Lawn Tractor Question

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dustermaniac

dustermaniac

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I have a Craftsman 42" Riding mower. I had this mower for about 10 yrs and it has always been maintained and has served me well every season. Last season I had this mower sent to the local lawn tractor repair shop and had $700 worth of work done to the mower including new steering shaft and front end components, tune up, valve adjustment, pretty much overhauled. The mower was operating awesome when it came back from the shop in August. I put it up for the winter, drained the gas and put Stabil in it. Well now the issue: I used it a couple times this season and it was working without any issues. Went out to cut the lawn Sunday, Mower started fine. Started cutting and made a couple passes and the mower started to sputter and I was able to keep it running. Made another pass and it died. It will not start but for 30 seconds now. I took off the fuel line and verified that there is a good flow into the carb. Checked Spark plug for spark. There is spark. Replaced the fuel filter, took off carb and sent it out to the lawn repair shop. They put in a new needle valve and seat and a new bowl gasket and pressure tested. Well, I picked up the carb from the mower shop tonight and installed it back on the mower. I fired it up and she was running strong, for about 5 minutes. Then the mower started doing the same thing sputtering and died. The gas in the tank is fresh. The tank and lines are clean. the filter is brand new and there is gas getting to the carb. I am stumped. I cannot figure out why this mower seems to be starving for fuel. It is a Briggs and Stratton 17 HP Vertical shaft motor. Any suggestions? Throttle cable is operating properly. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks, maniac
 
I pulled the plug and it is clean. No apparent wear or unusual looking problems. I even verified there was spark by cranking the engine and looking at the end of the spark plug and there was a spark jumping at the resistor tip.
 
Easy things first, check the gas cap vent to make sure it is clear.
Replace the spark plug even thought it shows a spark under compression it may be breaking down.

Kenny
 
That is what the tractor shop said that it might have been flooding. They were "supposed" to have gone through the carb. I am going to call them tomorrow. I am stumped. I tried everything I could think of to keep it running. The only way it will keep running is if I spray starter fluid into the carb a little at a time.
 
does your carb have two wires going to solenoid on bottom of carb, if yes. take solenoid off carb and plug back up and see if it retracts when you turn key on, this allows gas to get in bowl when running. if it doesn't retract its bad. you can also check to see if float is working with the bottom off too, by raising and lowering float. just my 2cents
 
X2 on the cap vent. It may appear to have gas flow by the time you check it.
After that, magneto. They fail when they're hot when they get older. You need to have an in-line spark tester on it, and when it dies, see if it has spark. Again, if you take a bit to check for spark, it may be firing again by then.
 
You might also get your shop to test the fuel pump, my Cub Cadet did the same thing. They rebuilt the carb, ran fine for 5-10 minutes and died. Replaced the fuel pump, verified all the lines were on the correct stubs on the pump and it has run for the last year with no problems.
 
moparshaker said:
does your carb have two wires going to solenoid on bottom of carb, if yes. take solenoid off carb and plug back up and see if it retracts when you turn key on, this allows gas to get in bowl when running. if it doesn't retract its bad. you can also check to see if float is working with the bottom off too, by raising and lowering float. just my 2cents
Click to expand...

It does have the solenoid on the bottom of the float bowl. As for the cap. I will check that tomorrow when I get home from work.
 
Those are bad about getting the cooling fins clogged. There's nowhere for debris to go so it just clogs the fins. I would say that's what it is.....IF it ran for a longer period of time and shut down. It's worth checking anyway.
 
I used some brake clean and a rag and wiped down the fins. They are not that dirty. I am just stumped. Really do not want to pay to have the lawn mower shop come get my mower again but I got so much $ tied up in this mower I do not want to scrap it either. Besides the grass needs to be cut. Wife is all over me about the long grass.
 
My Snapper did have a single wire anti-backfire solenoid /fuel shut off under the bowl. When it failed the motor would not start at all.
I installed a inline mechanical fuel shut off valve and cut the plunger out of the solenoid. Deleted the one wire.
 
That pin/plunger is stainless steel. I believe it would be hard to cut it out. The solenoid holds the float bowl in place by screwing into the bottom of the carb under the float assembly. I tried to unplug the wire from the solenoid and the mower did not run at all. I guess I will just let the mower shop come and get it again.
 
dustermaniac said:
I used some brake clean and a rag and wiped down the fins. They are not that dirty. I am just stumped. Really do not want to pay to have the lawn mower shop come get my mower again but I got so much $ tied up in this mower I do not want to scrap it either. Besides the grass needs to be cut. Wife is all over me about the long grass.
Click to expand...

To see what and WHERE I am talking about, you have to remove the flywheel cover. You cannot see where they clog if you don't. Course.....it may be for naught if you do.....but you'll at least know for sure. In fact, the last one I did, I even removed the flywheel itself. It's a pretty common problem with those. But from what it sounds like, yours doesn't run long enough for it to be that.....but I would still check.
 
dustermaniac said:
That pin/plunger is stainless steel. I believe it would be hard to cut it out. The solenoid holds the float bowl in place by screwing into the bottom of the carb under the float assembly. I tried to unplug the wire from the solenoid and the mower did not run at all. I guess I will just let the mower shop come and get it again.
Click to expand...

Naw, it'll snap right off with a good pair of dykes. I do it all the time.
 
dustermaniac said:
That pin/plunger is stainless steel. I believe it would be hard to cut it out. The solenoid holds the float bowl in place by screwing into the bottom of the carb under the float assembly. I tried to unplug the wire from the solenoid and the mower did not run at all. I guess I will just let the mower shop come and get it again.
Click to expand...

Yeah I checked around for a bowl nut and washer from a earlier carb. 3 to 5 days wait. So the solenoid body still holds the bowl in place. I dont remember if I used a hacksaw or stuck the thing to the grinder. I know it is history. :)
It isn't your problem unless it is loosing the power supply after start up. Good luck with it.
 
What I did with mine (same model) is when it would die like yours I took carb cleaner and sprayed it into carb opening with air cleaner off and it would run. It ended up being that solenoid on bottom of carb shutting fuel off
 
Hemiroid said:
Easy things first, check the gas cap vent to make sure it is clear.
Replace the spark plug even thought it shows a spark under compression it may be breaking down.

Kenny
Click to expand...


X2 on the cap vent. Crack open the cap a little and see what happens.
 
You could have bought a new 42" cut mower at Sears for $999.00. Just sayin...
 
having the same problem.i have a murray w a 17.5 briggs.been workin on it all week.got it started the other night,mowed two strips,started spittin and sputterin,then died.my neighbour called me,said sounds like an ignition prob to me.(he owns the local auto elect shop).a guy at work had one that ran good ,but rearend was out,bout it for 50.00,came home changed coils and carb.same thing.went over to my neighbours,asked him what else he thought it could be.he said check the wire going from the ignition,to the coil,make sure it is not broken any where,and grounding out.came back home,started chasing the wire,apparently last year when i changed the starter,i got the wire in the wrong place,it was pinched between the starter and the block.which when that wire shorts out,it does exactly what it is suppose to,sends ground to the coil to kill the engine.not for sure that it fixed the prob,the battery was dead.but,look at that wire.
 
He already said it will run as long as he feeds it fuel ( start fluid ).
Rules out ignition failure
And by the way, be careful with that stuff. it can blow a head gasket or worse.
 
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