SOURCE: I have 16 hp Craftsman riding mower with a Kohler engine.
It may think you are in reverse and is killing the motor to keep you from backing up with the blade running. Look for switch that is telling it when you are in reverse, maybe it is stuck with grass or other debris. another possibility is that the blades are jammed and they are stalliing the motor. Mines stalls easily when cold.
SOURCE: Craftsman riding lawn mower...engine dies when blade is engaged
Push the clutch all the way down and try to start, does it crank over?
Let me know.
Regards,
SOURCE: Craftsman riding mower blades will not engage
maybe the safty switch under seat might be starting to go out if that switch doesn't work the blades wont come on at all for safety
SOURCE: I have a 15.5 HP Sears Craftsman 42
I'm betting that you need a new safety kill switch - probably the one underneath the seat (the spring-loaded plunger switch that won't let you use the machine without your *** in the seat). Could also be the one behind the "dash" that is associated with the blade engagement mechanism.
I know that the under-seat-switch cannot be bypassed or it will disable the machine in the exact way that you described. Why do I say this? Because I just tried to bypass my own "***-in-the-seat-safety-switch" on my very own 15.5 HP, 42" Sears tractor, and it responded by punishing me - the absense of the switch caused the motor to cut out when I tried to put the machine in gear AND/OR engage the blade. It seems to have some measured capacitance - the absense of same seeming to interrupt the ignition timing enough to shut the motor down when you attempt to get anywhere past neutral or engage the blade. These "safety" switches may be needed by a very few who prefer to be drunk while they mow lawns on steep slopes that their tractor mowers were not designed for, but I find these items to be troublesome and enfuriating. My trees shed a lot of sticks in high winds, and I can't stand shutting the machine down and restarting it EVERY SINGLE TIME I have to dismount to clear sticks or other obstructions out of my mowing path. This is an obnoxious, "nanny-design" feature that desparately needs to be discontinued. It also makes both jump-starting the tractor and electrical troubleshooting much more difficult than they should be. The tractor should let you dismount without shutting down, as long as you have disengaged the blade and shifted into neutral. It should also let you jump start with jumper cables - impossible to do with your rear end in the seat. By the way, call Manufacturer's Supply, Inc. at 1-800-826-8563. They may have a replacement - their item number 31-9664 might do it, but talk to them first. I'm calling them tomorrow. Good luck.
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SOURCE: my 48 inch riding mower shuts off when I try to
mine has a reverse cut out when blades are running....maybe the switch is bad and thinks mower is in reverse therefore shutting down the mower when the blades are engaged....
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