"Sometimes it tries to start & acts like it has too much compression" What does it do the "other" times? Is this a gravity feed carb that might be leaking and filling the cylinder with gasoline? Smell the oil in the crankcase and see if it has a gas smell. Have you had the battery load tested? Have you cleaned all connections in the crank circuit, including grounds? This includes engine mounting bolts. What tractor is this on? /'

By the way, if one goes to the Lawn & Garden Tractors Forum on the website, the Kohler discussion thread comes up. So (1) posting on an old discussion DOES NOT allocate it to the string ball of threads, (2) in fact it reinserts that thread onto the active file and (3) cpmsequently it appears on the current list of âÂÂOn topicâ discussions. (Curious category, one wonders if we still belong). Therefore, with the GardenWeb way of doing things, my posting (a) made it easy for everyone to locate the earlier discussions. It also (b) enhanced retention and retrieval of earlier useful comments, (c) retains the name of the original poster and creator of the thread, and (d) consequently it may bring others with experiences to offer into the discussion. Not bad for an eveningâÂÂs work. For guys like me, "Newbies" seems to be the operative term, which does seem unnecessarily condescending and not overly complementary. For example, I may be the oldest one on the thread, and certainly my mower is among the oldest. The first, but probably not the second, also applies to using (and fighting with, and yes trying to mind read the designers of) lawnmowers. Must I really be thought of as a âÂÂnewbieâÂÂ, canâÂÂt I just be âÂÂone of the guysâÂÂ?

Does the engine "die" instantly, as if you had cut off the ignition switch? or does the engine begin to act as though it is running out of fuel? If the engine is just suddenly changing from running great at good RPM, to just completely dying I would suspect the safety interlock switch on the seat. It sounds like you are describing that the engine runs good so long as the clutch/brake pedal is held down, or "locked down" (park brake). That scenario is ok AND.....is "permitted by" the safety interlock circuitry. What happens when you let up on the brake/clutch pedal to begin moving, invokes the function of the seat switch (to confirm or deny, the "presence of an operator"). It's as if the switch on the brake/clutch announces "Hey, the brake is being released and I think we're about to begin moving." But then the seat switch responds by saying, "Oh no we ain't gonna move! There ain't no operator occupying this here seat! Shut 'er down right now!" The seat switch already "knew" the seat was not occupied (before the brake/clutch pedal moved), but it allowed the engine to stay running so long as the park brake was on (that's a "safe and permitted" mode). But when the seat switch thinks the seat is empty and the park brake is not on....that is an "unsafe and forbidden" mode, so the seat switch kills the engine. The sputter and bang sort of says the engine is being deprived of "spark ignition", fuel still present in exhaust ignites when engine reaches zero RPM.

Been a bit busy with the yard to respond before now. It's now due for another trimming with the Toro self-propelled I ended up with (a 2hr plus task last time that is bound to take a bit longer this time since I skipped one side yard and the front yard the first time round). As for the Craftsman...I've drained the fuel on it (the fuel had stabilizer in it but better safe than sorry) and will be taking the battery out to place it on a trickle charger until I can get it over to the one place that will service it since it doesn't look like they will be picking it up for me after all. Perhaps I was just plain unlucky but the problem I've been having was NOT due to lack of maintenance on my part. I've been very careful to do the recommended maintenance and have had no problems with the engine, etc. A defective safety switch is not a maintenance issue. I just wish the problem hadn't been intermittent for so long or I would have considered coughing up the $50 service charge when it was still under warranty. I was concerned that the problem wouldn't show up and I'd be out the $50 with nothing to show for it (okay and I -was- irked it cost that much when the lawnmower was still under warranty). With just one mower to base this problem on I can't say whether it's a common one or not...just that other people I've talked to seem to have had similar headaches with service and it's something well worth considering when purchasing a new lawnmower. I've also found standard air filters, etc. to be far more expensive than other brands so that's another thing to consider as well. Fortunately the most expensive part, the air filter which runs $25 at Sears, appears to be a standard Briggs and Stratton part that can be obtained elsewhere for less than half that (quite the discount, eh?). Now...to get back to that lawn. I don't suppose anyone has some sheep I can borrow for a bit...say the rest of the summer? Actually now that I think about it...anyone know if replacing a safety switch on one of these things is a DIY project? So far I've heard...it depends... From the way it's acting I've been told it may be the clutch safety. Perhaps I can work on it after fixing the trailer lights...or before since I then wouldn't need it so desperately... Just as an additional point...sometimes the inconvenience of having something like this out of service for so long can more than make up for a couple hundred dollar price difference. Now if one's talking about several hundred dollars...I'd go for the sheep myself...;-)