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Fuel Issues Craftsman LT1000
#1
W
Whalensdad
W
Whalensdad
I'm having the following issue. After I've been using the mower for 45 min or so, the mower starts sputtering and then quits. I noticed that the fuel filter is empty, and it appears that the carb is starved for fuel. I've seen a video online which lead me to believe it was getting vapor locked due to the fuel line getting too hot and evaporating the fuel. I rerouted the fuel line, but the problem persists. When it happens I can disconnect the fuel line and then blow lightly into both the tank and then into the carb. The filter gets some fuel and it will run for a few minutes, but then it quits again. I previously rebuilt the carb, so I believe it is clean and not getting gunked up. It happens more often when the mower is on a slight incline, but can happen when on flat ground as well.
1. What should I be looking at? Should I replace the carb? The fuel line and filter are new.
2. Is there a fuel pump mod that can be added? I know there are some models that have a pmp.
1. What should I be looking at? Should I replace the carb? The fuel line and filter are new.
2. Is there a fuel pump mod that can be added? I know there are some models that have a pmp.
#2
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
debris in the fuel tank being sucked into the fuel outlet blocking off the fuel supply .
#3
StarTech
StarTech
If it vapor lock then the carburetor itself may source and not the fuel line. Also in the past some fuel solenoid were failing under heated conditions. Walbro carbs on some Kohler engine was in the past experiencing heat issues and they came out with a kits to resolve the heating issue where they shielded the fuel bowl and solenoid.
But I think that both the AYP(Husqvarna) and MTD versions of the LT1000 use Briggs engines.
But I think that both the AYP(Husqvarna) and MTD versions of the LT1000 use Briggs engines.
#4
W
Whalensdad
W
Whalensdad
Good suggestion, but fuel tank was cleaned.debris in the fuel tank being sucked into the fuel outlet blocking off the fuel supply .
Do you recommend replacing the carb and solenoid?If it vapor lock then the carburetor itself may source and not the fuel line. Also in the past some fuel solenoid were failing under heated conditions. Walbro carbs on some Kohler engine was in the past experiencing heat issues and they came out with a kits to resolve the heating issue where they shielded the fuel bowl and solenoid.
But I think that both the AYP(Husqvarna) and MTD versions of the LT1000 use Briggs engines.
#5
StarTech
StarTech
Right now it best to figure out where the problem actually lays before spending lot of money that can be as simple as trash block the fuel tank pickup (drain) hole or a loose connections. These type problems can always be something that we don't think of or something major. This why careful troubleshooting important. Patience is key to finding the problem.
I have had customers that tried fixing their problem on their own by buying and swapping out parts base it could be or that to only finally bring them into shop and I find simple wrong. One time I has customer that had a starting problem. He listen to members of some forum that got him to swap the starter, starter solenoid, battery, voltage regulator, and the stator on a mower. When the mower finally came into my and after carefully troubleshooting, I found that a simple bad fifty cent wire terminal at the ignition was his problem. And he was out several hundred dollars guessing at the problem. He wanted me to buy his used parts for what paid for the new parts; didn't happen. Instead he was out another $60 for my time.
Last year I had JD ZTR that would mow for 30 minutes and then die straving for fuel. It always cranked right back up. It took time troubleshooting but I finally found the problem. Guess what, it was a honeybee and a yellowjacket in the fuel tank. They would get sucked up and block the fuel flow but as soon as the engine shut down they would unblock the pickup tube. A similar thing happen here last week to Yazoo ZTR where a fuel cap inter seal disintegrated and pieces of it was randomly block the fuel pickup (drain).
I have had customers that tried fixing their problem on their own by buying and swapping out parts base it could be or that to only finally bring them into shop and I find simple wrong. One time I has customer that had a starting problem. He listen to members of some forum that got him to swap the starter, starter solenoid, battery, voltage regulator, and the stator on a mower. When the mower finally came into my and after carefully troubleshooting, I found that a simple bad fifty cent wire terminal at the ignition was his problem. And he was out several hundred dollars guessing at the problem. He wanted me to buy his used parts for what paid for the new parts; didn't happen. Instead he was out another $60 for my time.
Last year I had JD ZTR that would mow for 30 minutes and then die straving for fuel. It always cranked right back up. It took time troubleshooting but I finally found the problem. Guess what, it was a honeybee and a yellowjacket in the fuel tank. They would get sucked up and block the fuel flow but as soon as the engine shut down they would unblock the pickup tube. A similar thing happen here last week to Yazoo ZTR where a fuel cap inter seal disintegrated and pieces of it was randomly block the fuel pickup (drain).
#6
I
ILENGINE
Kohler blames the issue on the MTD exhaust, MTD blamed the issue on an overcharging voltage regulator. Neither would pay for warranty on the damaged solenoid.
I
ILENGINE
There was an issue with the heat shield on some Craftsman/Husqvarna riders that would direct exhaust heat up onto the fuel bowl of the Briggs Intek V-twin carb bowl. Bowl would get so hot that you couldn't hold your hand on the bowl.. And part of the Kohler single courage fuel solenoid issue was MTD moving the muffler within 6 inches of the fuel solenoid without a heat shield. The solenoid would get so hot that it would burn the wires.If it vapor lock then the carburetor itself may source and not the fuel line. Also in the past some fuel solenoid were failing under heated conditions. Walbro carbs on some Kohler engine was in the past experiencing heat issues and they came out with a kits to resolve the heating issue where they shielded the fuel bowl and solenoid.
But I think that both the AYP(Husqvarna) and MTD versions of the LT1000 use Briggs engines.
Kohler blames the issue on the MTD exhaust, MTD blamed the issue on an overcharging voltage regulator. Neither would pay for warranty on the damaged solenoid.
#7
StarTech
StarTech
I had both issues a few years ago here but part of the problem here was winter fuel use in the hot Spring weather. Gasoline can boil as low as 140F depending how it is mixed by the refinery. Shielding the carb and fuel lines helps as I was getting air temps around the carburetor of about 300F according to laser thermometer. Apparently JD had some of the same problems with a few of their mowers as I have found fuel lines insulated on them.
Sounds about right on warranties. Some are so the OEMs are not responsible for anything much like a service contract that Standard Register that was written by corporate lawyers where nothing legally was covered by the service contract.
This why with the new HG dealership any supposedly warranty repairs the customer will get billed up front and then I get reimbursed; the customer gets reimbursed. I not to sure becoming a HG dealer was the right thing to do here. I can do some decent paying work but without any info everything is in the dark. I really could a book time sheet to work from to see I am too slow or too fast.
Sounds about right on warranties. Some are so the OEMs are not responsible for anything much like a service contract that Standard Register that was written by corporate lawyers where nothing legally was covered by the service contract.
This why with the new HG dealership any supposedly warranty repairs the customer will get billed up front and then I get reimbursed; the customer gets reimbursed. I not to sure becoming a HG dealer was the right thing to do here. I can do some decent paying work but without any info everything is in the dark. I really could a book time sheet to work from to see I am too slow or too fast.
#8
W
Whalensdad
W
Whalensdad
I've done the troubleshooting aspect as far as I know. The tank was cleaned, carb rebuilt, and the hoses/and filter were replaced. I don't see how debris could be the issue. Is there a mod kit to shield the carb and lines?Right now it best to figure out where the problem actually lays before spending lot of money that can be as simple as trash block the fuel tank pickup (drain) hole or a loose connections. These type problems can always be something that we don't think of or something major. This why careful troubleshooting important. Patience is key to finding the problem.
I have had customers that tried fixing their problem on their own by buying and swapping out parts base it could be or that to only finally bring them into shop and I find simple wrong. One time I has customer that had a starting problem. He listen to members of some forum that got him to swap the starter, starter solenoid, battery, voltage regulator, and the stator on a mower. When the mower finally came into my and after carefully troubleshooting, I found that a simple bad fifty cent wire terminal at the ignition was his problem. And he was out several hundred dollars guessing at the problem. He wanted me to buy his used parts for what paid for the new parts; didn't happen. Instead he was out another $60 for my time.
Last year I had JD ZTR that would mow for 30 minutes and then die straving for fuel. It always cranked right back up. It took time troubleshooting but I finally found the problem. Guess what, it was a honeybee and a yellowjacket in the fuel tank. They would get sucked up and block the fuel flow but as soon as the engine shut down they would unblock the pickup tube. A similar thing happen here last week to Yazoo ZTR where a fuel cap inter seal disintegrated and pieces of it was randomly block the fuel pickup (drain).
#9
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
I use an old Tecumseh fuel tank connected directly to the carb to check for debris in the fuel system.
And some red LED spark testers to check the electrical system
If they stop flashing before the engine stops then you have an electrical problem
If the fuel solenoid is working properly then you can disconnect the kill wires & mow
If the problem goes away then your fault is in the wiring
As mentioned before by others it is a process of careful elimination
For instance it could be a softened fuel line inner that gets soft and collapses
For vapour locks try some foam tube slotted and slipped over the fuel lines
If you really want to you can get a sheet of exhaust gasket material and make a head shield for the carb to eliminate that .
And some red LED spark testers to check the electrical system
If they stop flashing before the engine stops then you have an electrical problem
If the fuel solenoid is working properly then you can disconnect the kill wires & mow
If the problem goes away then your fault is in the wiring
As mentioned before by others it is a process of careful elimination
For instance it could be a softened fuel line inner that gets soft and collapses
For vapour locks try some foam tube slotted and slipped over the fuel lines
If you really want to you can get a sheet of exhaust gasket material and make a head shield for the carb to eliminate that .
#10
W
Whalensdad
W
Whalensdad
Thanks, I'll give this a try.I use an old Tecumseh fuel tank connected directly to the carb to check for debris in the fuel system.
And some red LED spark testers to check the electrical system
If they stop flashing before the engine stops then you have an electrical problem
If the fuel solenoid is working properly then you can disconnect the kill wires & mow
If the problem goes away then your fault is in the wiring
As mentioned before by others it is a process of careful elimination
For instance it could be a softened fuel line inner that gets soft and collapses
For vapour locks try some foam tube slotted and slipped over the fuel lines
If you really want to you can get a sheet of exhaust gasket material and make a head shield for the carb to eliminate that .
#11
Hammermechanicman
Hammermechanicman
If it has a paper element on the fuel filter try replacing the filter with a red briggs screen type filter.
#12
V
VegetiveSteam
V
VegetiveSteam
Did this issue just start right out of the blue? Was there any maintenance or repair done right before this issue started? Is your 45 minute time frame based on starting with a full fuel tank every time?
If by chance a fuel filter was recently replaced and a filter designed for a system with a fuel pump got put on by mistake, then a full tank of fuel could have enough gravity on it's side to let fuel flow normally until the fuel tank gets low enough that weight of the fuel is no longer enough to push fuel through the fuel filter. I've also seen it where the fuel line gets replaced with maybe just a bit longer fuel line and now there is a drop somewhere and that can do the same thing. Run fine on a full tank and then when the tank gets down to about half full or so fuel stops flowing.
If by chance a fuel filter was recently replaced and a filter designed for a system with a fuel pump got put on by mistake, then a full tank of fuel could have enough gravity on it's side to let fuel flow normally until the fuel tank gets low enough that weight of the fuel is no longer enough to push fuel through the fuel filter. I've also seen it where the fuel line gets replaced with maybe just a bit longer fuel line and now there is a drop somewhere and that can do the same thing. Run fine on a full tank and then when the tank gets down to about half full or so fuel stops flowing.
#13
C
Canoester
C
Canoester
What engine? (sorry if I did not see the type) I had a similar problem with a 13.5 HP Kohler and it was the fuel pump. I replaced the kohler mechanical pump with a Briggs and Stratton impulse/vacum pump 808656. "Taryl fixes all" on youtube has a couple of videos on the mod...Are you sure its fuel related? Will it fire up with carb cleaner or starting fluid when it quits?
#14
W
Whalensdad
W
Whalensdad
The issue started this summer. Since it first occurred I have rebuilt the carb, put on a new filter, cleaned the fuel tank, added a fuel stop ball valve, and new fuel lines. I was thinking it might have been because the fuel line was longer, so I shortened it, but that had no effect. It does seem to happen when the fuel is at about 1/4 tank. I'll have to investigate that more. The fuel filter is generic. I can certainly see that there is no fuel in the filter when it stalls. If I blow thru the filter into the carb, and reattach the fuel line, the fuel flows for a short time.Did this issue just start right out of the blue? Was there any maintenance or repair done right before this issue started? Is your 45 minute time frame based on starting with a full fuel tank every time?
If by chance a fuel filter was recently replaced and a filter designed for a system with a fuel pump got put on by mistake, then a full tank of fuel could have enough gravity on it's side to let fuel flow normally until the fuel tank gets low enough that weight of the fuel is no longer enough to push fuel through the fuel filter. I've also seen it where the fuel line gets replaced with maybe just a bit longer fuel line and now there is a drop somewhere and that can do the same thing. Run fine on a full tank and then when the tank gets down to about half full or so fuel stops flowing.
Not really sure. There is no sticker, so the best guess is either a 13 or 15 HP Command. It doesn't have a fuel pump. It is definitely a fuel problem.What engine? (sorry if I did not see the type) I had a similar problem with a 13.5 HP Kohler and it was the fuel pump. I replaced the kohler mechanical pump with a Briggs and Stratton impulse/vacum pump 808656. "Taryl fixes all" on youtube has a couple of videos on the mod...Are you sure its fuel related? Will it fire up with carb cleaner or starting fluid when it quits?
#15
Hammermechanicman
Hammermechanicman
Check for gas tank being vented.
Replace fuel filter with a briggs 298090s red 150 micron screen type filter.
Replace fuel filter with a briggs 298090s red 150 micron screen type filter.
#16
W
Whalensdad
W
Whalensdad
I'll give it a shotCheck for gas tank being vented.
Replace fuel filter with a briggs 298090s red 150 micron screen type filter.
#17
shadetree#1
shadetree#1
Gravity fed fuel to the engine. No fuel in the filter until you take it loose and blow back through the line then fuel starts flowing and it will then run for awhile and same thing again.
You have answered your own question.
No fuel flow from the line and tank.
Place a Briggs fuel shutoff in the fuel line and then.
You can take the fuel line off the carb and place it in a gallon container and start fuel flowing and monitor the results. If it stops loosen the fuel cap. If stay same start checking the tank, fuel line, fuel filter, etc.
If you have a clear fuel filter do not expect to see it full of fuel on a gravity fed engine when the engine is running. Sometimes the clear filter will look empty until the fuel line is removed from the filter. (Sounds strange but true)
I keep a portable fuel tank with a connected hose, fuel filter and fuel petcock handy that I can connect directly to the carb when I need to bypass a small engine fuel tank system.
You have answered your own question.
No fuel flow from the line and tank.
Place a Briggs fuel shutoff in the fuel line and then.
You can take the fuel line off the carb and place it in a gallon container and start fuel flowing and monitor the results. If it stops loosen the fuel cap. If stay same start checking the tank, fuel line, fuel filter, etc.
If you have a clear fuel filter do not expect to see it full of fuel on a gravity fed engine when the engine is running. Sometimes the clear filter will look empty until the fuel line is removed from the filter. (Sounds strange but true)
I keep a portable fuel tank with a connected hose, fuel filter and fuel petcock handy that I can connect directly to the carb when I need to bypass a small engine fuel tank system.