I just bought this used MTD 608 for my Sister. So far I have changed the drive belt and the PTO belt. Looks like I need to adjust the gas pedal and the brake before I put the deck back on. My problem is it won't move when you put it in gear. It moves easily in Neutral, so I don't think the break is sticking.
Sorry I know its one step at a time.
The point that it will not drive the back wheels with the back end off the ground might not be a good sign.
The Clockwise Anticlockwise thing is what you would expect to see.
The next thing to try would be to drop the drive belt off of the gear box pulley put it in gear with the wheels sat on the ground and try turning the pulley on top of the transaxle by hand and see if the machine moves.
If it moves it痴 a good sign and you should look at the drive belt and if it does not then it would point to a fault with the transaxle.
Let us know how you get on.
Just a further thought
If you remove the left rear wheel and follow the shifter down, have a look out at the base of shaft where it connected to the shaft from the transaxle (near No. 73). Also, check the spring in bracket No. 48 as they pop out and then wouldn't stay in gear.
Go back and have a look at the drive belt you changed is it on OK?
The parts diagram might help with the fitting around the pulleys it sounds as if there is not enough tension on the belt.
Took it to my Sister today. Fired it up and mowed half the lawn. Shut it down, then it would not fire back up. Went to the store bought new plugs, new filter, and a new air filter - all needed to be replaced anyway. It fired right back up, cut a little more and it started raining. It passed quickly, so got back on mowed some more and it cut off again. Out of gas this time - the fuel line must have come off the tank when I changed the filter.
So now I know it starts fine until the engine is hot, then it won't start. I plan to check for spark when it is hot, and try without the gas cap. It backfired last time it shutdown if that means anything.
The PTO belt jumped off. Need to figure out why that is happening. Is the belt guard on the drivers side suppose to touch the belt? There was a little metal piece that is mounted inside the guard that was hitting the belt. I bent it, so it didn't contact the belt. I can post a pic if it helps.
Belt guides should only touch the belt if the belt is not under tension. If the unit runs fine for 30 minutes or so then dies, and will not restart until it has had a chance to cool off, you may have an ignition coil going out. The coils of wire inside the coil are laminated, but if the insulation between wires breaks down, then as the unit heats up, the wires can expand and the coil will eventually short itself out, until it cools down and the wires separate again. This will only last so long before the wires actually fuse, and it will not start at all.
Thanks for the help guys. Went over to my Sisters today, was not getting spark when the engine was hot. Changed the coil and all is good. Glad I didn't have to do the valve adjustment yet.
It looks like someone had mixed up the belt guards. I swapped sides on those and they function properly. Mowed her neighbors front yard with no issues.
