, the choke lever should be moved to the “off” position to let in the extra air the engine needs to keep going.
Some hard running and stalling may occur if the choke is in the improper place or stuck open or closed.
When starting the engine from cold, make sure the choke lever is closed; when starting from warm, make sure the lever is open.
If the airflow is restricted even after adjusting the choke lever, verify that the plate is opening and closing properly.
Choke cables should be replaced when they get frayed or worn, and clogged carburetors can be unclogged with a carburetor cleaner.
A Ferris Zero Turn Mower Running on Stale Gas
When your Ferris starts acting sluggish, it’s probably due to old gas. Rust and fuel system problems are caused by the varnish and sticky deposits left behind by old gas.
After only 30 days, the effectiveness of a tank of gas begins to degrade. Ethanol is commonly found in fuel.
This is a plant-based alternative fuel that might cause condensation in the engine. When the water and ethanol solution evaporates, a varnish and sticky residue are left behind.
Those gummy substances might impede gasoline flow and ruin parts.
REMEDY: Drain and replace the petrol in the tank. To get rid of the buildup of residue and moisture in the fuel system, put in new gas and a fuel system cleaner and stabilizer like Sea Foam Motor Treatment.
You should use fuel with an octane value of 87 or higher and no more than 10% ethanol. The finest gas is one without ethanol. Check out This Is the Gas Type Used by Ferris Lawn Mowers for more guidance on fuel selection.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower Fuel Line Clogged
As fuel ages, it leaves behind deposits that can cling to fuel lines and restrict fuel flow. This prevents fuel from reaching the carburetor in sufficient quantities.
Using the gasoline shut-off valve or hose crimp pliers, you can temporarily halt fuel flow while you inspect the line for blockage.
While you’re checking the fuel flow, you should pour some petrol into a container. The fuel tank must be positioned underneath the storage container. Without a gasoline pump, fuel will not flow uphill.
The solution is to disconnect the clogged fuel line and turn off the gasoline supply. Try spraying carburetor cleaning into the pipe to see if you can get the clog to loosen up.
After that, use compressed air to blow through the line and loosen the clog. To completely remove the obstruction, you will need to use the carburetor cleaning and compressed air multiple times.
If you are unable to remove the fuel restriction or if you discover breaks in the fuel line, you will need to replace it with one of the same length and diameter.
Clogged Fuel Filter in a Ferris Zero Turn Mower
To prevent dirt and debris from entering the fuel system, Ferris zero-turns have an inline fuel filter installed in the space between the fuel lines.
If dirt has built up in the fuel filter, it will prevent fuel from flowing freely. If fuel isn’t getting to the carburetor, the engine may sputter and sputter.
Changing out the fuel filter once a year can keep it from getting clogged and prolonging the life of your vehicle.
A new in-line filter can be installed in place of the old one. If the new filter has an arrow, you should install it such that the arrow points in the direction of the fuel flow.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower With a Filthy Carburetor
The carburetor controls how much gas is added to the air mixture before combustion. If the carburetor is malfunctioning, the engine may be running roughly because it isn’t getting the proper proportions of gas and air.
Prior to assuming that the carburetor is at fault, check to see that fuel is reaching it. If not, perhaps your fuel line or fuel filter is clogged.
If your Ferris needs a fuel pump, verify that it is sending gas to the engine’s carburetor.
The next step is to take out the air filter from its housing. Put some carburetor cleaner into the mower’s air intake and start it up. Cleaning the carburetor is probably necessary if the engine performs well at first but subsequently loses power.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower with a Leaking Gas Cap
There must be a way for air to enter and leave the fuel tank. The gas cap on a Ferris lawnmower also functions as the fuel tank’s vent.
Not allowing the fuel tank to vent correctly causes a vacuum inside the tank, which reduces fuel pressure and prevents the fuel from reaching the carburetor.
A rough running engine can be helped by letting some air into the gasoline tank by loosening the fuel lid. If the engine starts running better after you replace the gas cap, it may be because the old one was faulty and wasn’t allowing enough air to escape.
Verify the issue by letting the mower run while making sure the gas cap is securely fastened. Once it slows down, have a listen with the cap off.
The gas cap is likely the cause of the problem if the vehicle no longer has the rough and sluggish performance after being started with the cap loosened.
A new Ferris gas cap should be purchased and installed.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower with a Grimy Spark Plug
When the spark plug is clogged, the Ferris mower may only spark intermittently. Having the engine run roughly is one possible outcome. Incorrectly adjusted electrode gaps or spark plug wires can also contribute to erratic ignition.
REMEDY Take out the spark plug and look at it. Switch to a new one if you see it has turned a very dark color, has a burnt electrode, or is otherwise damaged.
See to it that the spark plug gap is set as per the vehicle’s manual. Once you’ve finished making repairs, you should reattach the spark plug wire.
When using a Ferris zero-turn mower, the ground speed is too high.
The appropriate mowing speed is dependent on the conditions. Lawns with thick, tall, or damp grass should be mowed more slowly than those with shorter, thinner grass.
Cutting the grass at a ground speed that is too high for the conditions may put undue stress on the engine and may cause it to stall. Not only will it cause a bad cut, but it will also cause pain.
Adjust your ground speed according to the conditions and continue mowing. When you notice that your car’s engine is losing power, it’s time to slow down.
Mowing long grass requires numerous passes. Although the time spent cutting will be significantly increased, the engine will be spared unnecessary stress.
First, raise the mower’s cutting height to its highest setting, and then reduce it for successive cuts.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower’s Engine Speed Is Way Too Low
A Ferris mower and mower deck require a sizable engine to operate. To prevent the mower from stuttering, it’s best to run the engine at full throttle when you start the blades.
Adjust the accelerator pedal to its highest setting. Numerous mowers will have a rabbit emblem to denote this.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower Deck Won’t Unplug
To turn the blades through a mower deck that is clogged with grass clippings and other debris, the engine must work harder, which uses more fuel.
The engine will struggle to turn the blades through all of this extra weight, and as a result, performance will suffer.
A deck scraper or wire brush can be used to maintain a clean mower deck. You should not attempt to cut grass that is wet or moist. It’s more common for this grass to form clumps and get stuck on the deck.
If you want to prevent debris from clinging to the deck, you might try using a deck spray. While it does assist, it’s not a foolproof method of preventing grass from ever again sticking to your deck.
Ferris Zero Turn Mower with Dull Blades
A clean cut is easier to accomplish with razor sharp mower blades. Mowing with dull blades can shred the grass, causing the tips to darken a few days later as a result of trauma.
The problem of a blocked lawn mower deck is exacerbated by dull mower blades, which can also lead to a bad cut appearance. Because it takes more energy to spin dull blades through a deck full of grass, this will exacerbate the problem.
The problem can be fixed by taking the mower’s blades off the deck.
Why Does Your Ferris Lawnmower Still Give You Trouble?
Mowers of all types are susceptible to malfunctioning at some point in their useful lives.
In light of this, I have developed a list of typical issues with Ferris lawnmowers and how to fix them, so that you will know what to do the next time your mower won’t start, keeps dying, cuts poorly, overheats, or has any other problem.
This is a great resource to save for when you need to find or repair your lawnmower. Problems and Solutions for Common Ferris Zero-Turn Lawnmowers is where you’ll want to start.
