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Cyclone Rake Troubleshooting Guide

Having Some Trouble?

Do you have questions about an issue you may be having with your Cyclone Rake?

If so this is a great place to start. Scroll through the list below to see the possible cause to a variety of problems, and how to go about correcting them. If you don’t see your specific issue here, or you still have questions, we would be happy to chat. Click Here to submit your question to one of our customer service team will get back to you as soon a possible or give our Customer Service Team members a ring at 888-531-1783. Please Note: The Owner's Manual page references the latest version of the Owner's Manual.

Problem: Where do I put the top brace assembly- there are two sets of holes in the side tubes.
Possible Cause: The holes in the front end of the side tubes are for our Roof Rack Carrier accessory.
Correction: Place your top brace assembly in the rear set of holes at the back of the collector bag.
Problem: The tabs on my engine chassis do not line up with the tabs on the main chassis.
Possible Cause: Main chassis was assembled upside down.
Correction: The chassis must be re-assembled. When the hitch forks are attached properly underneath the chassis the tabs should be flush with the top of the chassis frame and on the “drivers side” (see page 11 in your Owner’s Manual).
Problem: One engine clamp knob threads into the chassis tab, but the other one does not.
Possible Cause: The hitch forks are not assembled correctly.
Correction: Assemble the hitch forks under the front of the chassis. (See page 8 in your Owner’s Manual.)
Problem: Engine will not start (Manual Start).
Possible Cause: 
  1. Fuel tank empty, or stale fuel.
  2. Spark plug wire is disconnected.
  3. Faulty spark plug.
  4. Fuel shut-off lever not in the correct position.
  5. Throttle control lever not in the correct position.
Correction: 
  1. Gas should be fresh, clean gas.  If  the gas is old change it.  If you keep gas longer than 30 days, always add an ethanol specific fuel stabilizer per Briggs & Stratton’s instructions.
  2. Connect the wire to the spark plug.
  3. Clean, adjust gap or replace the spark plug.
  4. Place the fuel shut-off lever to the “ON” position.
  5. Slide the throttle control to rabbit.
Problem: Engine will not start (Electric Start) - After checking the items in the manual start section proceed to the following items.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Battery is not charged.
  2. Wiring harnesses are not secured.
  3. Key start wires not secure.
  4. Wires connected to the battery may be reversed.
Correction: 
  1. Connect the alligator clips the battery and plug the charger to a wall socket.
  2. Plug the battery harness connector into the engine harness connector.
  3. Be sure all wires are properly connected to the back of the key switch.
  4. Be sure the red wire is connected to the (+) battery terminal and the black is going to the (-) battery terminal.
Problem: The engine is smoking.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Oil level incorrect.
  2. Incorrect type of oil.
  3. Air filter is dirty.
  4. Operating on a steep incline.
Correction: 
  1. Check the oil level and adjust accordingly. (see Briggs & Stratton owner’s manual).
  2. Check that you are using the proper oil. (See page 13 in your Owner’s Manual.)
  3. Clean or replace the air filter.
  4. Travel up and down slopes, avoid going across slopes. Avoid towing on slopes more than 15 degrees.
Problem: The recoil will not pull or is difficult to pull.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Blower housing is clogged with debris
  2. Oil level is low
  3. The recoil is tangled up on itself.
  4. There is debris in the recoil.
Correction: 
  1. Make sure the engine has had time to cool. Remove the spark plug wire. Disconnect any hoses attached to the housing, remove the exit chute and check for any debris inside the blower housing. Remove any debris, re-attach items and try re-starting the engine.
  2. Check the engine oil level, the engine may be seized. Fill oil if necessary (see Briggs & Stratton owner’s manual).
  3. Disconnect the spark plug wire, reach into the blower housing. Slowly turn the impeller by hand counter-clockwise, at the same time pull the starter cord. The rope should pull out. Reconnect the spark plug and try re-starting the engine.
  4. Locate and remove the 4 bolts that secure the recoil housing to the engine. Remove housing check for debris and clean if necessary. Re-install the housing and try re-starting the engine.
Problem: Engine is not running smoothly.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Choke is in the incorrect position.
  2. Air filter is dirty.
  3. Spark plug is faulty.
  4. Gas is old.
  5. Oil is not at the proper level or is dirty.
  6. The exhaust from the mower is overheating the engine.
Correction: 
  1. Once the engine has started the choke lever should be all the way to the left or full choke position.
  2. Clean or replace the air filter.
  3. Clean, adjust gap or replace the spark plug
  4. Gas should be fresh, clean gas. If the gas is old change it. If you keep gas longer than 30 days, always add an ethanol specific fuel stabilizer per Briggs & Stratton’s instructions.
  5. Check the oil level and adjust accordingly. (See Briggs & Stratton owner’s manual.) If dirty, change the oil per the instructions in the owner’s manual.
  6. In some cases the exhaust from your mower can be blowing directly onto the engine of the Cyclone Rake. You will need to divert the exhaust on your mower.
Problem: Collector bag will not fold down.
Possible Cause: 
  1. The side link assembly is pointing in wrong direction.
  2. The back of the collector is closed.
Correction: 
  1. When you lift the slide covering the joint of the side link assembly at the front of the collector bag the joint must bend to the outside of the collector bag. (See page 10 in the owner’s manual.)
  2. Be sure the back of the bag is open as if you were going to empty debris before attempting to fold the bag.
Problem: Debris left under the mower deck.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Mower blades are not engaged and at the proper height.
  2. Cyclone Rake engine not on full throttle.
  3. Driving too fast.
  4. Using mulching blades on the mower deck.
  5. System is clogged.
Correction: 
  1. Be sure that the mower deck is engaged and you have the mower deck set at the correct mowing height dependent on the amount of debris that you are collecting.
  2. Slide the throttle control all the way to rabbit.
  3. Use a slower gear/speed on your mower for best results.
  4. If you are using mulching blades on your mower deck, we recommend that you switch to standard or high lift blades.
  5. Check for clogs along the length of the vacuum system – all the way from the mower deck to the neck of the collector bag.
Problem: There is no, or very little suction when using the extension hoses.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Cyclone Rake Engine not on full throttle.
  2. System is clogged.
  3. Too many twist and turns in the hose
Correction: 
  1. Slide the throttle control all the way to rabbit.
  2. Check for clogs along the length of the vacuum system.  –  all the way from the inside the vacuum wand to the neck of the collector bag.
  3. Keep the hose as straight as possible when vacuuming.
Problem: The blower housing seems to vibrate a lot. (This typically only happens on older Cyclone Rakes that have seen a great deal of use, but it is serious and needs immediate attention.)
Possible Cause: 
  1. Impeller bolt loose
  2. Impeller blade is damaged.
  3. Impeller has separated from the hub.
Correction: 
  1. Disconnect the spark plug wire, look inside the blower housing and confirm that the impeller bolt is firmly in place.
  2. Disconnect the spark plug wire, look inside the blower housing. Inspect each blade of the impeller and make sure one or more of the blades are not damaged. If so, please call us and get a replacement.
  3. Disconnect the spark plug wire, look inside the blower housing. The center of the impeller should be very concentric. Everything should look like a bulls eye. The edge of the impeller, the washers and the bolt itself. If not please call us and get a replacement.
Problem: The Power Lift Unloader is not working.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Battery is not charged.
  2. The switch on the handle does not “click.”
  3. The light on the charger turns right to green when plugged into the wall.
  4. The light on the charger goes from red to green but lifter still not working.
  5. There are no lights on the charger block.
Correction: 
  1. Plug in the charger and leave it for a few hours or overnight.
  2. When you depress the switch to go up the button should spring back and it should make a clicking noise. If the switch seems loose (like a see saw)call us for a replacement.
  3. When the charger is plugged into the control panel and then the plug into the wall the lights on the plug block should start on red even if only for a short time, then it will turn to green. If the light on the charger block go straight to green? The battery is over discharged and needs to be replaced.
  4. If the light goes from red to green and the switch is operating properly, there is either a bad connection with the wiring or the actuator needs to be replaced. Double check the wiring according to their instructions.  If the wiring looks like it is all in the right place and in good condition, replace the actuator.
  5. If there are no lights on the plug block once it is plugged into the wall, replacing the charger will be required.
Problem: My wheels shimmy and shake.
Possible Cause: 
  1. Incorrect tire pressure.
  2. Driving too fast.
  3. Driving on hard surface.
Correction: 
  1. The recommended pressure is 25 psi for single wheels and 15 psi for dual wheels. Disregard the sidewall psi recommendation.
  2. Use a lower gear/speed on your mower for best results.
  3. Avoid driving on hard surfaces at a high rate of speed for prolonged periods of time.