Small engine repair thread - Page 3

Esaias · #21 07-10-2017, 10:58 PM

Thanks to brother Benincasa I saved approx. 40 bux. I went to the local general purpose surplus store (they have everything from tools, hardware, military surplus, everything but the kitchen sink, although they have all the parts to repair a kitchen sink), got a carb rebuild kit pieced together by the guy there and spent about ten bux total.

The original problem? Garbage ethanol fuel. Drained the old fuel and it smelled like varnish and cat poop mixed with some old gas. Fumes, what's that? Stuff had no vapors, probably not even flammable anymore.

Too bad I just recently broke the starter cord. Praise the Lord my zero turn is working though.

Esaias · #22 07-05-2021, 11:33 AM

Okay, got a Cub Cadet RZT-L 54 zero turn mower. Thing sat for 2 years.

Drained fuel, put new fuel in, bypassed seat safety switch and jumped it from the truck battery. Thing starts and runs BUT...

1. It smokes like the lake of fire and smells like something is burning up. AND

2. When the jumper cable (neg side) is removed from the battery (either one) it dies. It just fades out. If I hurry and reconnect it fires back up again on its own.

Is this a bad alternator? Stator?

What's a step by step troubleshooting procedure to follow?

Tithesmeister · #23 07-05-2021, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esaias

Okay, got a Cub Cadet RZT-L 54 zero turn mower. Thing sat for 2 years.

Drained fuel, put new fuel in, bypassed seat safety switch and jumped it from the truck battery. Thing starts and runs BUT...

1. It smokes like the lake of fire and smells like something is burning up. AND

2. When the jumper cable (neg side) is removed from the battery (either one) it dies. It just fades out. If I hurry and reconnect it fires back up again on its own.

Is this a bad alternator? Stator?

What's a step by step troubleshooting procedure to follow?

I’m not a mechanic Esaias. But when you say negative cable it sounds like it’s not getting a ground. It’s usually that when something won’t power the starter. Which by the way, if it starts, that should eliminate the starter. Your lawn mower battery may be bad, and it’s simply starting off of your truck battery. I’d clean and check your battery cables, especially the negative. The rest probably just needs running and cleaning up your fuel system.

james34 · #24 07-06-2021, 08:36 PM

Most likely a corroded connection at the starter solenoid( where charging wire connects)
Normally there is also a connect for the engine harness, often this is a place that gets corrosion.
Your mower will have a solenoid ( anti- after fire) on the bottom of carb. This must keep 12 volts or you lose fuel flow. If battery is all the way dead then only a properly working stator will keep this energized. But if you have bad connections due to corrosion then the alternator/ stator can be new but the juice won’t flow through the corroded circuit.

james34 · #25 07-06-2021, 08:37 PM

Clean connections at battery, solenoid and engine harness

Esaias · #26 07-07-2021, 02:17 PM

Thanks! Hopefully I can get it going this weekend.

Evang.Benincasa · #27 07-11-2021, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

I’m not a mechanic Esaias. But when you say negative cable it sounds like it’s not getting a ground. It’s usually that when something won’t power the starter. Which by the way, if it starts, that should eliminate the starter. Your lawn mower battery may be bad, and it’s simply starting off of your truck battery. I’d clean and check your battery cables, especially the negative. The rest probably just needs running and cleaning up your fuel system.

The dying motor is due to the alternator unable to run a poorly running engine. With your test meter hooked to the negative cable, black wire. The red test probe hooked to the red cable (if not colored coded look to see which cable runs to the frame (negative) and which run to the solenoid (positive). With machine running you should be reading 12.5 13 volts to the battery. If not then the alternator needs brushes which you can obtain from CUB CADET dealer or a mom and pop lawn mower shop. The smoking could be due to the mower or motor being turned upside down or on her side. With flat head four stroke motors oil with run through an open valve and pool on top of the engine. So when you start it it will cause the engine to crop dust the lower forty. Best thing to do is remove the spark plug and perform a compression test. 120 ft lbs to run, (which since it is running) it at least has over 50 ft pounds. check all those things at let me know how it worked out.

Tithesmeister · #28 07-11-2021, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

The dying motor is due to the alternator unable to run a poorly running engine. With your test meter hooked to the negative cable, black wire. The red test probe hooked to the red cable (if not colored coded look to see which cable runs to the frame (negative) and which run to the solenoid (positive). With machine running you should be reading 12.5 13 volts to the battery. If not then the alternator needs brushes which you can obtain from CUB CADET dealer or a mom and pop lawn mower shop. The smoking could be due to the mower or motor being turned upside down or on her side. With flat head four stroke motors oil with run through an open valve and pool on top of the engine. So when you start it it will cause the engine to crop dust the lower forty. Best thing to do is remove the spark plug and perform a compression test. 120 ft lbs to run, (which since it is running) it at least has over 50 ft pounds. check all those things at let me know how it worked out.

How ‘bout dat?!