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2004 Hustler Fastrak 52 w/ 18HP Honda Engine.
This beast has been running great and amazing at the work it can do. Recently this problem started. Engine power is running fine as far as I can tell. Blade spindles turn freely. Upon engaging the clutch, it seems to strain and "spool up" instead of almost instantly spinning up as before. Then, as I start to cut the normal grass load, it just has a steady bog down (will die if I let it) under the cutting load. The second I disengage the PTO, the engine jumps right back up to smooth running (as far as I can tell).

Is there anyway I can hand check the bearing in the clutch? Is the pump drive pulley on the same bearing as the clutch? I would think that if so, turning and travelling would slightly bog the power and maybe it is or I'm just imagining it. Goes uphill onto trailer and drives through grass just fine with PTO disengaged.

Appreciate for any thoughts to this newbie to the forum. Have found great advice here many times before joining.

Best to start by removing the deck belt and all the spindles and pulleys. Make sure there’s no play in them and not binding.

Best to start by removing the deck belt and check all the spindles and pulleys. Make sure there’s no play in them and not binding.

I don't think your engine is making the power it once did. It takes very little power to propel the mower, even going up ramps to load on a trailer.

Fuel makes power. My guess is your carburetor (or fuel injection if that's what it has) isn't supplying the engine with enough fuel to make the full 18 hp.

I would start by cleaning the carburetor.

And as this is a V twin engine check that each cylinder is firing
Common to loose one cylinder and because it is governed engine , the governor allows the throttle to open further so you don't notice that one cylinder is not working.

bertsmobile1 said:

And as this is a V twin engine check that each cylinder is firing
Common to loose one cylinder and because it is governed engine , the governor allows the throttle to open further so you don't notice that one cylinder is not working.

Click to expand...

Very true. It's very hard (for me, anyway) to tell by listening when a cylinder isn't firing on a V-twin.

cpurvis said:

Very true. It's very hard (for me, anyway) to tell by listening when a cylinder isn't firing on a V-twin.

Click to expand...

I am good at picking it up. To me it sounds like a hollow sound.

We pick up on it cause we are listening for it and have heard it 100 times before.
Same as we pick up on blown head gasket sound, loose or tight tappet sounds and a stack of others.
But Joe Average does not have the fine tuned ear & even worse if he is wearing ear protection.

Thanks to everyone. Definitely things I wouldn't have thought of.
I did (because I was going to anyway) change the fuel filter and spark plugs. I didn't think to clean the carburetor but can do so.
Regarding the one cylinder firing possibility. Would that scenario still have deceivingly good engine starts or should I notice a hickup? It starts wonderfully as it always has.

And if I do find it is firing on only one cylinder, would this likely be the cable or coil?

Here is he rub that most people seem to miss.
You test things to verify if they are working or not rather than making blind stabs in the dark.
There is an engine in the workshop with a complete piston & rod missing.
The customer had the mower for 5 years and thought it was a bit gutless.
It had been serviced 3 time by the vendor.
He was ill & his wife could not start it so she called my predecsor.
There was not a mark on the crankshaft, the engine left the factory with only one piston.
Briggs did the right thing & sent a replacement engine.
So the first thing to do is pull one plug out, ground the plug and try to start the engine.
Do it for both sides
Each side should start & run the same if both cylinders are working.
IF one side is not working then we do some more digging around to find out why it is not working.

Spark plug, coil, valve clearances, and even head gasket can all be possible causes.

bertsmobile1 said:

Here is he rub that most people seem to miss.
You test things to verify if they are working or not rather than making blind stabs in the dark.
There is an engine in the workshop with a complete piston & rod missing.
The customer had the mower for 5 years and thought it was a bit gutless.
It had been serviced 3 time by the vendor.
He was ill & his wife could not start it so she called my predecsor.
There was not a mark on the crankshaft, the engine left the factory with only one piston.
Briggs did the right thing & sent a replacement engine.
So the first thing to do is pull one plug out, ground the plug and try to start the engine.
Do it for both sides
Each side should start & run the same if both cylinders are working.
IF one side is not working then we do some more digging around to find out why it is not working.

Click to expand...

Thank you. That's one heck of a situation there and it makes a good point.

I checked the cylinders by removing the plug caps one and then the other. They both fired up equally.
I think / guess I should drop the belt and check each spindle bearing for play or misalignment next. I'm open to any other suggestions too of course.
If those are fine and I get to the clutch, are there any hand turning type of checks or such that can be done there?

I have dropped belt and checked spindles. They spin freely.
The PTO clutch... I can turn it with a little force when not engaged. None when it is engaged. I think that is as it should be. When I engage it with the belt dropped it barely blinks.

I am thinking next of cleaning carburetor and maybe replacing the fuel pump.

Any comments or redirection will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.