Simplicity Landlord running and starting issues

forgetaboudit

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Hello all,

First time poster here. I bought a Landlord 18hp hydro (1692442 or 1692576) this Spring, and have been having issues with it the last 2 months.
First, I'd be running it for more than 20, and then shut the blades off and letting it idle for 2 minutes... Id go to reengage the blades, but they'd spin for less than a second and the engine would shut down. I'd go to restart it and it wouldn't hardly turn over. I'd have to push it back to the garage and charge the battery. (It is a brand new battery and I've had it tested and all is well with it.)
Just recently while running it for 30 minutes without stopping it'll run rough while going up a hill, or when getting into a little thicker grass. But the whole time before the 20 minutes, it'll run sweet. Seems that when it warms up it'll get bad. Now when I go to fire it up, the oil pressure light is out, until about 10 seconds of idling and it'll flicker on and off for a few seconds, and then stay on all the time. The oil was changed when I bought it, and is at the correct level and looks clean and smells fine.

Some repairs and fixes I've done...
Removed the shroud to check the magnetos, and found a huge mouse nest on the left cylinder as well as chew marks on that magneto. Also, I found that magneto wire was melted, the wire to the solenoid on the bottom of the carb was melted, as well as the stickers on the air cleaner box and the flywheel screen. I cleaned all the debris out, replaced that coil, and the wire to the carb solenoid. I then started having issues not getting power to the starter, so I replaced the starter solenoid, and now the key switch which solved that issue. I have a friend coming over tonight with an oil pressure tester. Does anyone know what pressure its suppose to run at? I checked the vent in the fuel cap and it seems to be clean and clear.

So if anyone has any insight or solutions for me for the problems I'm having, that'd be wonderful.
 

forgetaboudit

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I have already checked into all those things. Thanks for your help.

So I tested the oil pressure and I got 35 psi at idle so I determined the sensor was bad. I replaced it and have had no issues with light coming on.
Now, Im still having the issues of it dying after starting the blades, and running it for 20 minutes before the battery drains and causing it (in my opinion) to run crappy.
Would that possibly be the voltage regulator, or even the alternator coil? If so, how would I go about testing them with a test light or multimeter?
 

BlazNT

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The PTO runs off the stater and the battery charges off the same. The first test is to start the mower and run at WOT and check voltage at the battery. Should be above 13v.
 

forgetaboudit

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The PTO runs off the stater and the battery charges off the same. The first test is to start the mower and run at WOT and check voltage at the battery. Should be above 13v.

I did replace the voltage regulator as it didn't read correctly when I hooked up the multimeter. After replacing it, it seemed to keep a charge while cutting for an hour. But when I pulled it into the garage, I tried to engage the blades and it killed it again. But it'll start up without any problem now. Also while mowing, it seemed to still bog down a little and backfire a bit when going up a slight hill somewhat fast. I did replace the one magneto after finding the mouse nest. I wonder if I didn't gap it properly from the flywheel. Do you happen to know the proper gap?

I did test the battery while WOT and it read 13.78, so it is charging now. I unfortunately didn't test it before the regulator replacement.
 

forgetaboudit

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I gapped the magnetos, and replaced the melted wires, and it still has the issue of killing the engine when I engage the blades.

I did find out that when the engine is just starting to die, i pull the choke 1/4 of the way out, and it allows the deck to spin and the engine runs. So, knowing that, would it point to the carb needing to be adjusting?
 

bertsmobile1

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confirm that by getting off the mower and working the governor by hand.
It should smoothly accelerate.
Don't hold the throttle plate wide open for long periods because high revs with no load can blow the engine.
So just a smooth opening from fast idle ( throttle on rabbit ) to butterfly fully open.
 

BlazNT

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Carbs have 2 circuits. One for starting all the way to WOT. The second one is for when the engine is under load. Bert is having you check the second part. If it is not working it is time to clean the carb
 

forgetaboudit

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confirm that by getting off the mower and working the governor by hand.
It should smoothly accelerate.
Don't hold the throttle plate wide open for long periods because high revs with no load can blow the engine.
So just a smooth opening from fast idle ( throttle on rabbit ) to butterfly fully open.

I did that and it seemed to function great. Whats the next option?

Carbs have 2 circuits. One for starting all the way to WOT. The second one is for when the engine is under load. Bert is having you check the second part. If it is not working it is time to clean the carb

Ahh, thanks for the explanation. It functioned well.
 
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