LT2000 won’t start

[BamaBill43]

LT2000, type 917273760, Engine - 31H777-0297-E1
Went to run it and started and ran for about 30 seconds. Installed new Chinese carb last year and ran great all summer. Suspected condensation so took carb off and drained, cleaned with carb cleaner, dried with compressed air, reinstalled, put new fuel. No start
I’m being a little lazy plus my mower is stored outside, under cover, and it’s too cold to work on it unless I can zero in on the problem. Anyone can help?

 

[BamaBill43]

I'd suggest replacing the fuel filter. I had a friend's new Craftsman lawn tractor the had problems. It would cut out after less than a minute. So I tried a new fuel filter. Then it ran just fine. I also do not pour the last of the gas in a gas can into the tank. As it can have a little water and dirt in the bottom.

 

[S.A.P.]

LT2000, type 917273760, Engine - 31H777-0297-E1
Went to run it and started and ran for about 30 seconds. Installed new Chinese carb last year and ran great all summer. Suspected condensation so took carb off and drained, cleaned with carb cleaner, dried with compressed air, reinstalled, put new fuel. No start
I’m being a little lazy plus my mower is stored outside, under cover, and it’s too cold to work on it unless I can zero in on the problem. Anyone can help?

 

[S.A.P.]

I see yore get replies like to get a factory kit for yore Chinese Carb.
Makes no sense to me, if yore going to re-built a carburetor, U want to do the original one. The Chinese aftermarket carbs U will see & find, are of slightly different design, therefore yore factory kit won't cure yore Chinese Carb's Problums ! Also sometimes the little ports on a Chinese Job, aren't even drilled out far enough to feed the fuel needed, let alone have any kind of obstruction present. A set of torch tip cleaners works well for cleaning or clearing these ports. If there's something lodged or obstructing the flow, air pressure won't always work, so bear that in mind.

 

[bertsmobile1]

GEt a can of carb cleaner and squirt a SHORT SHOT down the plug hole & see if it fires
Yes= go to test 3
No = timing is off , magneto stuffed , ignition fault

Test 2
Remove blower housing , remove kill wire on the magneto & try again
Engine fires = ignition fault
Engine does not fire = dead magneto or piston not moving ( poke screwdriver down plug hole to confirm.

Test 3
Spray shot shots of carb cleaner through carb and crank engine, it should start and continues short shots should keep i running.
No start = valve problem , check for dropped push rod
Runs = fuel supply problem
Test 4
slide carb off the engine, turn sideways turn ignition on & blow air through the carb
A fine mist of fuel should come out the other end
No, then remove solenoid, block hole with finger & try again
Fuel mist - faulty solenoid ( or wiring )
No = clogged jets, clean the carb .

 

[k_damore]

LT2000, type 917273760, Engine - 31H777-0297-E1
Went to run it and started and ran for about 30 seconds. Installed new Chinese carb last year and ran great all summer. Suspected condensation so took carb off and drained, cleaned with carb cleaner, dried with compressed air, reinstalled, put new fuel. No start
I’m being a little lazy plus my mower is stored outside, under cover, and it’s too cold to work on it unless I can zero in on the problem. Anyone can help?

Everyone seems to be jumping on the carb when we don't know the basics. Any spark?, any fuel getting to carb? Did you test compression? At least spray starter fluid in air intake and that would tell you a lot about the above checks.

 

[Sympolman]

Not specific to any Craftsman, MTD mower, here's a couple things to check...Make sure you have spark. if you have spark, Hold you hand over the carb and crank it. Is there fuel build up and/or does the engine hit? If you don't see fuel puddled in the carb check the fuel pump and the pulse or vacuum/pulse hose that feeds the fuel pump. Also inspect fuel lines. Check the fuel shutoff solenoid. The solenoid can be controlled by safety switches. You can provide 12v directly to open it. I don't recommend trying to bypass or modify it.
For trouble shooting only I use a small amount of ether (NOT a lot because you can do damage and don't run the motor on ether). If it hits, You know your chasing a fuel problem, If it doesn't, your looking for a spark or electrical problem. Those little 4 or 5 inch pulse hoses that feed the fuel pump go bad by cracking at either the valve cover or the pump Here is a link on Amazon but verify your specific part number (There are variations.) It's not a matter of if they will fail but when...

 

[Sympolman]

Not specific to any Craftsman, MTD mower, here's a couple things to check...Make sure you have spark. if you have spark, Hold you hand over the carb and crank it. Is there fuel build up and/or does the engine hit? If you don't see fuel puddled in the carb check the fuel pump and the pulse or vacuum/pulse hose that feeds the fuel pump. Also inspect fuel lines. Check the fuel shutoff solenoid. The solenoid can be controlled by safety switches. You can provide 12v directly to open it. I don't recommend trying to bypass or modify it.
For trouble shooting only I use a small amount of ether (NOT a lot because you can do damage and don't run the motor on ether). If it hits, You know your chasing a fuel problem, If it doesn't, your looking for a spark or electrical problem. Those little 4 or 5 inch pulse hoses that feed the fuel pump go bad by cracking at either the valve cover or the pump Here is a link on Amazon but verify your specific part number (There are variations.) It's not a matter of if they will fail but when...

Here is an older link to amazon for the part numbers and to show the pulse lines. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JMZ6JM8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[kjonxx]

If you have the stop solenoid on bottom of carb, It may be defective closing of the gas. If so remove it and take off the end. If you have no fuel pump then put in gas shutoff valve. This is providing all else (spark, valves, etc) are good.

 

[The Road Warrior]

This B&S engine model is the manufacturer’s cruel joke played on US consumers. I scrap on average a dozen of these annually, mainly for compression relief issues however, it can be repurposed as a great boat anchor.