Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.

AFProdigy

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
Hello! I have a Craftsman LT2000 with a 19.5hp B&S engine. It was running great while I was mowing and then I hit a tree stump that my husband had cut down a while back. The stump was on a dirt mound so the mower lodged and jammed on the mound and stump. It came to an immediate halt. The mower shuddered slightly, died and a smal puff of black smoke came out of the engine. I immediately smelled a strong fuel odor that lasted for several minutes. I put all controls back into their off/disengaged position, pulled the mower off the stump and inspected the deck and blade. I did not remove the deck or blade. Just checked as it was. The blade(s) rotated ok. Deck looks ok. Belt is intact and ok. Checked inside the engine because of fuel smell. Fuel still holding in the tank ok. So I tried to restart it. It cranks, but it sounds "smoother/easier" as if something that it used to do is not happening anymore. It used to sound more "gutteral". Sorry, I am not sure how to explain the sound. It does not sound bad, just different. So it just cranks and cranks and nothing happens. It did backfire once while trying to start it.

Bare with me... this is my first experience working on a riding mower.

I made this video to try to get some help when it first happened. It gives you an idea of how it sounds and shows what I am doing to try to start it.

youtu.be/xCCDwVSBzqg

I took the shroud off and flywheel cover. I visually inspected the flywheel key ONLY from the top without removing the flywheel. It looks ok from the top, I think. Should I take it apart and inspect the whole key anyway? Could there be damage below that I can't see? I kind of assumed that if it sheared, I would see it from the top.

Here is a picture of the top of the flywheel key.

20180308_172054.jpg

I used a spark tester by removing the spark plug and connecting the tester to the plug hole in the engine and the plug wire. The tester shows consistent repetitive flashes during cranking. That is apparently normal operation. I replaced the spark plug as well, just in case, and did an arch test. It arched/sparked ok. Still no change in cranking/starting with the new plug.

I charged the battery with a charger and no improvement. Battery shows charged and cranking is the same.

I tried spraying carburetor fluid into the air intake and cranking. Still no change and won't start. No combustion.

Today I am going to take the spark plug out and see if compression blows my finger off the hole (as instructed by a mower technician). I am also going to detach the fuel line from the incoming side of the fuel filter to test for fuel flow. Then test on the opposite side of the filter to see if the filter is plugged.

Can anyone think of anything else that I should try after those things or have any advice? Thanks!
 

AFProdigy

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
I forgot to mention this other problem I am having with this mower. When it broke down, we tried to put it in neutral and push it to the garage. We stopped one time on the way to the garage (mower was rolling along fine) to try starting one more time. It of course would not start. I disengaged the brake and now they are locked up. So on top of it not starting, we cannot roll it anywhere in neutral. I have tried shifting the gears and engaging/disengaging the pedal brake and parking brake lever (nothing). I tried doing those things while rocking the mower to try to dislodge it. No luck. I need help with this too. Any suggestions here?
 

AFProdigy

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
One more thing... I just saw someone else mention this in another thread. I did notice that the mower ignition key was bent when I pulled it out. I thought maybe my husband had accidentally bent it some other time. Is it possible that hitting the stump could have bent the key? And is that any indication of the problem I am having starting it? I bent the key back to straight by hand, of course, before using it again.
 

NorthBama

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
You are on the correct path by checking the spark and compression. watching the video the engine seems to be turning fast as no compression so check for compression. When the key shears it changes the timing so it will not start. As for the brake not releasing i will look for a video and post it. I am not a professional repair person but i have worked on many.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfXuw4zy-Bw
 
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EngineMan

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
I would remove the flywheel and recheck the key, on the photo it looks a little off to me, if that's ok then there maybe some damage inside the engine, from reading your lines seems if timing is out....!
 

Luffydog

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
Like others said look at flywheel key. Plus pull spark plug out stick long screw driver in the hole turn over by hand by using the flywheel cover see if piston moves the screw driver. Next I would pull the valve cover off and look at the intake rod and make sure it's not bent or broken. Prob find your problem lies there.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
Pull the rocker cover off .
It will be easier if you take the hood off first and buy a new rocker cover gasket as if there is one fitted it will brake and if not you will need to clean all the silicon off and fit a gasket in any case.
Rotate the engine by hand and watch the two rockers.
they should go in & out as the piston moves.
If one is not moving then the pushrod behind it is bent, broken or fallen off.
It is an old mower so if it has net been service properly then good chance the valve lash was too big and that will allow the pushrod to fall off when the engine is stopped abruptly.

As for the slack belt, that is normal in the blades off position and it should go tight when you turn the blades on.

As for hard to push, jack up the mower from the rear and try to turn the wheels.
If they go in opposite direction then the brake is jambed on.
Put a stand under the right side of the tranny and remove the right wheel.
You will see the brake in front of you .
Get some one to work the brake pedal a few times to see if it is fouling on something.
If not remove the 2 small bolts on either side of the brake caliper and pull it off.
Do this on concrete, not on the lawn so you don't loose any parts

Go to the craftsman / Sears web site and print out the brake parts diagram.
 
Last edited:

AFProdigy

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
Thanks, everyone! We were quite busy today, so we did not get to do any troubleshooting. We may have rain over the next few days. If it stays clear long enough tomorrow, I will try more and let you know what the results are.
 

Luffydog

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
Also if the brake had different sets for the speed control move it all the up if not already. Sometimes they go from park to like seven or so see that is all the way to seven then try. Since your pto is not electric it has a idler pulley that is pulled when you put the lever down into mow and it pulls the belt tight to turn and just opp for when you take it out of mow. If you apply it and it takes a bit to start or squealing might be time for a new belt.
 

blackchevy3de

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  • / Hit a stump, mower died, need help troubleshooting please.
Hello! I have a Craftsman LT2000 with a 19.5hp B&S engine. It was running great while I was mowing and then I hit a tree stump that my husband had cut down a while back. The stump was on a dirt mound so the mower lodged and jammed on the mound and stump. It came to an immediate halt. The mower shuddered slightly, died and a smal puff of black smoke came out of the engine. I immediately smelled a strong fuel odor that lasted for several minutes. I put all controls back into their off/disengaged position, pulled the mower off the stump and inspected the deck and blade. I did not remove the deck or blade. Just checked as it was. The blade(s) rotated ok. Deck looks ok. Belt is intact and ok. Checked inside the engine because of fuel smell. Fuel still holding in the tank ok. So I tried to restart it. It cranks, but it sounds "smoother/easier" as if something that it used to do is not happening anymore. It used to sound more "gutteral". Sorry, I am not sure how to explain the sound. It does not sound bad, just different. So it just cranks and cranks and nothing happens. It did backfire once while trying to start it.

Bare with me... this is my first experience working on a riding mower.

I made this video to try to get some help when it first happened. It gives you an idea of how it sounds and shows what I am doing to try to start it.

youtu.be/xCCDwVSBzqg

I took the shroud off and flywheel cover. I visually inspected the flywheel key ONLY from the top without removing the flywheel. It looks ok from the top, I think. Should I take it apart and inspect the whole key anyway? Could there be damage below that I can't see? I kind of assumed that if it sheared, I would see it from the top.

Here is a picture of the top of the flywheel key.

View attachment 36266

I used a spark tester by removing the spark plug and connecting the tester to the plug hole in the engine and the plug wire. The tester shows consistent repetitive flashes during cranking. That is apparently normal operation. I replaced the spark plug as well, just in case, and did an arch test. It arched/sparked ok. Still no change in cranking/starting with the new plug.

I charged the battery with a charger and no improvement. Battery shows charged and cranking is the same.

I tried spraying carburetor fluid into the air intake and cranking. Still no change and won't start. No combustion.

Today I am going to take the spark plug out and see if compression blows my finger off the hole (as instructed by a mower technician). I am also going to detach the fuel line from the incoming side of the fuel filter to test for fuel flow. Then test on the opposite side of the filter to see if the filter is plugged.

Can anyone think of anything else that I should try after those things or have any advice? Thanks!
It sounds like you have little to no compression by your video, pull the valve cover off and im thinking you will find, a bent of broken push rod or rocker arm.ps let me know what you find
 
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