Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
- Thread starter AFProdigy
- Start date
Hi, friends! I replaced the camshaft and the timing gear. Clean everything up, put all new gaskets in, new woodruff key, new oil filter, new fuel filter. I had my husband start it up while I took video. I was admittedly nervous that it would blow up. Ha! It started right up, as you will see in this video. There was a lot of black smoke initially and that seemed to go away after a while.
There is something going on that is causing surging while on high throttle. We let it run for a bit and it seemed to get a little better. Then shut it off. Went to start it back up again and now it won't start. It smelled heavily of fuel when we tried to start it again. It cranks, but won't kick over. The second video show it.
Any ideas? Hopefully nothing broke!
First start up after rebuild...
https://youtu.be/PLwfrIsjQUE
After first start and shut down...
https://youtu.be/qLkm-duYlYc
I realize this video only shows a short crank, but it doesn't matter how long we crank it. It sounds and acts the same.
It also has a new air filter and spark plug.
There is something going on that is causing surging while on high throttle. We let it run for a bit and it seemed to get a little better. Then shut it off. Went to start it back up again and now it won't start. It smelled heavily of fuel when we tried to start it again. It cranks, but won't kick over. The second video show it.
Any ideas? Hopefully nothing broke!
First start up after rebuild...
https://youtu.be/PLwfrIsjQUE
After first start and shut down...
https://youtu.be/qLkm-duYlYc
I realize this video only shows a short crank, but it doesn't matter how long we crank it. It sounds and acts the same.
It also has a new air filter and spark plug.
Even though it won't start again, I am still mighty proud of myself! It started right up and stayed running! Woohoo! Never worked on a mower before... just some automotive mechanic work. As long as the camshaft didn't blow up in there again, I will still be happy. Haha! Hopefully I just need to make a minor adjustment or an easy fix.
It looked to be stuck on the choke with heavy black smoke. Check your cables and adjust. The plug maybe fouled meaning it won't fire or as good. Last thing in the video I could see the carb linkage and hear it what is called hunting and surging due to and fuel issue related to the carb. Might have to pull carb off and clean replace hose and filter making sure you have a good fuel. Float prob stuck allowing the fuel to flood into the carb. Glad to hear you made it run again and making it Thur the challenge and sticking to it. Check the plugs and make sure it's firing. All ifs fail go back to the start and go Thur the flow chart of spark,fuel,compression also the rods. Just to double check your math and making sure things are ok before firing it up again check valves
EngineMan
Lawn Addict
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2012
- Threads
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Too much fuel at the first start up, now it seems you have none, issuer with the fuel side,(carb maybe) check again the fuel solenoid make sure you can feel or hear it click. good to see the video well done, don't give up....you are so near to the grass...!
Good news! I figured out the problem! I had reconnected the throttle cable as it was when I took it off. I did not know I had to make adjustments to the throttle settings to get it just right. I also made a stupid mistake and installed a gasket where the carburetor attaches to the head (I think those are the correct terms) and it should have only been a red o-ring. I had both in there. So I took the unnecessary gasket out and adjusted the throttle cable. She started right up, had a little bit of hesitation in the beginning, but then ran real smooth. Like new!
https://youtu.be/4YH2olfb21w
So I tried to drive the mower and then the brake was locked up again. It took me a while to realize that the brake pedal was rubbing against the metal frame and not fully disengaging. All that fuss before when I could not get the mower to the garage was because of that. I just have to lift it up for now and it works fine.
Then I noticed a strange rubbing/grinding noise when I tried to drive. I did not drive far, thank goodness. The drive belt was sitting over a small tab/guide and rubbing. The belt was also old and had a million splits in it. So I bought a new belt today. Now I am stuck because I removed the front pulley part that connects to the cranskaft which released the belt. But I cannot figure out the best way to remove it from the pulley in the rear, under the battery compartment. It appears to be sitting under a second belt system (maybe the transmission belt???). Of course, I am unable to find a video with a mower that looks the same under that rear compartment. Anyone know the best way to remove that? I hate to remove that upper secondary belt system, if I do not have to. It is on there pretty tight. I am afraid I won't be able to get it back on.
https://youtu.be/AHAUZ5TX0uU
https://youtu.be/4YH2olfb21w
So I tried to drive the mower and then the brake was locked up again. It took me a while to realize that the brake pedal was rubbing against the metal frame and not fully disengaging. All that fuss before when I could not get the mower to the garage was because of that. I just have to lift it up for now and it works fine.
Then I noticed a strange rubbing/grinding noise when I tried to drive. I did not drive far, thank goodness. The drive belt was sitting over a small tab/guide and rubbing. The belt was also old and had a million splits in it. So I bought a new belt today. Now I am stuck because I removed the front pulley part that connects to the cranskaft which released the belt. But I cannot figure out the best way to remove it from the pulley in the rear, under the battery compartment. It appears to be sitting under a second belt system (maybe the transmission belt???). Of course, I am unable to find a video with a mower that looks the same under that rear compartment. Anyone know the best way to remove that? I hate to remove that upper secondary belt system, if I do not have to. It is on there pretty tight. I am afraid I won't be able to get it back on.
https://youtu.be/AHAUZ5TX0uU
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Threads
- 65
- Messages
- 24,995
Well done.
Keep this up and you will be able to hang a slate out front and start taking in repairs.:laughing:
Bad news is the drive belts must be replaced in pairs so you will need the short belt as well.
Very important to buy these from Cub ( original ) or a Mower (OEM exact replacements ) shop.
They are not standard belts .
All of these systems work the same , there are just some slight variations as to where the bits are and how they are held in place.
Search you tube for "Vari drive belt replacement" and flip through them till you find one that looks the same as yours.
The only really hard bit is taking the tension of the front pulley on the top belt to get the belt off.
I pull the right wheel off and use a hook to stretch the spring so I can slip the belt off, but I am a big boofy bloke.
You should be able to get some thing like a ratchet tie down on that front pulley arm and use that to stretch it .
Some tensioning arms have a small square hole in them and that is for a breaker bar or ratchet handle so you can get a pull on them.
Once you have the top belt off the front pulley, take the big pulley off and remove the top belt.
From under the mower that of course is now on stands so you can get underneath see how the double pulley is mounted.
Some are bolted on to the axle housing, some are bolted onto the frame.
Undo it enough to get the belt off the put the new one one on the bottom ( long one ) then the new one on the top and tighten the pulley back where it was before.
I find it easier to finish fitting the bottom ( long) belt first, then go back and do the top.
When you have the bottom belt on use your fingers to run the belt a full revolution or two to make sure it is on the correct side of all the keepers ( tabs ).
Then release the brake and double check the belt is running properly and not on the wrong side of anything or you will be getting more belt changing practice.
Now go back and fit the top belt around the big pulley, bolt it back up ( don't over tighten it, ) then slip the belt over the front pulley and release whatever you used to stretch the tensioning arm spring.
The mower should then be good to go.
leave it on the stands start it up and run through the ( gears ) fast slow fast slow so the belts can sort their positions out on the double pulley.
When it is up in the air have a good look at the springs and the holes they anchor in.
The springs wear through and the holes they fit into also get cut by the spring so if they look crook replace them while you are in there as you don't want to have to do it all again in the middle of the season.
Keep this up and you will be able to hang a slate out front and start taking in repairs.:laughing:
Bad news is the drive belts must be replaced in pairs so you will need the short belt as well.
Very important to buy these from Cub ( original ) or a Mower (OEM exact replacements ) shop.
They are not standard belts .
All of these systems work the same , there are just some slight variations as to where the bits are and how they are held in place.
Search you tube for "Vari drive belt replacement" and flip through them till you find one that looks the same as yours.
The only really hard bit is taking the tension of the front pulley on the top belt to get the belt off.
I pull the right wheel off and use a hook to stretch the spring so I can slip the belt off, but I am a big boofy bloke.
You should be able to get some thing like a ratchet tie down on that front pulley arm and use that to stretch it .
Some tensioning arms have a small square hole in them and that is for a breaker bar or ratchet handle so you can get a pull on them.
Once you have the top belt off the front pulley, take the big pulley off and remove the top belt.
From under the mower that of course is now on stands so you can get underneath see how the double pulley is mounted.
Some are bolted on to the axle housing, some are bolted onto the frame.
Undo it enough to get the belt off the put the new one one on the bottom ( long one ) then the new one on the top and tighten the pulley back where it was before.
I find it easier to finish fitting the bottom ( long) belt first, then go back and do the top.
When you have the bottom belt on use your fingers to run the belt a full revolution or two to make sure it is on the correct side of all the keepers ( tabs ).
Then release the brake and double check the belt is running properly and not on the wrong side of anything or you will be getting more belt changing practice.
Now go back and fit the top belt around the big pulley, bolt it back up ( don't over tighten it, ) then slip the belt over the front pulley and release whatever you used to stretch the tensioning arm spring.
The mower should then be good to go.
leave it on the stands start it up and run through the ( gears ) fast slow fast slow so the belts can sort their positions out on the double pulley.
When it is up in the air have a good look at the springs and the holes they anchor in.
The springs wear through and the holes they fit into also get cut by the spring so if they look crook replace them while you are in there as you don't want to have to do it all again in the middle of the season.
My husbands keeps saying I will be able to rebuild the entire mower soon and now he doesn't have to worry if it breaks down... I will fix it. Ha!
I will say that I am NOT a fan of cleaning off gaskets. I did not enjoy that part at all. The rest of this whole ordeal was not bad. I am quite pleased that I did not listen to everyone else telling me I would likely be better off buying a new engine.
Thanks for all the information! I did, however, go out there are start replacing the drive belt before I read this. I decided to "wing it". I managed to figure it all out on my own. I just now finished. So I was out there from about the time of my last post until now. There was some trial and error and I was stumped several times, but I am pretty confident I got it all sorted out.
The only thing I am a little concerned about (now that I read your post) is that you said the belts must be replaced in pairs. I replaced the long drive belt, but I did not replace any of the other belts. They looked ok. What will happen if I do not replace the short belt? And by "short belt" I am assuming you mean that top belt that had to be partially taken off to get to the drive belt? That one seems to be a lot easier to deal with. I could replace it if it is necessary.
I ended up tying some nylon rope around the end of that tension spring you were talking about and used it like a handle to release the spring. :wink:
Oh, and I did all of this without lifting it off the ground. I am quite dirty from crawling around on the garage floor. I don't mind it though. All worth it.
I ordered new blades for it too. They should be here tomorrow or the next day. Mine are pretty banged up.
It is pretty late here and I am sure my neighbors won't appreciate me starting up the mower, so I am going to wait until tomorrow to start it. I will let you all know what happens.
And a HUGE thank you to everyone on this forum that has given me bits of information and encouragement through this process!!!! You all helped me tremendously! Seriously... I referred to this website SO many times! I had signed up on a different mower forum about the same time I signed up here. I was not sure how responsive people would be here, so I was prepared to post on the other website. I never did have to go back to that website again. That is really impressive to me. My day time job is web development and I have had forums of my own before. It can be hard to keep a forum community active, so you all get a big "high five" from me! Even my husband is impressed at how much you all helped me. I just wanted to let you know! Keep up the good work! :thumbsup: