Question about the choke/throttle lever 2005 LT1000

[Cusser]

Although I've had this LT1000 for 15 years, I still am unclear about the choke/throttle lever. For starting, the instruction/owner's manual states "Move throttle control to choke position.". Well, this lever has the drawing of a turtle at the bottom position, and a rabbit at the top (and in the middle it states something like "here for mowing". I used my little brain and figure turtle is slow and rabbit is fast. But WTF is the $$^^#$&*&%$$#%^& CHOKE POSITION ?????

I'm basically asking for help to make starting the engine easier, it cranks strong and fine. Most times I have to sparay in starting fluid to get it to start; on its previous engine I had to add a spring from the hardware store to help its choke close, but haven't done anything like this with the current engine (which is about 5 years old).

 

[dougand3]

The engine model would help. eg for Briggs: 28N707-1234-E1. You can push the lever all the way past fast, remove air filter, then look in carb throat and see if choke butterfly is closed.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

I just fixed up an lt1000, choke is throttle all the way up,.

 

[Cusser]

Engine Briggs & Stratton 31C707 type 0230-E1 (31C7070230E1)

I think that the choke was a little stuck in the open position, I freed it up with my finger.

On the original engine, after a few years its choke butterfly got stuck in the closed position, so engine would bog down once it warmed up, why I added a spring, so it would operate as it should. The little horizontal black lever on the butterfly even had a hole in it for a spring already !!!

 

[Mower King]

You said you changed engines. Some engines are designed to use 1 cable to activate the choke and the throttle also, while others use 2 cables, 1 for the choke and 1 for the throttle....all being the same brand engine.

 

[Cusser]

Looked and hooked up same as on the original engine: 1 lever, and just a single cable.

 

[Mower King]

Looked and hooked up same as on the original engine: 1 lever, and just a single cable.

It (the cable) probably needs to be adjusted then, 1 cable that works both choke and throttle, can be a little tricky to get it just right to where you have full choke on, then full choke off, and still have full throttle!

 

[Cusser]

Got it, took a better look with "fresh eyes". Cannot on this engine look straight down and see the choke butterfly itself.

Yes, full up position of lever is choked by a steel rod pushing forward, with air amount being decreased so mixture is richer. Once one pulls down the lever to about 60% up, the choke is out of the situation, and the choke bimetallic spring returns the butterfly to be fully open. So thanks for helping me clarify this.

I'll keep an eye on the choke butterfly lever to make sure that it's operating correctly and not hindered by dirt/wear.

 

[Cusser]

Got it, took a better look with "fresh eyes". Cannot on this engine look straight down and see the choke butterfly itself without unbolting a tube, and I would need to re-use the same gasket, so that's not for now

I'll keep an eye on the choke butterfly lever to make sure that it's operating correctly and not hindered by dirt/wear.

I went out and with lever in the top position, the engine started right up, hasn't done that in a couple of years. So I think that the butterfly was stuck in the open position, so engine hadn't been getting a richer mixture to start. But now the choke is operating properly, like it was designed to do, so I won't touch it. But I'll keep this in mind for the future. Thanks for all your help !!!

 

[Cusser]

OK, no rain so far this summer, so no new weeds. But I did try today to start up the lawn tractor, started right up, again, no need to spray in any starting fluid. So I'm convinced that the choke was stuck open, and I had freed that up, so now it chokes (closed) in the up position and then releases. So now I'll watch for that, and add spring or clean up if necessary.

Good time for me to do an oil and filter change on it; maybe tomorrow.