I have a late 90's model Snapper Pro Hydro SPA480 with a Kawasaki FC420V engine. This mower is a 48" tank. Runs great. Starts on the first pull. I mowed for about 1-1/2 hrs. last week, shut it down and put it away then remembered I didn't mow at the street. Started it up and brought it down to the street and made 4 350' passes then went to the other side of the driveway and it started to sputter like it was going to die until I pulled the handles back into the idle position. Once I did that, the engine ran strong and the blades engaged without skipping a beat, but as soon as I released the handles just past a crawl, it started to sputter and the same would happen in reverse if I went just past a crawl. It continued to do that after several attempts so I decided to put it in the barn, which is over 500' away and mostly uphill. Reverse seemed to run steadier at low speed, so I went the whole way, at a snail's pace, in reverse. Once in the barn, with the handles in locked position and running at idle, it ran as strong as always with or without engaging the blades, but as soon as I went past a crawl in forward or reverse, it sputtered like it was going to die. Any suggestions where to begin? Thanks.
