#$%^@# Mower!

[crokett]

If you remember previous posts, the motor would crank but not turn over. Turned out to be the crankcase full of fuel and there was gas in the oil. My mechanic cleaned out the carb and it was running fine for about a week. Last weekend, same problem. This weekend I changed the oil and added a cutoff to the fuel line. I suspect the carb needs a rebuild but don't have time for that right now. The fuel cutoff is a workaround. After I did the work today I tried starting it and got nothing, no cranking no nothing. It is possible I messed up a safety switch somewhere or did something to the electrical connections. The battery is 2 weeks old so I doubt it is a bad battery.

Mostly this thing has been a thorn in my side since last fall with one problem or another.

[tommyt654]

Pull a plug and ground it to the frame or motor and spin the motor over to see if your getting spark,if so more than likely your problems in the carb, try replacing the needle valve seat.If it cranks up and runs after that SELL IT and get a better mower,Anthing made by MTD is just junk waiting to break. If ya can try cub cadet or snapper as far as riders go their hard to beat, but usually I,ve found if you only gonna shell out $1000 to $1500 for a rider ya get what ya pay for and they usually don,t last to long,I think you would be better off spending and extra $1500 and getting a front deck/hydrostatic drive like the Cubs at Tractor supply or places like that, they last longer, take terrain better and usually give a much better cut, not quite a commercial mower but darn close, just my opinion but with 30+ yrs in residential and commercial lawncare I know a few things about lawn euipment.

[crokett]

I think you are saying the carb could be causing an electrical problem? If so, that is new to me. I didn't think the carb had anything to do with the electrical system.

[tommyt654]

No, I,m trying to establish if your getting fire to the plugs, If so then you only need fuel and air to make an internal combustion engine run. If ya got fire then you need to make sure your getting fuel into the cylinder to mix with air and ignition to get combustion. As I saw your mechanic had to drain gas and oil from the crankcase. That indicates to me that fuel is constantly leakin into the cylinder, which would be indicitive of a needle valve seat being worn to the point that fuel is constantly dripping into the cyl. I suspect. The shut-off valve is a good step but just a stop-gap to the real problem I suspect.,Tommy

[cgallery]

No, I,m trying to establish if your getting fire to the plugs...

If it won't crank, it won't spark.

[crokett]

If it won't crank, it won't spark.

Yeah, pretty much. When I turn the key, right now nothing happens. By 'nothing' I mean no cranking, nothing at all.

I already know the carb needs work. That is why I put the fuel shutoff in.

[pelligrini]

If you remember previous posts, the motor would crank but not turn over. Turned out to be the crankcase full of fuel and there was gas in the oil. My mechanic cleaned out the carb and it was running fine for about a week.

I don't recall how you said it cranked when you got it back. Did it turn over easily or was it a slow, labored start?

Did you ever check the starter itself? Like a bench test at a shop or a load test? If not, I would certainly pull the starter and take it to an autostore and let them do a bench test. I'm not fond of troubleshooting wiring and electrical problems. I'd want to eliminate the possibility of a bad starter first.

[crokett]

When I got it back it worked fine. My FIL mowed the lawn, then a couple days later we used it to move mulch - drove it all over the yard towing the trailer. That was last Saturday. Last Sunday afternoon went out to move more mulch and the problem was back. I pulled the dipstick and could smell gas in the oil. So yesterday I drained the gas tank and added the fuel shutoff, changed the oil, tried to start it and.... nothing happens. Like I said, this thing has been causing problems of one sort or another since last fall.

[cgallery]

Last Sunday afternoon went out to move more mulch and the problem was back. I pulled the dipstick and could smell gas in the oil.

I just want to start by saying that I'm no expert when it comes to engines.

But if you're getting that much gas in the oil on a 4-stroke engine, I say game over, buy a new mower.

[williwatt]

Anthing made by MTD is just junk waiting to break. If ya can try cub cadet or snapper as far as riders go their hard to beat, but usually I,ve found if you only gonna shell out $1000 to $1500 for a rider ya get what ya pay for and they usually don,t last to long,I think you would be better off spending and extra $1500 and getting a front deck/hydrostatic drive like the Cubs at Tractor supply or places like that, they last longer, take terrain better and usually give a much better cut, not quite a commercial mower but darn close, just my opinion but with 30+ yrs in residential and commercial lawncare I know a few things about lawn euipment.

FYI: MTD not only makes Troy-Bilt, but they also make Cub Cadet and White. These mowers look very much the same except for the color. The MTD family of brands includes Cub Cadet, Cub Cadet Commercial, Cub Cadet Yanmar, Troy-Bilt, White Outdoor, Yard-Man, Yard Machines, Bolens, Arnold, GardenWay, MTD Pro and MTD Gold.

[tommyt654]

Your correct about the Cub Cadets being made by MTD, but the more expensive models have heavier duty decks and transmissions to which a better service is applied, anytime you buy a lower priced model from any manufacturur your getting the bottom line, as previously suggested in my post a more significant contribution to the purchase price results in a superior product in most case,s, Heck even snapper makes a junk low-end rider, but mtd by a standard has poor performing less expensive machines typically bought at wallyworld, k-mart and even lowes and home depot for the more cost concious buyer. Bottom line is ya get what ya pay for, but the higher end commercial cub cadet mowers have performed well in test when compared to other mowers in their class, Satisfied with that explanation

[tommyt654]

Just curious crockett is the motor able to freely spin, because if you,ve gotten gas into that crankcase again you may have seized up the motor, its possible as the bearings will lose lubrication as the oils diluted by the gas, I,m really thinkin that needle valve seat is your problem with gas leaking past and flooding the carb which is then dumping raw fuel into the crankcase, Might wanna take it back to that mechanic again, Just a word of caution, That motor with fuel mixed into the crankcase should be considered highly volitile as in bomb type ,an ignition sourced to the crankcase could theoretically cause an explosion

[cabinetman]

I just want to start by saying that I'm no expert when it comes to engines.

But if you're getting that much gas in the oil on a 4-stroke engine, I say game over, buy a new mower.

I agree. If nothing else, get an estimate to repair.
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[crokett]

I know the carb is an issue, hence the short term solution of a shutoff. Been wanting one anyway, all my other small gas engines have one. I am coming close to getting a new one mower. As of last week after the mechanic fixed it, it worked fine, at least until the gas got into the crank case again. I assume it will work fine again if I figure out why it isn't cranking. I also have no doubt I can eventually find the problem, I am just not sure I want to in the time I have. Gotta go to Lowes today, mebbe I will see what kind of deal I can get on a new one. Was looking at CL but everything there looks to be pretty run down.

[cabinetman]

Deciding on a new one is a tough decision. My mower was a free hand-me-down that is 20 years old, and I've been using it for 10 years. I removed a broken transmission. I'm deciding on splurging on a self propelled model.
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