Hi all, A few weeks ago, I did something stupid (due to not owning a lawn mower before) and turned my Toro rear high wheel self propelled mower (stand up push style) on it's side, shute side down, to clean the underside. I flooded the carb and air filter with oil, so I went to Home Depot and a mower supply shop and purchased a new spark plug, air filter, and gasket for the air filter housing (since the other one was glued to both sides, and ripped off during disassembly. I also cleaned out my carb and all connected parts very well with carb cleaner and let it all dry for a day. Since then, it's done something weird but ultimately works fine (until today...I'll go into that in a moment). Here's what it's doing: 1) When I start the mower, it starts up right away with one pull, however the motor doesn't spin at full speed (more like 50%). After a little over a minute, it will finally speed up and cut grass like a champ. See video below. 2) After cutting grass for a few minutes, if the grass is on the longer side, it sounds as if the blade (or something under there) starts to rattle. See video below, which you can hear the rattling to an extent, but it's usually worse. 3) Just today I mowed the front and back lawn, then let the mower sit for a couple hours. I then took it to the side to mow that lawn, and it started putting out a bunch of white smoke through the front exhaust (a whole lot). It didn't decrease in smoke volume after running it for a minute while cutting grass, so I shut it off. The smoke smelled bad like gas and something burning, no sweet smell was to be had. It's good on oil and gas, so it's not too much or too little causing the problem. Also, there's newly formed black liquid that has sprayed out of the exhaust and also dripped onto the mower itself. See pictures below. The mower was purchased new at Home Depot in October/November of last year, so it's pretty new. The smoke thing just started happening today after sitting for a couple hours (didn't smoke at all during the morning lawn mowing). Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks! This is my mower: [url=http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100659629/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=Toro+high+wheel&storeId=10051]22 in. High Wheel Recycler Variable Speed Self-Propelled Power Mower California Compliant-20351 at The Home Depot[/url] Video of the slow motor starting: [url=http://youtu.be/9HA8appE8nI]VID_20120415_115205.mp4 - YouTube[/url] Video of the rattling sound while mowing taller grass: [url=http://youtu.be/AzLMdgRxNHQ]VID 20120415 115703 - YouTube[/url] Pictures of black liquid after white smoke: [url]http://www.howetechnical.net/files/Mower1.jpg[/url] [url]http://www.howetechnical.net/files/Mower2.jpg[/url] [url]http://www.howetechnical.net/files/Mower3.jpg[/url]

So in hindsight, moving a couple of cords of wood with my craftsman model #917.270821 and my 4X6 trailer (1/3 to 1/2 cord at a time) was not a good idea. I was mowing afterwards and suddenly stopped and sagged to the left. I looked at the left rear and the axle had sheared clean off. This tractor has the hydrostatic drive #319-650. I purchased it new 11/98. I think the replacement part is the differential bearing (part #532150829) if the schematic is rotated 90 deg. Perhaps its easier just to replace the entire transmission? Is this the major failure that kills this tractor? I have done a couple of carb overhauls and a steering shaft/gear replacement (with your help) but this seems too hard for me to fix. My neighbor knows a guy who can give it a go if I buy the right part(s). Or I buy one of several of his used tractors or a brand new one. Your expert opinions will determine my course of action. edit: looks like the differential is a $280 part (cant seem to post the link) may be time for a new tractor?