Lawn Tractor: Engine Dies When Blades Are Engaged
A relatively rare lawn tractor symptom is having the engine die when the blades are working. If this occurs, there are multiple parts to check, such as the switch, belt, and pulley. Follow our repair guide to help you better identify and fix your problem accurately. Note: this is a general repair guide. Check the manual provided by your owner for more specific repair information related to your model.
Belts
An improperly routed belt can cause the engine to die when the blades are engaged. To check belt routing, lower the deck to its lowest setting and remove the belt guard by the drive pulley. Next, lift the belt over the pulley and remove the pins that support the deck at the rear. Remove the front deck attachment point and the pins that secure the PTO cable, then pull back on the cable and remove the spring. Next, slide the deck out from under the mower and inspect the belt routing. Check the owner’s manual for proper routing, and re-route if necessary. You will have to remove any spindle covers to complete this repair.
An improperly routed belt can cause the engine to die when the blades are engaged. To check belt routing, lower the deck to its lowest setting and remove the belt guard by the drive pulley. Next, lift the belt over the pulley and remove the pins that support the deck at the rear. Remove the front deck attachment point and the pins that secure the PTO cable, then pull back on the cable and remove the spring. Next, slide the deck out from under the mower and inspect the belt routing. Check the owner’s manual for proper routing, and re-route if necessary. You will have to remove any spindle covers to complete this repair.
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Pulleys
The pulleys in your lawn tractor are driven by the drive belt, and turn the spindles. If a pulley doesn’t spin freely, it can cause the engine to die when the blades are engaged. To check the pulleys for sticking and damage, first remove the drive belt from the engine pulley and lift the lever to engage the blades. When you engage the deck lever, it releases the blade brakes, allowing the spindles to be spun by hand. With the blade brakes released, spin the idler pulleys on the mower deck. If they do not turn or make a growling noise, they will need to be replaced. To replace these pulleys, first remove the blade deck (follow the steps under “Belt” to learn how to remove the deck.) Next, using the proper-size wrench, grip the nut under the pulley while removing the bolt on top of the pulley. Now, remove...
The pulleys in your lawn tractor are driven by the drive belt, and turn the spindles. If a pulley doesn’t spin freely, it can cause the engine to die when the blades are engaged. To check the pulleys for sticking and damage, first remove the drive belt from the engine pulley and lift the lever to engage the blades. When you engage the deck lever, it releases the blade brakes, allowing the spindles to be spun by hand. With the blade brakes released, spin the idler pulleys on the mower deck. If they do not turn or make a growling noise, they will need to be replaced. To replace these pulleys, first remove the blade deck (follow the steps under “Belt” to learn how to remove the deck.) Next, using the proper-size wrench, grip the nut under the pulley while removing the bolt on top of the pulley. Now, remove the nut, cup washer, pulley, and belt guard. Now you can re-install belt guard, washer, and the new pulley, making sure the belt goes behind the pulley. Next, re-install the cup washer and nut, and tighten down. Slide the mower deck underneath the lawn tractor and re-attach.
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Switches
The seat safety switch on your lawn tractor is designed to shut the lawn mower off in case of a roll over. This will help prevent injury to the tractor’s operator. If the engine dies when the blades engage, it could be the result of a damaged safety switch. The first step in assessing the safety switch is to make sure it is plugged in securely. The switch is located underneath the seat, and you may have to remove the seat to reach it. To do this, undo the bolts, slide the seat to the front, use a slot screwdriver to release the locking tab, and pull the seat off the bracket. Check the switch by rotating it and pulling out. If it looks damaged, you will need to replace it. If it doesn’t look damaged, you can test it by using a multi-meter. Set the meter to ohms and...
The seat safety switch on your lawn tractor is designed to shut the lawn mower off in case of a roll over. This will help prevent injury to the tractor’s operator. If the engine dies when the blades engage, it could be the result of a damaged safety switch. The first step in assessing the safety switch is to make sure it is plugged in securely. The switch is located underneath the seat, and you may have to remove the seat to reach it. To do this, undo the bolts, slide the seat to the front, use a slot screwdriver to release the locking tab, and pull the seat off the bracket. Check the switch by rotating it and pulling out. If it looks damaged, you will need to replace it. If it doesn’t look damaged, you can test it by using a multi-meter. Set the meter to ohms and touch each end to the inside connections. It should read 0 ohms. Push the switch in, and it should now read infinite resistance. Repeat this procedure on the outside connectors. If it fails this test then you will need to replace the switch. If it passes, your next step would be to check the wiring harness for a short and repair as necessary.
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