Last week the lawn mower stopped moving after I stopped briefly, and I saw that the drive belt was really loose and had come off of several pulleys. It was somewhat shredded and cracked all over so I ordered a new one (John Deere M144044). After a bit of research, I managed to figure out I can turn the mower on the side and get it fixed (I almost gave up, don't have jack stands or anything and it was stuck in the backyard). I ran into a few issues, like the Youtube videos for similar mowers are slightly different and I had to take off a really large spring for the mower deck height to get to the engine pulley, but I replaced it (specifically if you look at these parts https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/79415/referrer/navigation/pgId/2742587 the bracket #30 is a guide for the belt and it holds the extension spring #26, which took a ratchet strap to get back in place after).
Was working, but the parking brake feels a little weird. Like it has some play for the first 1-2 inches. If you look at the part #20 (https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/79415/referrer/navigation/pgId/2399744) that compression spring seemed to compress first before the whole idler part moves. And then we found out that apply the brake reduces tension enough for the belt to come off of the transmission pulley. We started using it, stopped and applied the brake and then couldn't move it again. I had to tip it over again and get the belt back on the pulleys (not as involved as the full replacement, but a PITA).
So I'm wondering if I just messed something up, or if there is something else that I should try to replace or fix or tighten. I'm really not very experienced with engine repairs but I'll try things like this if I can get enough instructions online. We'd like to keep this old mower running at least a few more years if possible.
Also, as a side note, when I tipped the mower over, I had removed the battery and pinched the fuel line after the filter using vice grips wrapped in some latex glove to hopefully avoid damaging the hose with the metal from the pliers. But there was still something black leaking which smelled like gas. Looking at the part diagrams I believe it was coming out of the Fuel Pump (https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/79415/referrer/navigation/pgId/2347663), where I had pinched the hose #7 but nothing else. If I have to tip it over again, how do I avoid spilling oil/gas all over? Like do I need to pinch off/close something else, or is this a leak and I need to replace it? The mower is due for an oil change, which I hope to get around to doing soon.
Was working, but the parking brake feels a little weird. Like it has some play for the first 1-2 inches. If you look at the part #20 (https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/79415/referrer/navigation/pgId/2399744) that compression spring seemed to compress first before the whole idler part moves. And then we found out that apply the brake reduces tension enough for the belt to come off of the transmission pulley. We started using it, stopped and applied the brake and then couldn't move it again. I had to tip it over again and get the belt back on the pulleys (not as involved as the full replacement, but a PITA).
So I'm wondering if I just messed something up, or if there is something else that I should try to replace or fix or tighten. I'm really not very experienced with engine repairs but I'll try things like this if I can get enough instructions online. We'd like to keep this old mower running at least a few more years if possible.
Also, as a side note, when I tipped the mower over, I had removed the battery and pinched the fuel line after the filter using vice grips wrapped in some latex glove to hopefully avoid damaging the hose with the metal from the pliers. But there was still something black leaking which smelled like gas. Looking at the part diagrams I believe it was coming out of the Fuel Pump (https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/79415/referrer/navigation/pgId/2347663), where I had pinched the hose #7 but nothing else. If I have to tip it over again, how do I avoid spilling oil/gas all over? Like do I need to pinch off/close something else, or is this a leak and I need to replace it? The mower is due for an oil change, which I hope to get around to doing soon.
