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Cub Cadet LTX 1045 with a Kohler 20 hp engine won't start

#1

D

dpjohnson

I have a Cub Cadet LTX 1045 with a Kohler 20 hp engine. We were mowing in deeper weeds and did not slow down during bog down of the engine. Anyway, the mower wont start now and it ran fine before (ran for three hours). Anyway, does anybody have any ideas? Does the deeper weeds throw off the timing somehow, or is that not a concern? Thanks for your wisdom.
Dave


#2

B

bertsmobile1

Welcome Dave,
Did the engine stall in the long weeds ?
if it did then there is a chance that the flywheel slipped on the crankshaft which will throw the timing out.
Other wise I would be looking under the mower at the parking brake switch & reverse switch.
Long grass can get tangled up in them, break them or twist them so they do not work.
Won't start is not a good enough description for a diagnosis over the web
Won't crank at all
Cranks but won't fire
Cranks , fires once or twice but dies


#3

D

dpjohnson

bertsmobile1 said:
Welcome Dave,
Did the engine stall in the long weeds ?
if it did then there is a chance that the flywheel slipped on the crankshaft which will throw the timing out.
Other wise I would be looking under the mower at the parking brake switch & reverse switch.
Long grass can get tangled up in them, break them or twist them so they do not work.
Won't start is not a good enough description for a diagnosis over the web
Won't crank at all
Cranks but won't fire
Cranks , fires once or twice but dies
Click to expand...
bertsmobile1 said:
Welcome Dave,
Did the engine stall in the long weeds ?
if it did then there is a chance that the flywheel slipped on the crankshaft which will throw the timing out.
Other wise I would be looking under the mower at the parking brake switch & reverse switch.
Long grass can get tangled up in them, break them or twist them so they do not work.
Won't start is not a good enough description for a diagnosis over the web
Won't crank at all
Cranks but won't fire
Cranks , fires once or twice but dies
Click to expand...


#4

D

dpjohnson

The engine stalled in long weeds, however the mower will turn over and pop off once in a while, but refuses to start. Being new at this I must have messed up the reply somehow...


#5

B

bertsmobile1

Good so we will start with the simple things
Two things typically happen when an engine overloads & stalls
1) Flywheel keeps on spinning and takes out the timing key in the crankshaft
2) Pushrod jumps off the rocker
And if you are really lucky, both .

Both will have to be checked so which ever way is easier for you.
Remove the blower housing and the flywheel retaining bolt
Locate the key
the keyway is cut into both the flywheel & the crankshaft and the two sides should sit together to form a perfect square

With the spark plugs removed, remove the rocker covers and rotate the engine by hand ( this is easier if the blower housing is off )
Watch the rockers , each one should move in and out once in every 2 revolutions of the engine .

Let us know what you find


#6

D

dpjohnson

bertsmobile1 said:
Good so we will start with the simple things
Two things typically happen when an engine overloads & stalls
1) Flywheel keeps on spinning and takes out the timing key in the crankshaft
2) Pushrod jumps off the rocker
And if you are really lucky, both .

Both will have to be checked so which ever way is easier for you.
Remove the blower housing and the flywheel retaining bolt
Locate the key
the keyway is cut into both the flywheel & the crankshaft and the two sides should sit together to form a perfect square

With the spark plugs removed, remove the rocker covers and rotate the engine by hand ( this is easier if the blower housing is off )
Watch the rockers , each one should move in and out once in every 2 revolutions of the engine .

Let us know what you find
Click to expand...


#7

D

dpjohnson

Thanks for your information.
I checked the flywheel and crank. They are lined up. I checked the rocker arms and one is very loose, the one opposite the carburetor. What is the adjustment for these? Upon further research I think this is a compression issue causing the battery etc. to barely turn over the engine. Anyway, I can unscrew the rocker nut with my fingers. Please let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Dave


#8

B

bertsmobile1

Yep,
rocker is too loose
Rotate the engine till it has gone down 1/4" on the firing stroke then set the rocker to 0.004"
Note the nut is the adjuster and the grub screw is the locking device.


#9

D

dpjohnson

bertsmobile1 said:
Yep,
rocker is too loose
Rotate the engine till it has gone down 1/4" on the firing stroke then set the rocker to 0.004"
Note the nut is the adjuster and the grub screw is the locking device.
Click to expand...
Made adjustments and put it back together. Barely touched the key and it started right off!
Thanks for your direction!
Unfortunately, the blade engagement lever went loose, so researching that, this mower is giving me fits this spring!


#10

B

bertsmobile1

There is more to servicing a mower than changing the oil & filters then greasing the front wheels.
When people do annual servicing then things get noticed & fixed before they break
Could be the cable, could be the clamp on the lever could be the leavr bush sould be the tension arm on the deck could be the tension idler pulley
could be a combination of any or all of the above.


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