Re: Cub Cadet Owner Check-In --- Read This First! --- & LT-1018 Starting Problem
I have an LT1018 that has been great for the past few years. In fact, we really rely on it for fall clean up here in New England because our property has old growth oaks and maples that throw a whole bunch of leaves when the weather turns cold.
The mower began starting hard late last year so I looked on the web and found that Briggs & Stratton 18.5 HP ELS 500 (Mine is a Model 31Q777; Type 0305; Trim E1) engines have valves that go out of adjustment. I initially thought the battery was heading south, but then found out that the hard cranking was a symptom of the valves being out of adjustment. Once I reset the valves, it turned over and started like a champ.
This summer the mower was running well with no problems at all. I finished mowing and put it away one afternoon and all seemed OK but when I tried to start it a few days later, the engine turned over fast but would not start. I checked the troubleshooting section of the owners manual and found that one likely issue was the magneto air gap being out of adjustment. I reset that, checked the plug for fouling and all seemed well but the machine would still not start. I then replaced the magneto and checked the gap again but nothing. I then checked the seat safety switch (dead man's switch) for continuity and found it to be fully functional.
My next step is to check the carb solenoid and the black wire under the magneto to see if I have spark. Before I go any farther down this path I thought I'd see if anyone on the forum has experienced the symptoms I'm seeing and, if so, what they found to be the problem. Thanks in advance.
