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Hi, I'm new to these threads so let me first state that I own a Craftsman DYT 4000 (2004 model) that has 235 hours on it. It was working fine until the end of last fall, after I did an oil change on it.

My big problem is that my engine won't start. When I turn my key into the ignition I can hear the engine crank and crank but it does not start up. I can even hear the air go through its compression cycle, its just not mixing with the fuel. Note: I have been having to jump-start the mower with my car battery because the battery on the mower can not hold a full charge (it's dropped down to 7.25 V, which I know I need to get replaced). I've run out of ideas as to what the problem is and how to fix it.

I'm also having problems with my transmission. When I pull the lever at the back of the mower to disengage the transmission so I can manually push the mower I am unable to do so. Every time I attempt to push the mower in forward or reverse the rear wheels lock up, behaving as if the transmission is still engaged. I don't know how to fix this, but I am hoping that it is something small and easy to do.

Any help or advice will be much appreciated.

Brakes can bind up over the winter just from moisture . Fine film of rust - spray wd40 on the brakes system. No starts can be simple . Check seat brake blade safety .
Then go to the basics - engine needs gas air and spark . One of those is missing .

lets start with what engine do you have? Kohler or Briggs? HP etc. you need to check compression and fuel delivery, as well as spark, if you have those 3 things the unit should start. your trans neutral knob may be slipping on the stud to allow it to engage the nuetral switch or your brake may be sticking.

Make sure you are getting both fuel in the cylinder and that you have spark. If you are spark, pour a small amount of fuel into the carb and see if it will run and then die. maybe the fuel solenoid on the carb isn't working. does it click when you turn the key on.

the transmssion problem may be something as simple as a stuck brake on the transmission. it is a lever just in from of the right rear tire. push or pull on it to see if it moves freely and doesn't hang up.

Battery runs about 18.00 in NJ so you might as well get one .
Pull the plug out and see what shape it is in - gas fouled, bone dry ? Lay the plug on the block hooked up to the spark plug cable . Turn the key and crank the engine to check for spark .
Fuel - best to pull the hose of the feed line and drain it into a can . Look for water when it settles down . Water will look like oil floating in water . Fuel lines must not be dry or cracked . Fuel filter is $2.00 .
Never leave any fuel in a machine over winter . Run the carb empty before storage . Fuel shut off valve is a must - another $2.00
After changing the plug, fuel filter , fresh gas & new battery TRY TO START IT .
Most carbs need to be clean and or rebuilt if gas is left in them over the winter .
Carb kit is about $15.00 and you tube videos show you how to clean and fix it .
If it runs then get your oil filter and quart and half of 30 weight oil ....
Even sharpening or changing blades is easy - save $300.00 in labor if you do your own spring tune up.

I should mention this, I have not owned the mower for its entire lifetime. It originally belonged to my grandparents and it was not well maintained. So it is in a fixer upper state (i.e. by looking I think the air filter is the original stock filter.)

As for the engine, it is a Briggs 18.5 HP. As far as the spark plug is concerned I changed that out last summer and it is getting a spark, so I know that is in good shape. I'm thinking about first trying to put some fresh fuel into the tank (its at about 1/3 full with old fuel from storage) and see if that will help. I'm out of time to work on it today so tomorrow I will examine the carburetor to see what kind of shape it is in.

For the transmission, I think I am having an issue with the parking brake. I read the owner's manual and it described that when the parking brake is enabled and the transmission is disconnected the rear wheels should lock up when pushed. That is the symptom I am getting when the parking brake is not enabled. After looking around the lever I found a lot of dirt, grass clippings, crud, etc. caked onto everything so I got some cleaning to do.

Sounds like your ready to tinker on the next day off .
Don't assume the spark plug is ok because MICE love to eat the coating on electric wires . You can have a chewed up ground or power wire in the steering tunnel or in the engine bay .
Your brake system is all in clear site if you remove the deck . Your brake system is springs and pulleys . Depending on the machine there is a disc band or disc brake pad .
Gas goes bad quickly now . Even with Stabyl you still get water in your gas tank or filler can .
Post your results .

I think the brakes may be locked up as said before or they need adjustment, is the parking brake on?. As for the engine, may just need a thorough carb cleaning. This usually does the trick. Also, make sure you use the choke when attempting to start the engine, otherwise you may not get very far. These small engines almost always require the chock to be on when starting them. Based on what you have said, I believe that this is definitely a carberation issue. Hope this helps.

SONOFADOCKER said:

Battery runs about 18.00 in NJ so you might as well get one .
Pull the plug out and see what shape it is in - gas fouled, bone dry ? Lay the plug on the block hooked up to the spark plug cable . Turn the key and crank the engine to check for spark .
Fuel - best to pull the hose of the feed line and drain it into a can . Look for water when it settles down . Water will look like oil floating in water . Fuel lines must not be dry or cracked . Fuel filter is $2.00 .
Never leave any fuel in a machine over winter . Run the carb empty before storage . Fuel shut off valve is a must - another $2.00
After changing the plug, fuel filter , fresh gas & new battery TRY TO START IT .
Most carbs need to be clean and or rebuilt if gas is left in them over the winter .
Carb kit is about $15.00 and you tube videos show you how to clean and fix it .
If it runs then get your oil filter and quart and half of 30 weight oil ....
Even sharpening or changing blades is easy - save $300.00 in labor if you do your own spring tune up.

Click to expand...

Doesn't water go to the bottom in gas??
Ken

Water goes to the bottom of your tank , since its heavier it gets to the carb first.
Your fuel can is the same , water settles to the bottom. When you fill the mower tank the gas leaves the can first and goes into the tank.
Humidity here in north east is always near 100%.
We have taken gas and left it in the shop in a pan on the work bench . By the end of the 8 hour day there is water balls sitting in the bottom of the pan of gasoline .... Ethanol attracts WATER and tree huggers want Ethanol in our gasoline

The spark plug I know is ok, it is new as I bought it last fall around the same time I did the oil change. I tested it again this morning and I do get a spark. I think I will try draining the old fuel out and putting some fresh fuel in the system and see what that does. Someone once recommended to me that I spray a little bit of either into where the air filter is, does that seem like a good idea?

Also, I haven't tackled the brakes yet today.

Gas is better than spray start - spray can damage the cylinder. - you need all the bad gas gone . Don't add new gas to the old . The flash point of the fuel has changed - wont start .

Sounds like I need to drain the old gas out of the tank and inspect the carburetor. Any tips on how to drain the gas, and what can I do with it if it has gone bad?

At our shop we put the bad gas in our pick up trucks - we only get 9 mpg anyhow so it burns up quick .
Correct ways to get rid of it is to bring it to your county hazmat dump where they take paint, oil etc

Well I got the brakes/transmission issue fixed. I was right when I said that I was probably going to have to do some cleaning because there was a lot of dirt and debris buildup where the brakes were. After clearing that out I followed your recommendation and sprayed some of the joints with WD-40, and then scrubbed it a little bit with a small brush. It works just fine, all that's left for me to do is to get the engine going.

We get machines at work that take several hours to clean off the mud dirt dried grass ... No excuse !!!

Sorry to be reviving an old topic but I'm still in need of help. I've been busy the last week or so and haven't been able to work on the mower until a couple of days ago. Anyways, I talked to a neighbor who has had experience with small engines. After I told him my problem he suggested that I don't have enough compression in the engine, and that I should adjust the valve spring. My problem is that I don't know which one to adjust. I took a photo of it: