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Cub Cadet XT1 LT46 with Kohler 7000 series engine. I was fouling plugs really quickly and the engine was stuttering badly. I tried new plugs with no relief. While running, I tried removing the air filter which looked pristine and the mower ran perfectly. It is a mower I got as "non-running AS IS" from Tractor supply at a large discount. I took the carburetor solenoid out and snipped the plunger off and installed an in-line fuel shutoff valve. The hour meter showed 6 hours so it seems unlikely the air filter would be obstructed from normal use. Maybe then original owner sprayed something in it but it seems to be clean. I will get a new air cleaner but if that doesn't solve things, what could cause the rich condition? It has a manual choke and the butterfly closes when the lever is in then choke position and is open when the lever is in other positions. Confirmed good gas that burns well in my other mower. The fouled plugs are sooty.

make sure you do not have gas in the oil. the gas fumes being pulled through the breather will cause a rich run condition and will normally be more noticeable with the air cleaner installed because it allows the fumes to be drawn in instead of atmospherically vented.

Boy, I just don't why people just snip off those solenoid plungers. 99% of the time these solenoid are fine. All they do is keep the engine from blow apart the muffler at times.

Also need the actually model number of the mower and the model/spec number for the engine. Just going by the XT1-LT46 CC is showing MTD engines used on them the last few years.

Star you know the answer to your question. “I saw this guy do it on U-BoobTube and it worked for me”. All experienced techs on this forum can’t change to brain that thinks a side cutters is cheaper than a can of carb cleaner. I have seen this phase on U-BoobTube that these guys have not seen, “You can’t fix stupid”. I’ve given up trying to educate these fools and just charge them for a new solenoid when ever they come it.

Rivets said:

Star you know the answer to your question. “I saw this guy do it on U-BoobTube and it worked for me”. All experienced techs on this forum can’t change to brain that thinks a side cutters is cheaper than a can of carb cleaner. I have seen this phase on U-BoobTube that these guys have not seen, “You can’t fix stupid”. I’ve given up trying to educate these fools and just charge them for a new solenoid when ever they come it.

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Bingo...That is what I do here too as most come in complaining about the after fire noise.

Thank you, I will check. The oil level has checked okay but I remember being surprised how clear it was. I didn't sniff it but will just change it even if I can't smell gas.

Model 13AQA9TTA10 Cub
Kohler spec PS-KT730-3046. Serial 5301707914

I took a gamble getting the unit "as is" but was told I could bring it back within a week if it turned out to be something really serious so I was in a hurry to at least get gas to the main jet. I think the solenoid was okay but maybe there was no voltage getting to it. I was just in a hurry to see if it would run and plan to get a new solenoid if and when I get it running right.

There is no smell of gas from the oil but I changed the oil. I'm wondering if it had break-in oil in it and maybe I should have given it more time to get the rings seated.

The symptoms haven't changed. I seem to hear hissing on the dipstick side of the engine and feel a light air movement.

Pull the breather off at the air filter end
Problem goes away = blown head gasket
The second check is to run the engine then turn it off and immediately it stops spinning pull the dip stick
Wafts of grey/white smoke = blown head gasket .

bertsmobile1 said:

Pull the breather off at the air filter end
Problem goes away = blown head gasket
The second check is to run the engine then turn it off and immediately it stops spinning pull the dip stick
Wafts of grey/white smoke = blown head gasket .

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Thank you. Both tests seem negative. I'm working today so I just had a second to check and it is dark underneath my pole barn but I couldn't see any smoke from the dipstick funnel. On the first check, it's the crankcase breather line to the bottom the air cleaner housing, correct? I ran it with the filter in and crankcase line disconnected and got sputtering. Then same configuration except filter out and it smoothed out.

StarTech said:

Boy, I just don't why people just snip off those solenoid plungers. 99% of the time these solenoid are fine. All they do is keep the engine from blow apart the muffler at times.

Also need the actually model number of the mower and the model/spec number for the engine. Just going by the XT1-LT46 CC is showing MTD engines used on them the last few years.

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Speaking only for me, my anti-afterfire solenoid failed and shut down my mower at the farthest end of my yard. Mine was that 1%.
As a rule, I turn off my gasline shutoff before turning the mower off, so no afterfire bang.

bertsmobile1 said:

Pull the breather off at the air filter end
Problem goes away = blown head gasket
The second check is to run the engine then turn it off and immediately it stops spinning pull the dip stick
Wafts of grey/white smoke = blown head gasket .

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The mower is running well now. I cleaned the carb and suspect when I altered the solenoid earlier maybe I somehow caused the floats to bind upon reassembly. I still seem to feel some air current near the dipstick tube but the tests for a blown head gasket definitely come up negative. I eventually want to get the solenoid working. I read in a repair manual I found online that you should not leave a multimeter probe in the solenoid plug too long because you could damage the circuit. I'm no wizard with a multi-meter and the owner's manual made no mention of this. I guess my next move may be to remove the shroud so I can get a better look at the wiring and see if I see anything obviously chafed or otherwise damaged. It's not real easy to find a wiring diagram for this engine and the one in the repair manual is hard for me (a non-electrician) to figure out. It seems the wire to the solenoid is a red one straight from the pt of origin in the diagram.

SamB said:

Speaking only for me, my anti-afterfire solenoid failed and shut down my mower at the farthest end of my yard. Mine was that 1%.
As a rule, I turn off my gasline shutoff before turning the mower off, so no afterfire bang.

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Yeah, I discovered I can shut the gas off without getting off the seat.

StarTech said:

Boy, I just don't why people just snip off those solenoid plungers. 99% of the time these solenoid are fine. All they do is keep the engine from blow apart the muffler at times.

Also need the actually model number of the mower and the model/spec number for the engine. Just going by the XT1-LT46 CC is showing MTD engines used on them the last few years.

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So I maybe should replace my after fire solenoid? TIA

Okay, the only thing I can google for TIA is transient ischemic attack????

SamB said:

So I maybe should replace my after fire solenoid? TIA

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1948man said:

Okay, the only thing I can google for TIA is transient ischemic attack????

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TIA is text shorthand for "Thanks in advance". As in Thanks in advance for any advice on the afterfire solenoid replacement.

SamB said:

TIA is text shorthand for "Thanks in advance". As in Thanks in advance for any advice on the afterfire solenoid replacement.

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Got it.

1948man said:

Got it.

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:-D

Reasonable causes of running "rich"....
• Fuel in the engine oil. (Oil MUST be changed.)
• Choke in the ON position. Either stuck there or not responding.
• Float level set too high
• Float bowl float unable to float. May be filled with liquid from a tiny leak.
• Trash in the float bowl needle valve
• Main jet loose or fallen out