Cheap riding lawn mower

In reply to P3PPY :

Can you get the tag off the engine? Kohler's website has all the wiring diagrams for the motor on it and Sears Parts Direct has diagrams for the tractor side, but you need both the engine model, series number, and serial off it to get the right one.

Good thread! I have a Troy Bilt LTX 1842 that my dad gave me when he upgraded a few years back to a Cub Cadet, and it's not the best. It looks like this:


It's basically a lawn mower, and I use it to drag a trailer, aerator, and a thatcher. It works fine for that, when it works. In the past few years, I've had to repair the muffler, the valve cover gasket, the starter solenoid, a tie rod, and it spit a belt a few weeks ago. It has a tendency to backfire after shutting it off if you idle it down, and the mower engagement arm is loose so I have to hold it to keep it from stalling out during use. It runs a 18hp Briggs that I'm not a fan of. But hey, free is free!

I'll keep an eye out for one of those late model Craftsmans with the bolt-on wheels when this inevitably grenades.

heyyy!!!

In reply to Tony Sestito :

Try shutting it off at higher throttle. Most of these engines have a carburetor solenoid that only closes off the high speed jet. This is done to stop backfires and are usually called “after-fire solenoids”. The afterfire/backfire can blow headgaskets and cause damage. Shutting it off at idle means that solenoid isnt having the intended effect and you will be pulling gas still on the idle/low speed circuit. 

Forgot to add, shutting off at higher RPM is usually in the owners manual for either the engine or the mower. 

In reply to P3PPY :

Under the seat on the fender should be a craftsman sticker. It will have a part # for your specific model, probably starts with 917.xxxxxx. Always reference that # for parts. 

So is the typical bypass jumping the connector switch by the brake pedal?

To “test” safeties i usually use a multimeter. Test the switch and see if it closes or opens when activated. That will let you know to either permanently make or leave open the circuit. 

In reply to TJL :

I figured this out "by accident" late last year. I've been doing that ever since, and it hasn't backfired. Now I know it's a feature, not a glitch. Thanks!

Well I got it. I can't really say I have a good reason for the faith I have that it will be workable other than that the dude seems very conscientious about all things. Including my spare tow strap which he very carefully folded up. Here's hoping it's nothing major.

In reply to P3PPY :

Kohler Command CV15S is a very good engine for a one lunger. Hydraulic valve lifters FTW.

600 hrs on my 20 y/o Kohler in Husqvarna YTH-150 chassis. Religious annual oil change w/ filter (or filter every 2) , Kohler oil filter is about $7 at Rural King. First thing I would do is remove the engine cover to inspect/ clean around the cylinder for grass clippings or mouse nests. Mine was always clean FWIW.

Only issues I have had were old fuel hose breaking down and sticking the carb guts, ended up replacing every inch from the tank to the carb w/ new. One check valve in the fuel pump loosened up but secured it w/ JB Weld. PCV hose deteriorated but patched it easy. Anti-backfire carb solenoid went out last year, no way to cobble around it, install new one. Most engine parts are still available except overbore pistons/ rings as I've seen... but they may be out there yet. Mine doesn't use or leak oil.

Damn good engine. 

Good luck. 

I have one of these in the larger 21 hp Kawasaki version.  Articulated steering, triple blade front mower that rotates up for cleaning and sharpening.  All welded steel and cast construction, very well built.  Not a zero turn but a little over a foot is pretty tight, and the front deck is nice for getting close while looking forward.

The only real drawback is that imported mowers take a goofy size battery that is expensive and just a little smaller than standard.  The battery box is a welded and powder coated deal but I was not going to buy an $80 tractor battery, so it got modified.

Do I win for goofiest lawn tractor.

I have a small yard and really only need a riding lawnmower, so I never considered the difference between a tractor and a mower. Looking at CL, I see the difference between splined rear wheels and ones with lug nuts, I never even noticed that before! You learn something new. 

OH yeah, I had an old Toro 8-32 that I loved.  It was just an 8hp, but the clamshell grass bag was awesome!  You could back up to the hillside and dump it out without getting off the tractor. I upgraded to a newer model, but regretted it. 

I actually have one of those “throw away” John Deere that everyone is talking down; I mow  two acres a week and have used it since 2006 when I bought it. It’s been great. It’s not a 318 but it was 1/4 the price. I’ve used a snow blower on it, all good.

In reply to akylekoz :

I’ve seen a few of those for sale and always wondered why they were not imported.  

I spend some time working on it this evening. I have this mantra, "fix what you know is broken, first." In other words, if you know one thing is busted get to resolving that before chasing down other rabbit trails. That sorta paid off tonight.

The only problem was in assuming the guy's diagnosis was accurate- that the brake was stuck and was preventing the mower from turning on, too. First I mangled the wheel trying to slide it off the shaft. Oh well, it was going to get a tube anyway. Have any of you guys heard of Kimball Penetrating Lubricant? A heavy equipment mechanic introduced it to me and I bought a box of the stuff for a pretty penny. Like $10 a can. It's amazing AND it smells like cream soda! Anyway, it would have been great tonight but I didn't feel like running back up to the house to get it. I was hoping to find an obvious brake issue but nothing so I moved on to the battery which I know for sure is bad. I hooked up the jump box and jumped the leads of the solenoid (I may be using terms incorrectly here, I think that's what it is -- it's not on the starter itself unlike a car) and it fired up pretty quickly. Oddly this thing exhausts out the front, down low. I don't see the positives of that.

While it was running and the one side was up in the air I tried engaging it and the shaft spun. Presumably it's an open diff so it turned the path of least resistance -- only the one shaft.

So my new guess is that the freewheel lever isn't acutally working. Also, the starter now just free spins, so I probably need to get a new starter or repair the old one, which I don't know how to do yet. THEN I need to figure out why nothing happens when I turn the ignition. Bad ignition? Or some messed up safety somewhere.

Well it’s the project I should have assumed it would be. The starter is fine, just needed a new battery. However, it won’t fire up without starting fluid sprayed into it. It will stay running for a few minutes or just one minute or somewhere in between. I gave some carb cleaner a shot but no difference afterward. There’s a choke that is engaged by pushing the throttle all the way forward. Then there’s what seems to be another choke or butterfly valve further into the carb and it’s been opening and closing opening and closing making the mower have high then low idle!— I didn’t note which way made it run high- open or closed, although I can’t see the valve anyway, so maybe I could not have been able to tell —until eventually the mower just dies. 

Sometimes it gives a pretty good gray smoke and sometimes it doesn’t. 

Oh yeah and the ignition switch doesn’t have any effect at all. Either it’s busted or there’s a messed up safety somewhere. I’ve been starting it by hooking my jump box up to the starter.

And one time the lights even turned on with the switch, but mostly not. 

I would appreciate some some insight or thoughts here! My mother in law has a 49 year old push mower she’ll let us borrow so maybe my wife can beat me about the face with that.

The first horizontal bar is the choke, the second is what I assume to be the internal choke. Oh yeah and it backfires. Sometimes a LOT

anyone up for some remote diagnosis??

Bump? Stuck carb float?

In reply to P3PPY :

That would be my guess based on the info you provided.

Other option would be a fuel filter.

In reply to P3PPY :

Try removing the fuel bowl to see if any dirt/ debris. 

Fuel hose deteriorated from the inside and would get sucked up into orifice, run for 2-3 minutes then quit like you said. There are several inches of fuel hose after the fuel filter.

See my post above, same CV15S as yours. 

Thanks guys. I picked up a new fuel line and filter and will give it a shot. Hopefully no carb disassembly required 

Screw that thing.

I bought a used '03/'04 John Deere L120 with a 48" deck and the 20hp B&S for just $150 more than that thing.

Anyone want a project Craftsman? I suckered myself into it for $200, surely someone else will do it too. At this point I think if I replaced the spark plug it might run but (bitter moment here about having moved to MI to follow) there are SO MANY MOSQUITOS HERE I don't want to even step outside right now.

I used to have a craftsman with a honda twin in it.  I loved that engine. Tractor. Was ok. Engine was amazing. Just smooth quiet and powerful. Never gave me any trouble. 

With a number of small engines that haven't run right I have great luck just taking the carb as far apart as I can, spraying carb cleaner through every orifice and maybe sticking some welding wire through too, then putting it all back together.  The little pasageways get gummed up pretty easily. 

It was bad gasoline. I could kick myself. Oh well. Now I have two riding mowers from the price of one good one. So I’ll selk off the craftsman and have the JD for free.