LTX1050 Won't Start

MikePA · Jun 29, 2014

I thought I'd check here before calling the repair shop to pick it up.

1. Started fine, engaged deck, started mowing lawn and the engine died after 3 minutes.
2. Cranks fine, just will not start.
3. Replaced spark plugs and used a spark plug tester which lit up indicating it's getting spark.
4. Replaced fuel filter and even bypassed the plastic thing that feeds fumes (I suppose) into the combustion chamber.
5. Cleaned air cleaner and even removed it as a test. No luck.
6. I looked at the fuel line where it goes into the carb, it's getting fuel.

No luck. Cranks but won't start.

When I crank it, I can see something coming out of the exhaust pipe. I am not sure what it is. It's visible, but it's not wet. I've held my hand there while cranking and it comes away dry.

Any ideas?

JRobyn · Jun 30, 2014

Pull a plug and see if it's wet, and with fuel or oil. My guess is that you have become the latest victim of ethanol fuel - most of the cases I have seen lately are that it "corrodes" the insides of the rubber fuel lines so that you have little flakes of rubber residue in your carb. Could be clogging the inlet needle so that it's not actually getting any fuel into the carb; could be jamming it OPEN so that it's flooding; could be clogging any one of several tiny passages and jets inside the carb. No solution except to remove and thorough clean/rebuild of the carb. And replace ALL the fuel lines. Move the filter (or add one) as close as possible to the carb. In a couple of cases I have gotten lucky and made do with just a cleaning, but once the carb rubber parts have been saturated with ethanol fuel and then hit with carb cleaner, they swell and won't fit until after you air dry them for a day or two. Good luck.

- Jay

MikePA · Jun 30, 2014

Thanks, Jay. Makes sense and that's what I was afraid of. The spark plug was dry, no oil or fuel.

rcbe · Jul 1, 2014

mike, generally agree - but to prove: remove air cleaner. have assistant attempt to start engine normally (in seat, 1/2 throttle, PTO off, cl/br pedal fully depressed). Spray several shots of carb cleaner directly down carb throat ( NO ether starting fluid !!).
If engine pops or tries to start, you have a fuel delivery problem of some type. If not, there is an ignition or mechanical problem.

MikePA · Jul 1, 2014

Did this - engine ran for a few seconds. Do products like this ---> Click Here help?

JRobyn · Jul 2, 2014

They are great for reducing and preventing the ill effects of ethanol fuel when used regularly. Once there is crud in the system, they can't help much. Seafoam can sometimes dissolve some types of crud, but no guarantees. It has to be able to flow THROUGH to get to and dissolve anything.

- Jay

rcbe · Jul 2, 2014

MikePA said:
Did this - engine ran for a few seconds. Do products like this ---> Click Here help?

take plenty of before notes/pixs. remove carb and dis-asm. soak all parts in liquid carb cleaner overnite. obtain carb rebuild kit. obtain thin stiff brass wire, magnifier and compressed air source. probe all orifices thoroughly and blow out with compressed air. make sure all components are clean inside and out. rebuild carb following kit instructions. use only new gaskets. remount carb to engine. just before attaching fuel line to carb, crank engine to run fuel thru lines to flush any sediment out. attach line and test start.

MikePA · Jul 3, 2014

rcbe said:
take plenty of before notes/pixs. remove carb and dis-asm. soak all parts in liquid carb cleaner overnite. obtain carb rebuild kit. obtain thin stiff brass wire, magnifier and compressed air source. probe all orifices thoroughly and blow out with compressed air. make sure all components are clean inside and out. rebuild carb following kit instructions. use only new gaskets. remount carb to engine. just before attaching fuel line to carb, crank engine to run fuel thru lines to flush any sediment out. attach line and test start.

Thanks for the info but I decided to solve the problem differently...I traded it in on a John Deere x310.