Anyone have a late model Craftsman LT2000?

15 years ago

I bought this one new a couple of months ago, and have had a few times where it will try to stall and quit while cutting the lawn, then recover and go on (I'm sitting fairly straight in the seat with no tilt). It happened again yesterday (doesn't happen but once in a while) on a flat yard, then again in the back with a slight upward grade, and once again it recovered and continued on cutting. My first thought was junk in the fuel line, but a check of the fuel line didn't tell me much. There could be something in the gas, I suppose (it's fresh gas).

Have had the tech out couple of times, but they just tell me to write it down so they can duplicate the situation. Well, that's okay by me, but it seems to me that sometimes that can't always be done. The last time they came out he drained the fuel in the line and that was it. I had a Murray, and I still have a GT5K that this problem never surfaced, so it seems that I have something going on here that the tech should have found (I do the regular maintenance but I'm not that handy with engines, etc). Any ideas?

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Comments (9)

dekethegeek
15 years ago
I would check all of the safety switches, one of them might be screwed up.
dewaynep
15 years ago
I would say when he drained the fuel line he was looking for water in the line. There still could be some water in the carb bowl. You could try to put some "dry gas" in the tank and see if that helps "burn" the moisture. Or you could completely drain the tank and lines and carb and put new gas in and see if it happens again.
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bill_kapaun
15 years ago
IF it only seems to occur after mowing under a "heavier" load for a minute or 2, I'd change the fuel filter.

"Late model Craftsman LT2000" means about as much as Chevy truck!
What's the Sears 917.xxxxxx number or WHAT BRAND & Model engine?
jimtnc
Original Author
15 years ago
Craftsman 20 hp 42 in. Deck Lawn Tractor
Sears item# 07128810000 Mfr. model# 28810
cusser
15 years ago
I'd check that the choke butterfly is not stuck closed. This is what happened on mine, Sears lawn tractor 917.275371, Engine Briggs & Stratton 31C707 type 0230-E1 (31C7070230E1) I sprayed carb aerosol cleaner on it, noticed that the choke would not open, so it was running real rich. I ended up drilling a small hole in the red palstic motor housing and attaching a spring from that hole to the already-there hole in the black lever on top of the carb, the lever which actuates the carb butterfly. Pushing the throttle all the way forward closes the choke for starting, but the internal spring to open the choke is too small, or some have posted that the shaft is too large and that one should take it out and shave it a little smaller. The added spring works for me. Sorry, I don't have a photo yet, the lawn tractor is 100 miles away.I'd check that the choke butterfly is not stuck closed. This is what happened on mine, Sears lawn tractor 917.275371, Engine Briggs & Stratton 31C707 type 0230-E1 (31C7070230E1) I sprayed carb aerosol cleaner on it, noticed that the choke would not open, so it was running real rich. I ended up drilling a small hole and attaching a spring from that hole to the already-there hole in the black lever on top of the carb, the lever which actuates the carb butterfly. Pushing the throttle all the way forward closes the choke for starting, but the internal spring to open the choke is too small, or some have posted that the shaft is too large and that one should take it out and shave it a little smaller. The added spring works for me. Sorry, I don't have a photo yet, the lawn tractor is 100 miles away.
jimtnc
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks folks...I'll try out some of your suggestions. NOt sure I want to start drilling holes in this thing with my knowledge level, but I can sure try to track it down.
bill_kapaun
15 years ago
Also check the fuel tank vent.
Most likely, it's NOT the problem, but it's easy and FREE to test.
Simply loosen the fuel cap momentarily when the problem occurs. If the problem goes away for several minutes.....

Does the problem seem to occur sooner, the harder the engine is working?
jimtnc
Original Author
15 years ago
LOL! Funny you should say that Bill. I've been on this forum for move than 8 years and can't tell you the number of times I've heard that suggestion. Guess what?? It never even entered my mind to check the cap. LOL! What a dufus. Geesssh!! Okay, I'll do that this PM...gotta mow before the rain moves in.
jimtnc
Original Author
15 years ago
Well, I mowed Wednesday. I remembered about the gas cap and worked the inside of the cap around the air holes to clean it out some and slightly loosened it. Mowed the whole 12k+ yard, stopped and blew off the cuttings, then put the tractor in the shed without the first engine hesitation. Maybe the cap thing did it, or I still have something inthe fuel line that will come back again...don't know. Anyway, didn't have to put up with it this time.

Got to cut it again probably Sunday, so we'll see.

Anyone have a late model Craftsman LT2000?

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Anyone have a late model Craftsman LT2000?

Comments (9)

dekethegeek

dewaynep

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