Why is my riding lawnmower going off when I put it into gear?
theplanetisalive asked:
Yesterday I was cutting grass and my riding lawnmower started going off. I can turn it on and it runs. But when I put it into gear and start moving (even with the mowing deck NOT engaged) it goes off. Sometimes I can drive it for 3 foot, sometimes for 30 foot, sometimes not at all. I can press the clutch real quick to kick it out of gear and it will then stay on. Know what this might be? Also is there a rule of thumb as far as how fast to put the motor when in a particular gear? Thanks in advance.
This entry was posted
on Friday, January 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Maintenance & Repairs.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Yesterday I was cutting grass and my riding lawnmower started going off. I can turn it on and it runs. But when I put it into gear and start moving (even with the mowing deck NOT engaged) it goes off. Sometimes I can drive it for 3 foot, sometimes for 30 foot, sometimes not at all. I can press the clutch real quick to kick it out of gear and it will then stay on. Know what this might be? Also is there a rule of thumb as far as how fast to put the motor when in a particular gear? Thanks in advance.
January 25th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
That’s why I use a push mower, simple to use, no gas, pollution free, exercise, no break downs..
January 26th, 2009 at 1:17 am
Sounds like one or more of the safety switchs are bad. It could be the one under the seat or the one on clutch/brake pedal. You didn’t say how well the engine was running. Is the engine running normally? If you are mowing, the engine should be running at full speed. If you are just moving the tractor the engine can be running at any speed your comfortable with. You should also tell us the make and model of the tractor, that would help in figuring out the problem..
January 26th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Not too sure, except make sure the choke is off and brakes are not engaged.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
well from the sounds of it, your engine is bogging down when you try to move or turn on the cutting deck, is this correct? if it was a safety switch, the motor would cut out quickley as if you had turned it off yourself. but if is cutting out slowly, almost as if it has a loss of power, then it is not a safety switch. if the tractor hasnt had a tune up lately (oil change, new spark plug, air filter) then i would first off do that. next, you might want to check you compression, it could have a valve not seating right which would cause a loss of compression, which in the end would cause a loss of power. but it could also be you need you play with your carburator adjustments a little. if have to look in your manual to find out which valve is the main fuel valve and which is the idle. then just give the main fuel valve a turn either clock wise or counter clock wise and then see if it helps. and if it makes it worse going one way then go the other way. good luck, and with the throttle, no, it does not matter were it is set at, i usually have it 3/4 of the way up, and thats my rpm speed not matter what gear you are in. but if it a newer tractor then you have the throttle all the way up while you are cutting. on the older ones you dont, you will over rev the engine.
John
January 28th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Carburetor rebuild kit should solve the matter
January 30th, 2009 at 9:38 am
If it was just engaging the deck- id say the quills ( deck spindles ) were seized/sticking - but since its doing it while driving….. First, check the drive belts/trans fluid - you’ll have to remove the deck to see everything. Check the pulleys/idler pulleys- everything. If that doesnt work, its in the carburator. Remove and thouroughly clean the carb - make sure you adjust the carb before mowing again ( i can explain it if needed). If it hasnt been tuned up, oil changed, filters changed , deck checked out - nows the time to do it.
Kidd