New drive belt on craftsman riding mower now engine dies when clucth is let out

limited info generic answer --engine knock --trans-axle /wheel --deck need to narrow down knock --if engine internal piston/crank /bearing possible failure ---trans-axle --failing bearing-gears-pulley--fluid-----desk pulley//mandrel etc

Cud b badbering or stuck..or differential worn

Craftsman 917251630 User Manual TRACTOR Manuals And Guides L0804434

Trans is shot. They cost around $600 to 1000 new. You can probably find one used for a couple hundred dollars. There are no rebuild kits for them. (Assuming this is not a zero turn) zero turns you can easily double the price....for each of the two drive units

U joints get worse as speed increases. You can try replacing the mount for the transmission it may help. Also check to see if the drive shaft is damaged.

One assumes the reference here is to the timing belt running hidden under a cover on the passenger side of the engine and NOT one of the external belts that drive the alternator, AC pump and power steering pump.

The timing belt requires precision installation. Its typically a full day task for an experienced mechanic with air tools. Precision installation first requires precision removal and preparation. To access the timing belt remove the passenger front wheel and the center sections only of the wheel well liner that expose view to side of engine. Then loosen tensioner bolts on external belts and remove external belts from the center main drive sheave. They can hang on the remote drive sheaves if desired. Remove upper and lower external covers from timing belt. Using old cloth, wipe the back-wall of the timing enclosure clean of dust and check for oil or coolant leaks. Find yellow chalk or Yellow lumber marking crayon. Look very carefully with bright light for timing marks on anything that rotates and for corresponding mark. At TDC of cylinder 1 all observable marks should simultaneously align. Cylinder 1 is on the rear engine bank closest to passenger seat. Rotate engine manually with battery disconnected and ignition off until alignment of all marks observed. Only then do you release the tensioner and remove the old timing belt. While the timing belt is removed is an excellent time to replace the cooling water pump. There is no timing mark on the water pump, only on the sheaves that drive the camshafts and on the main drive sheave. Also no timing marks on the idler pulleys.

Once the new belt is installed with everything verified in proper alignment and new water pump installed too, the idler pulleys can be set and spring loaded. Then manually rotate the engine through one complete cycle until all marks aligned again. Check torque on all bolts, then start reassembly of timing belt shield first, then external belts and adjust tensioners. Reinstall center wheel well liner sections and then reinstall the wheel and torque the lug nuts.

Reconnect the battery and start the vehicle. If all properly aligned it will immediately start. If anything improperly aligned, you now have BIG problem and likely permanent engine damage. Alignment of the timing belt rollers and sheaves absolutely critical, one omission and the engine is toast. Do it right and enjoy another 60K miles before you have to change the Kia timing belt yet again.

solved by owner

It may be like this:

"I just installed a belt on a 1998 ZX2 and used the tension release tool from underneath the car (safely jacked up and blocked) You should remove the right front wheel and plastic splash shield from wheel well (10mm socket). Use the tensioner release tool from underneath and rotate it towards the rear of the engine until you meet the lower heater hose. At this point, have another person use a tire iron / long screw driver, etc. to jam the tensioner pulley in place in order to get another "bite" on the tensioner pulley center bolt (use 13MM socket on the tool) You should have the entire belt pre-routed except for the AC pulley. This is the easiest one to install the belt on once tension has been released. Check for any looseness on the other idler pulleys as well as component pulleys."

Good luck! (rate if useful!!)

need more information re: engine,trans.(man. or auto.) two or four wheel drive, check u joints (grab drive line when in park w/engine offtry to rotate,while watching both front and rear.)

Check for a damaged wheel rim- the wheel balancer should have detected this, but may have missed it.
Check for defective tyre- new tyres can have faults -rotate wheel while jacked off ground, look for bulges, lumps or tyre runout when rotated.
Check for looseness of tie rods and steering box etc.
Check wheel bearings are ok.