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I bought an old Craftsman LTX1000 on Craigslist. When running, it cuts well, but then it dies. Seems like it’s running out of gas, but there is still a little in the tank. When I refill, it starts, but then stalls when I have it on fast and try to mow. It will idle on choke. It will idle on low, and also drive slowly. As soon as I put it on fast or engage, it stalls. If I wait a day then start it back up, it will run. Any suggestions?

Should I use some carb cleaner?

Has a new spark plug and air filter.

Side note, when I checked the oil, dipstick was hot. Oil is nice and clean with new oil filter. Not sure if it is any hotter than it should be.

Thoughts?

Sidenote, it didn’t always die after 30 minutes. I’ve run it for a few hours before, and gotten through the entire lawn earlier this season. But now it is stalling.

https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/49578-John-Deere-LT166-Quits-for-no-apparent-reason-will-start-again-after-waiting-1-hour
Did that sound like your problem ?

If so the answer is the same

It sounds very similar. I might try he carb cleaner first, then order the tester off amazon.

Hydestone said:

It sounds very similar. I might try he carb cleaner first, then order the tester off amazon.

Click to expand...

Search around and check your local mower shop.
Boo found some a while back around 1/2 that price
Search the forum fors Best Spark tester or Cheap spark tester, can't remember what he titled the thread.
I use these cause they glow red so you can see them in the daylight.
I have at least a dozen different types but these are the easiest.

Coils can go bad when they get hot.
Fuel lines can block up
And the engine can overheat and nip up so you need to narrow down the possibilities .

I’ll order a spark tester and try the carb cleaner in the interim.

Would spraying some starter fluid into the air filter help with anything?

It’s been raining hard here in New England...haven’t been able to get out to finish up the yard.

bertsmobile1 said:

Search around and check your local mower shop.
Boo found some a while back around 1/2 that price
Search the forum fors Best Spark tester or Cheap spark tester, can't remember what he titled the thread.
I use these cause they glow red so you can see them in the daylight.
I have at least a dozen different types but these are the easiest.

Coils can go bad when they get hot.
Fuel lines can block up
And the engine can overheat and nip up so you need to narrow down the possibilities .

Click to expand...

HERE YA GO ....

View attachment 39336..View attachment 39337..View attachment 39338..View attachment 39339 ......... Click to enlarge click AGAIN for still larger....

Back to troubleshooting. Started her up. Starts to stall when I engage the blades. Sprayed some starter fluid in to the air filter and she runs well with blades engaged.

Pull tank, fuel lines, and fuel filter then clean all 3. Or should I replace fuel filter? How about fuel lines?

Also, are mower fuel filters universal? Heading to tractor supply to pick one up.

Fuel filters come in a variety of grades.
The ones for engines with pumps on them are finer than the gravity fed ones.

A blocked fuel filter will be blocked from cold and generally will surge almost strait after start up.
But yes change it first, start with the simple & easy.

Just replaced the fuel lines and filter. Drained the tank and cleaned it. It’s drying now, will install tomorrow and give it a shot.

Also picked up some carb cleaner and put a few shots in the carb.

Hope she runs. Half of my lawn is up to my knees.

Thanks Berts. Mine is gravity fed.

I’ve got an old husky that is dead that has a pump. Can I pull that off and install on my Craftsman? I’d have to rig something up to mount it.

New fuel lines, filter, clean tank and fresh gas. Still not runnng properly. Runs on low throttle, when kicking it up to full throttle, she runs but sounds like just about to stall then fires up, then almost stall, then back up. I took a video, need to figure out how to post it.

Runs fine while spraying in carb cleaner.

That is called surging.
Surging on a governed machine is always caused by a lean mix in the cylinder.
Lean mix is either not enough fuel or too much air.
Put some WD 40 in a trigger pack and spray it liberally around the manifold then back towards the carb.
Do not get any in the carb inlet.
White smoke of funny running signals an air leak on the engine side of the carb ( too much air )
Other than that it is still not enough fuel.
And yes you can fit the pump off the other mower.

Sorry to carpet bomb this thread.

I just noticed the line coming out of carburetor and going into engine has a tiny split right where it meets the engine. Is that a vacuum line? Could that cause the engine to rev up/down and stall?

Just found another little split in the vacuum line. Not sure if it was there before or if it happened while I was moving it around.

Threw some electrical tape over the cracks. Still surging.

Ordered new breather tube.

Next step - clean carb and rebuild?

Hydestone said:

Ordered new breather tube.

Next step - clean carb and rebuild?

Click to expand...

AS per the instructions found here http://outdoorpowerinfo.com/repairs/

That is a great site. I’ve got a Walbro LMK carb.

Any recommendations on where to buy a rebuild kit?

http://outdoorpowerinfo.com/repairs/kohler_walbro_lmk_carb.asp

Picked one up on amazon.

Any recommendations on what to soak the carburetor in?

Lots of carb soaks but they sell under different named=s down here.
The good ones come in sealed can & have a basket.
Boiling in bi pot with 2 or 3 dishwashwer tablets works well but you must take it out and dunk it in a second pot of boiling water to prevent the soap drying in the tiny holes to rinse it.

The auto parts store sells 1 gallon cans of Berryman chem-dip for $27. They also sell 12 ounce spray cans of Berryman carb cleaner for $5.

Can I spray out to cans into a bucket and soak the carb parts? Not sure if it’s the same stuff or not.

Does Pine Sol work?

I’ve removed and disassembled the carburetor.

Is it necessary to remove the plastic choke plate shaft or can I leave that in place? Doesn’t come out easily and I don’t want to break it.

Should I remove the fuel screw? Or the low limit screw? Any tricks to making sure I put them back in the same position?

Spray carb cleaner is 90% propellent and 10% cleaner which is why you can use it for starting.
The choke & throttle butterflys can stay in unless they are very stiff.
Turn jets in till they seat lightly while counting the number of turns
Write the number down the instant you take the screwdriver off it then screw it fully out.
Photograph the screw before you touch them as a second refference .
You can boil the carbs in a stainless 1/2 gallon pot ( or bigger ) with several dishwasher tablets.
If you do this it must be rinsed twice in clean boiling water.
Once dipped for 5 minutes and the second time just washed off.

Great. I’ll cough up the $26 for the cleaner.

Do you think I need those carbon jet brushes / needles?

Last question of the night.

How do I get the black cap off the idle low limit screw? The one that limits rotation? Does it slide off the end? Then I can back the screw out? Just don’t want to break it.

You can break off the tit that keeps the screw from turning past the stop bosses. Or, pull it off the screw head.

Max

They are thermo plastic so warm it up GENTLY with a hot air gun / hair dryer and lever it foo from the back.
Otherwise as previosl mentioned break it off.

Bertsmobile...you are the man.

Carb kit and jet needles came today. Cleaned jets and put everything back together. Fired right up and purrs like a kitten!

I really appreciate your help.

Thanks

John