Tractor dies when you put a parasitic load on the engine

[Fred1951]

I have a Craftsman Garden Tractor model: 917.273220 with the Kohler engine:CV26S 69526. I ran out of gas and then filled it up, and now it will start up and run at full throttle just fine. As soon as I pull the switch for the mower deck or let off the brake to take off it will die. When it starts to die I'll pull the choke out and it still dies. Some times it will backfire like when you shut off the fuel solenoid isn't working. Any ideas?

 

[ILENGINE]

Everything that you are indicating points toward a faulty seat switch or seat switch circuit.

 

[Fred1951]

I to thought this also and put a jumper wire in it and it's doing the same thing.

 

[StarTech]

On this mower you have an operator present relay that may not be working.

Let me ask the following:
Does the electric engages before it dies? Or just dies without engaging the electric clutch?

 

[slomo]

1.Remove the kill wire off the ignition coil for testing only. Engine should run the fuel tank dry.
2.Check for bad pulley or PTO slash bearings. Something not allowing your belts to turn dogging down the engine.
3.Make sure the deck and blades are clear to spin.
4.Verify you have full battery voltage at the carb solenoid WHEN you engage the blades. Wondering if your PTO is shorting killing voltage to the carb solenoid. I would snip the plunger tip off the solenoid if it was mine. Never worry about this again.

 

[HughDaHand]

If you just ran it out of gas before the problem started I would think you sucked some gunk up into the carb. I would start with cleaning the carb.

 

[bertsmobile1]

If you just ran it out of gas before the problem started I would think you sucked some gunk up into the carb. I would start with cleaning the carb.

While this is a good point Hugh,
Fuel blockage can explain the engine dieing when the blades are engaged because that would open the throttle and thus the main jet which could be clogged .
However dieing when the brake is released will not change the fuel requirements so that points to an electrical problem .

 

[HughDaHand]

My experience is a carb cleaning is usually necessary after running out of fuel. A quick test wouldn't hurt. Unplug the PTO at the connector closest to the PTO and then try and turn on the PTO and see if the engine still stalls. If it stalls you know that it's a issue in the safety system, if it continues to run you know its a problem with the load on the engine.

 

[sgkent]

I have seen issues where the gas added was older than the gas in the mower. Someone handed a friend (his dad) a gallon of kerosene once to get enough gas on a Packard restoration to get to the station to fill it up. Engine just would not run right and no one could figure out why. Dan was late to the Sr Prom that night.

 

[bertsmobile1]

My experience is a carb cleaning is usually necessary after running out of fuel. A quick test wouldn't hurt. Unplug the PTO at the connector closest to the PTO and then try and turn on the PTO and see if the engine still stalls. If it stalls you know that it's a issue in the safety system, if it continues to run you know its a problem with the load on the engine.

Not argueing that a carb clean would not hurt but the engine stalls when the hand brake is let off
Brake + seat + magneto ( no change in carburettor opening )
PTO + seat + magneto ( carburettor opens fully )