E130 Lawn Mower won’t go uphill except in reverse

[Snuffy77]

I am about to go crazy because my lawnmower won’t go up even a slight upgrade except in reverse. The motor dies and I have to back up the incline every time. I cleaned the carb, replaced the air filter, replaced the fuel pump, replaced the spark plugs, drained and replaced the gas with non ethanol.
YouTube videos show people replacing the transmission fluid, but I only have 36 hours on the mower and it is only 3 years old.
Can anybody help?

 

[MoKelly]

Welcome to the site from Missouri.

You don’t mention whether the motor loses power when you are trying to go up a hill.

If the motor has power, I’m guessing the issue is the hydro belt. For some reason, the belt is too lose such that you can’t go up an incline.

That is where I would begin the process.

MoKelly

 

[Snuffy77]

The motor loses power or stops completely in forward almost every time I go uphill.

 

[MoKelly]

Sorry - you did say that in your initial post and I missed it completely.

Do your blades turn when going in reverse? If not, then perhaps the blades are causing the stress on the engine at an angle?

MoKelly

 

[Snuffy77]

The blades turn fine in reverse.

 

[oldnslo]

Is the engine quitting because of loss of spark or fuel. Could be some safety switch not being made when on an incline causing the ignition to lose spark. I.e. the mower deck moving

 

[Cougsfan]

Out of curiosity, what kind of lawn mower is it? Push, zero turn, lawn tractor? I am wondering if the float level in the carb is set too low, or the carb is mounted tilted in one direction.

 

[Snuffy77]

It is a Lawn tractor, 100 series.

I notice when I first crank it, I get some black smoke. I also notice some wet oil on the spark plugs.

 

[Richard001]

I am about to go crazy because my lawnmower won’t go up even a slight upgrade except in reverse. The motor dies and I have to back up the incline every time. I cleaned the carb, replaced the air filter, replaced the fuel pump, replaced the spark plugs, drained and replaced the gas with non ethanol.
YouTube videos show people replacing the transmission fluid, but I only have 36 hours on the mower and it is only 3 years old.
Can anybody help?

When you say, "I cleaned the carb", what exactly did you do to clean the carb ?

Richard

 

[Diggin It]

I am about to go crazy because my lawnmower won’t go up even a slight upgrade except in reverse. The motor dies ...

Dies how? Just shuts off like you turn the key off? Sputters? Starves for fuel or air?

If it just flat dies like you turned the key off, it may be something like the seat safety switch out of adjustment. Going uphill forward leans you back in the seat a bit and may be moving the seat off the switch. Backing uphill won't have the same effect as you'll be leaning forwards, putting more pressure on it.

If it acts like it's starving for fuel, it could be a fuel filter not passing enough flow.

 

[Snuffy77]

When you say, "I cleaned the carb", what exactly did you do to clean the carb ?

Richard

I took the carburetor off and sprayed it with carb cleaner. Then I wiped it down and reassembled it.

 

[beenthere]

I took the carburetor off and sprayed it with carb cleaner. Then I wiped it down and reassembled it.

Don't say if you took the carburetor apart and cleaned the parts.. so did you?

 

[Snuffy77]

Dies how? Just shuts off like you turn the key off? Sputters? Starves for fuel or air?

If it just flat dies like you turned the key off, it may be something like the seat safety switch out of adjustment. Going uphill forward leans you back in the seat a bit and may be moving the seat off the switch. Backing uphill won't have the same effect as you'll be leaning forwards, putting more pressure on it.

If it acts like it's starving for fuel, it could be a fuel filter not passing enough flow.

It sputters and the engine quits. I shorted the seat switch to see if that was it, but it wasn’t.

 

[Snuffy77]

Don't say if you took the carburetor apart and cleaned the parts.. so did you?

Yes, I took it apart and cleaned the parts.

 

[beenthere]

Check the fuel supply to see if there is fuel being pumped to the engine.. if not, possible plugged fuel filter or fuel line. Sounds like a fuel issue from the problem description.

 

[tomplum]

The easiest way to do what beenthere stated is grab 3' of 1/4 fuel line, hook it to the inlet of the pump, drop it in a fuel can w/ fresh clean fuel and give it a run. With the low hours, you could have high moisture from your old fuel. Remove your solenoid from below the carb bowl and catch a sample looking for water. Your new non ethanol won't absorb bits of moisture like the ethanol would.

 

[Snuffy77]

The easiest way to do what beenthere stated is grab 3' of 1/4 fuel line, hook it to the inlet of the pump, drop it in a fuel can w/ fresh clean fuel and give it a run. With the low hours, you could have high moisture from your old fuel. Remove your solenoid from below the carb bowl and catch a sample looking for water. Your new non ethanol won't absorb bits of moisture like the ethanol would.

Thanks. I will try that.

 

[Snuffy77]

The easiest way to do what beenthere stated is grab 3' of 1/4 fuel line, hook it to the inlet of the pump, drop it in a fuel can w/ fresh clean fuel and give it a run. With the low hours, you could have high moisture from your old fuel. Remove your solenoid from below the carb bowl and catch a sample looking for water. Your new non ethanol won't absorb bits of moisture like the ethanol would.

I tested the fuel pump like you suggested. It appears the new fuel pump is not pumping enough fuel. It was a knock off fuel pump. I ordered a Genuine John Deere fuel pump. I will let you know if it works. Thank you for your suggestion!

 

[MoKelly]

I tested the fuel pump like you suggested. It appears the new fuel pump is not pumping enough fuel. It was a knock off fuel pump. I ordered a Genuine John Deere fuel pump. I will let you know if it works. Thank you for your suggestion!

Hope that this fixes your issue.

But, any idea why a fuel pump would work going in reverse but not work moving forward? Just curious.

MoKelly

 

[beenthere]

My guess is the fuel level in the tank is above the engine and feeds by gravity, whereas going uphill the fuel pump has to move the fuel up to the engine. Just a guess..