I broke down and bought a set of vice grips to hold the spindle then I was able to use them to keep the pulley from turning and loosen the bolt. With a little work the engine pulley came all the way off. The book says to just drop it down enough to get the belt below the belt guard but the belt is no where near long enough to slip over the botton of the engine pulley unless you remove it all the way. The book also failed to mention another belt guard pin back on the variable speed pulley that had to be loosened (or removed) to slip the belt off of there too. Boy was it a pain to get to. I had to play with locking the variable pulley in different speed positions to find one that would let me get to the nut underneath the pin. Anyway, after all that work, I finally got the font belt off and it looks as good as the day the tractor was purchased. 2 hours of fighting with it and I probably didn't need to. The rear belt looks like it went through a meat grinder. I probably only needed to replace the rear belt but I ordered both anyway.

The question was posed in 2009. It's now 2019. I expect most prolly everyone solved their problem by getting a new lawmower. But since you are here.... I have a hand-me-down Craftsman with a 16.5HP Kohler engine. After I changed the fuel filter the thing started stalling out on hills, etc. Same places. Same everything. It drove me nuts so I came to places like this for a clue. IF you are having the stalling problem after changing the filter...get the right filter. Heck, I went to a local mower shop to get the right filter and the owner refused to sell me one. Said I had the BEST filter already. Jeez. So I went elsewhere and got the right filter....same as the one I replaced and today...no problems. This is not all good bekez I had a new Cub Cadet all picked out. Dang! Listen...the right filter is on Amazon. So if you messed up like I did and got the one they said would work...the larger one...then go back to the smaller one: Kohler Engines 25 050 21-S Fuel Filter If you can't find it by the number...get one that looks like it and fits the Kohler. Just that simple. Good luck! My good deed for the day.

It can't be that hard to figure out. There is usually a diagram somewhere on the tractor. I assume it is either missing or too well hidden? At the most there should only be 5 pulleys under there for the transmission drive. The front drive pulley (@ the engine) and the driven pulley (@ the transmission) and both should be obvious. That only leaves three to deal with between the front and rear end pulleys. On one side between the drive and driven pulleys, (the return side where the belt goes towards the engine from the transmission also where the power is transmitted and the belt is tight when running) there should one solidly mounted guide pulley. On the other side between the drive and driven pulleys (where the pulley goes from the engine towards the transmission and has some slack that can be taken up with a tensioner), their should be the two tension pulleys. One pulley that is spring loaded creating the tension and one pulley near it that the tension is levered against. So all you have to do is find the one (or 2) pulley that are mobile, or spring loaded and can move. One will have the "V" grove and one will be flat for the back of the belt. Just pull the tension pulley, slide the belt between the two pulleys with the correct side facing the corresponding pulley face, and let the tension pulley pull the belt tight.

Bluemower may have the basic or perhaps a contributing cause of your problem . One other point have you inspected the fuel line from the tank to the pump for a fuel filter ? It may require cleaning or replacement . Another good suggestion after inspecting the fuel tank is also to drain it and add fresh fuel along with some concentrated fuel cleaner , this may preclude need to dismantle carb . Otherwise ensure fuel pump is pumping fuel to the carb by removing fuel line prior to carb .