# 2015 Toro 518 ZE parts model 38473



## R P (Nov 24, 2015)

I purchased several 2015 model year Toro 518 ZE’s from somebody who picked them up at a local auction. After disassembling the engines I found out that all of them have broken connecting rods/pistons. 
The parts to repair the engine (LC156FDS Loncin) have turned out to be impossible to find. 
I have looked at similar engines produced by Loncin (Predator/Harbor Freight 99cc) . . . .
I have cross referenced for other machines that use the same 99cc four stroke motor . . . .
I have tried to find the name of the company that manufactures the connecting rod components for the chinese engine manufacturer . . .
Nothing has turned up.
The local Toro dealer can’t get the parts, he can only sell a complete new engine part number (121-4231). 

Am I chasing my tail trying to find a replacement broken engine part? It doesn’t seem reasonable that I have to buy a complete new engine to replace a broken connecting rod/piston. 
Is there a resource that I am missing or is it off to the Toro dealer for a new engine . . . 
The machine will still be valuable to family members that need them this winter, so buying new engines isn’t out of the question, but I can’t understand why it is seemingly impossible to find engine parts.


----------



## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

Exactly why many people shy away from buying Chinese products...replacement parts !


----------



## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

How many units did you buy? How is it that they all had the same problem? Were they run without oil? If they are all current models, and they all broke, I would be very concerned about every other moving part in the engines that my not have broken YET. If they were indeed run without oil to the point of destruction, do you really trust them to be rebuildable?

Found this link that may or may not be useful to you

http://www.loncinengineparts.com/


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum :white^_^arial^_^0^_

Did you ask if the "Crankshaft Kit" P/N 119-1933 (number 1 in diagram) included the connecting rod. They might not know and would need to physically see one to be sure.
Might also email a couple of the parts stores, partstree, jackssmallengines, ... too.


----------



## R P (Nov 24, 2015)

I spoke to Toro about the parts diagram picture. The courteous person at Toro explained to me that the connecting rod was not a part of the engine. I then asked about a piston . . . apparently a piston isn't an engine component either. So everybody knows now, American engineers are building reciprocating engines in china that don't have connecting rods and pistons. . . Then he blabbered on about serviceable components, but I was too busy writing an email to partstree and Jacks small engine so I wasn't really listening to him by that point.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Sorry about Toro. That's the problem with a lot of jobs where the person should have some technical background in the field but companies only care about paying the least in salary and selling a lot of parts easily. I've worked auto parts stores so I'm painfully aware of some of the "talent".

Hopefully one of those emails will come up with something useful.

I struck out on everything I tried to find on it. :facepalm_zpsdj194qh


----------



## warreng24 (Mar 8, 2015)

Just an idea. Why not just buy the whole new engine? Then part out the old engine (assuming parts are so hard to find). You might recoup all of your cost selling the old heads, short block, carbs, etc online.


----------

