Starting Trouble

[memond]

I am new to this site, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a Cub Cadet LT1050 (2005). Yesterday I was dumping some bricks on my property and ran the machine forward and back in a relatively quick succession. As I went forward, the engine conked out on me. I added gas as it seemed like it may be out, but it only started for a few seconds and died. I changed the fuel filter, spark plugs (gapped to the appropriate .030), and vaccumed the pre-cleaner on the air filter. Still no luck. Oil level is fine and the engine will turn over without a problem but will not start. Any fuel shut off or reset I am missing? I live in New England and we have recently had a week straight of rain. I keep the tractor in my garage, but the gas can sits outside. I don't think it's possible that water got into that can, but I'll take any suggestions. Thanks so much!

[Mickey]

First :Welcome1: :Welcome1: Hope we can keep you coming back.

I cringe every time I hear someone start throwing parts into their machinery before finding out what's wrong. Just me but hate to see good money being thrown away. Don't take this personally memond, I'm just an old M.E. that has to analyize everthing to death.

Takes three thing for a fire, air, fuel and heat. As for heat, is the ign system working, i.e. is there spark? For fuel, is there gas getting to the engine? Is there fuel in the fuel bowl? If so, is that fuel getting to the combustion chamber?

What were you doing just before the problem started? How could that affect the engine operation? That's how I would try and understand what could be wrong.

From what you've stated I wonder if there could have been some small crud in the carb and the rapid movement back and forth has stirred it up and is now blocking a passage in the carb.

Had a sim problem myself last week but not so bad. Engine would run but was obvious it was running too lean. Took the carb apart, saw some very small particles in the bottom of the fuel bowl. Blew some air in all passages, removel all the jets to see if they were clear. Put it all back together and it purring like a cat.

[FULLTHROTTLE]

Does your CC have an engine shut off safety feature? Sometimes they get stuck.
FULLTHROTTLE

[memond]

Ok, I am getting a spark and if I put a small amount of fuel in the cylinder teh tractor sputters for a moment. Any new suggestions?
Thanks for the help so far.

[Wild Bill 83]

:Welcome1:

Mickey might be on the right track.

2 weeks ago, I rolled my 1250 out of the shed, fired it up and drove over to where I was going to start mowing......and the engine died! I tried to restart it...nothing...I pulled the plug and laid it on the head, cranked the engine...good spark. Held my thumb over the plug hole and cranked the engine again....the compression popped my thumb off the hole. I dipped my finger in the gas tank a few times and dripped gas into the plug hole and reinstalled the plug...and like you it sputtered a few times, but wouldn't start.

Towed it to the garage, and pulled the carb off...dropped the bowl...and the needle valve was stuck :banghead3 thus not allowing any fuel to flow into the bowl.

I pulled it...and shot some WD-40 on the rubber tip, and reassembled the carb..cranked the engine and she fired right up....no problems since.


So I would make sure you are getting fuel to the carb etc....does your engine have a fuel shut off valve, fuel filter, and or fuel pump?

[Mickey]

As I mentioned earlier, check the fuel system. I suspect some crud has found it way into the carb passages. You might luck out and find it only the float that is stuck. Either way the carb is going to have to be removed.

[jodyand]

:Welcome1: memond
Does this motor have a fuel shut off solenoid on it? It may be bad or maybe the fuel pump isn't pumping a couple of things to check.

[HydroHarold]

And when you DO find out the problem, I would take a loooong look inside that fuel tank and gas can. All that sloshing back and forth can stir a bunch of water and particles of "stuff" laying in the tank right up to the fuel pickup. You might find something in your carb/jets/bowl/fuel line and then get it right back after you fix it... Do you use a stabilizer in your gas? Machine have a filter? If not you could add one if fuel is the problem.

Before I got my "Mr. Funnel" (shamless plug:D) I was amazed at the things I found in the bottom of the tank. The gas today is bad enough but it is also full of "inert ingredients"!

[memond]

Thank you all for the feedback! It headed me in the right direction. I took the carb off and it looked spotless. I drained the fuel tank, all the lines, the pump, and the fuel bowl. Ran a picked up some new gas, threw it in and it fired up. I must have picked up some condensation or water through this week long rain storm we had in New England. I have always stored my gas outside, but I'm wondering if that's necessary. I have a two car garage under my house I could keep it in, but always thought it might not a great idea to store it in there.
Any thoughts?

[Scotty Dog]

What town are you in. I grew up in Halifax,MA. I now hang out in NH Scotty Dog

[memond]

Georgetown, not to far from NH.

[glenn27]

Memond--personally, and this is only MO--gas /fuel needs to be where it is dry, unless it's stored in an outside tank, per se......maybe your can had a minute hole or the cap vent was open-- :banghead3 it'll drive a sane person up the wall---also, as HH stated gas today is not what it was years ago---


so maybe you can rig up a little cover/shelter of some sort to keep your cans in if u don't feel safe w/ them under your living quarters--also don't buy more gas then you can use in a few weeks---Oh, and get you a "Mr. Funnel".../.. :thThumbsU