garden tractor woes

Frank Fusco

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12,782
Location
Mountain Home, Arkansas
I picked up my Crafstmen riding mower from the (not)fix-it shop. Paid for the 'work'. Took it home, tried to mow, engine died. Brought back, owner of shop said nothing was wrong :huh: and wouldn't even try to re-fix. I didn't argue. At that point I wouldn't want him working on it anyway. Brought to another shop with a good reputation. Ran perfect for him. :doh: Of course. But I left it anyway. If it wouldn't run at home again I would just have to haul it someplace. He'll check out and let me know.
Cows welcome on my place, plenty of grass for them at moment. :(
 
I know what it is -- Near Mt. Home AR is a supernatural magnetic disturbance location.. this causes many anomalies with electricity-- especially ignitions systems and you found it...
 
Do you think the issue is spark or fuel?

Little motors are usually pretty easy to trouble shoot. My method is if it doesn't start, take the carb apart, clean it, put it back in and usually it works.... :rofl:
 
I think Paul got it right.
Brought it home, unloaded went up the hill to start mowing, put blades in gear and started. Died. Ded.
Started again, sorta choked enuf for me to get to road where I could reload onto trailer.
Took back to fixit shop. Worked perfect. :dunno: Shop owner now convinced I'm nuts. Took to a friends who is good with things mechanical. Worked perfect. :dunno: Confirmed what he already knew. I'm nuts.:rolleyes:
Took to another fixit shop. Worked perfect. :dunno: He is beginning to think I'm nuts. :rolleyes: Left it there. He said it will be ready in a week.:(
Right now we have fawns in yard but hard to see them. Grass is taller than they are. :eek:
 
There is a float in a silver container near the engine. Follow the fuel line to it. If i remember right, there is a screw that holds it together. Open it up and clean it out.

I had a craftsman that did that and that solved the issue.

Good luck:thumb:...I know how aggravating it can be.
 
I think Paul got it right.
Brought it home, unloaded went up the hill to start mowing, put blades in gear and started. Died. Ded.
Started again, sorta choked enuf for me to get to road where I could reload onto trailer.
Took back to fixit shop. Worked perfect. :dunno: Shop owner now convinced I'm nuts. Took to a friends who is good with things mechanical. Worked perfect. :dunno: Confirmed what he already knew. I'm nuts.:rolleyes:
Took to another fixit shop. Worked perfect. :dunno: He is beginning to think I'm nuts. :rolleyes: Left it there. He said it will be ready in a week.:(
Right now we have fawns in yard but hard to see them. Grass is taller than they are. :eek:

Frank, the obvious solution is that you simply need to take your lawn to these places where your mower runs flawlessly. :p Sorry to see you're having trouble.

Along the lines of Paul's comment, I have a friend who swears she must have some type of magnetic interference within her body. If she wears an electronic wristwatch, it'll die within weeks. Yet her mechanical watches last for years. :rolleyes:
 
Frank My question is are they actually mowing with it or just running the engine. After fixing things of all types from1967 until I retired a year one of my secrets was to try and duplicate the problem exactly as it happened.

As simple a concept as that seem I don't think 10 percent of those that maintain things for a living have the sense to do that. If dies mowing tall grass then they should check it mowing tall grass. If it dies going up or down hill they need to try that before calling it good.

A couple of questions does it just die like you shut off the key. Or does it sputter and stall or slow down.
If its the first there is a good chance it's one of the safety switches or the wiring to them..

Garry
 
A couple of things that I have run into. The fuel line to the carb breaking down on the inside a flacking off. This plugs the hole into the needle valve and starves it for fuel. I know people says they don't get grass in the tank when they refill, but on some units that take the gas out of the tank from the top there is a 90 degree elbow. Grass can't make the cornor and with time will pretty much plug off the fuel line. I have had people wax their units including the gas cap and plug the vent in the cap with wax. If you can choke it enough to keep it running I would say that the problem is fuel related.
 
Do you think the issue is spark or fuel?

Little motors are usually pretty easy to trouble shoot. My method is if it doesn't start, take the carb apart, clean it, put it back in and usually it works.... :rofl:

And here I thought your method was if it didn't start you just go buy a new one.:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
My method is if the mower wont start the law don't need mowing.:thumb::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
A problem I've had is the darn gasoling 'varnishing' the jets in the carb. For something I don't use often, I usually run the engine dry to make sure there is no fuel in the carb to varnish. Also I use some fuel presevative.

A little dismantling, cleaning with carb cleaner has usually helped.

Just don't use the compressed air to violently, or you may blow things like seals out of shape... DAMHIKT....

My 9hp chipper shredder wouldn't run. Last week I took the carb and spark plug out. Cleaned the plug, cleaned the carb, put it back and it started on the first pull...

Just make sure to use your digital camera to take a picture of everything first to make sure it goes back together right.... :thumb:
 
Frank My question is are they actually mowing with it or just running the engine. After fixing things of all types from1967 until I retired a year one of my secrets was to try and duplicate the problem exactly as it happened.

As simple a concept as that seem I don't think 10 percent of those that maintain things for a living have the sense to do that. If dies mowing tall grass then they should check it mowing tall grass. If it dies going up or down hill they need to try that before calling it good.

A couple of questions does it just die like you shut off the key. Or does it sputter and stall or slow down.
If its the first there is a good chance it's one of the safety switches or the wiring to them..

Garry

It sorta surges the misses then dies. Dom's suggestion to check the float thing sounds good. My lawn is not very level, I live on a hillside, and it seems to die when on a slant. The first fix it shop did mow but place is level. Where it is now doesn't have a hill. I'll call him with the float idea.
 
yur jinx frank!!! had to mow my hay field this weekend got part way into it and the belt blew on the mower deck.. so went to the back up mower finished the job.. got new belt yesterday tried to remeber the diagram to thread it on. couldnt get it. ckd on internet for diagram no luck. went back to try again ,,took deck out form under mower got the thing threaded now i needed to get the drive belt back on just two pulleys.. no way did it want to go attempted to be patient for awahile ,,hot and humid weather and the fuse got lit tipped the JD185 over on its side so i could see the wonderful thing!!!!!! got a idea, tipp[ed it back ove to level again the first time over was easy the second time to get back wasnt as easy:huh: finally got it hooked up, started it ran the mower and all worked.. tried go ahead no transmission working just sat there finally the trans decide to work,, i went and parked it where it goes and popped a top... why they dont give diagrams with the machines i dont understand!!!! so it yur fault i now have a pain in back!!!!!1:D
 
yur jinx frank!!! had to mow my hay field this weekend got part way into it and the belt blew on the mower deck.. so went to the back up mower finished the job.. got new belt yesterday tried to remeber the diagram to thread it on. couldnt get it. ckd on internet for diagram no luck. went back to try again ,,took deck out form under mower got the thing threaded now i needed to get the drive belt back on just two pulleys.. no way did it want to go attempted to be patient for awahile ,,hot and humid weather and the fuse got lit tipped the JD185 over on its side so i could see the wonderful thing!!!!!! got a idea, tipp[ed it back ove to level again the first time over was easy the second time to get back wasnt as easy:huh: finally got it hooked up, started it ran the mower and all worked.. tried go ahead no transmission working just sat there finally the trans decide to work,, i went and parked it where it goes and popped a top... why they dont give diagrams with the machines i dont understand!!!! so it yur fault i now have a pain in back!!!!!1:D

OK, I'll take the blame. :D
I know about doing repairs alone in the middle of a field. If sure can focus the mind and help invent new words. :eek:
Mower decks are the devils doin', no doubt. Brush hogs aren't far behind.
Good luck.
 
I recently had a similar problem on my older 17 hp Murray lawn tractor. It would run fine when going straight but would sputter and stall when I went around a corner a little fast. I did everything I could think of. Checked the oil level because it has a cut off switch if the oil level falls, replaced the fuel filter, spark plug, and cleaned all the filters. Still stalled out. Finally I noticed some loose and cracked wires. They were shorting out when the tractor turned and the wires moved.. :doh:
 
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