1864 Started Dying Today

[67galax]

Hello everyone; new member here.

I've had a cub cadet 1864 for the last 4 years, since we moved into our current house (came with it as part of the sale). I've never had any major issues with it, other than a burst hydraulic line behind the dash.

Today it seemed harder to start than normal. Usually, I put the throttle all the way up, pull out the choke, and it starts in a few cranks. Today it cranked a while before it took off. It then mowed normally for about an hour. When I got over to the hill and started mowing, it died, like it ran out of gas. It started right back up and mowed for a bit longer, than did it again.

My first thought was maybe a clogged fuel filter, but it was full of gas and stays full when the engine is running. After the brief cooldown from checking the filter, it ran fine for a few minutes, then started dying again.

I went inside for a while and took a break. When I came back out, it worked fine for a while, then started dying again. I pulled off the side panels to see if getting more air flow would help, and it seemed to, but after a while, it started dying again.

I took another break and googled my problem. I read that maybe the gas cap wasn't allowing it to vent, so I loosened it up. No improvement.

Then I also started noticing a noise from around the starter. It would 'chirp' about every 10 seconds 4-5 times after I restarted the engine, but would eventually go away. I also noticed that when it would die on a hill, it would freewheel down, like there was no hydrostatic pressure, but it drove normally when the engine would run.

I eventually finished the yard and put it away, hoping I don't need to mow the entire place again until next spring. Any Ideas what my problem could be?

I pulled the vacuum hose off the fuel pump, and I could feel a weak, pulsing vacuum, but the clear fuel filter never seemed to empty, so I don't think its starved for fuel. I also pulled and dusted off the air filter. Seemed to run the same with it on or off.

Seem like its related to heat. Problem is worse when the PTO is engaged, but towards the end, it even died some when I was trying to limp it back to the house.

[Gary Dotson]

Even though the filter stays full of fuel, does not mean the fuel is flowing. It still sounds like fuel starvation, I would replace the filter and make sure the pump is actually pumping fuel. Welcome to the forum.

[gitractorman]

I'd bet that one of the coils is failing. I just had this exact same problem on my 1863 (same tractor minus power steering), and it was the coil. Unfortunately, you have to pull the engine to replace them because they are inside of the tin shroud, and work like a magneto, with the magnets in the flywheel. Really not a bad job, took me about 2 hours, but I've worked on hundreds of Cadets. Just go ahead and buy 2 coils and replace both. What happens on these engines I'd the dust and dirt builds up on the heads, underneath the cowels, then everything starts to overheat and break down. It's actually good that the coils fail first because this often saves the engine. Take it all apart and use an air gun with a tiny tube on it to blow out all the dirt before you put it back together.

[Urbish]

I'd bet that one of the coils is failing.

With zero Cub Cadet experience but lots of small engine experience, I immediately thought the same thing.

It may be worth testing for spark immediately after it dies to confirm whether or not its a coil problem before tearing it down.

[67galax]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I will look up the part numbers for those coils and order a couple. Might also see how expensive a new fuel pump is.

[gitractorman]

Don't bother, it's not the fuel pump. When the pumps go, they're gone, and can't move fuel because they either leak or suck air. If a pump goes, it won't run at all. The fact that you can get it to run good for a while when it cools down really points to the coils.

[67galax]

After finding the part number on partstree (I think) I searched and found some on ebay and amazon. Is there a big difference between ones marked OEM/MTD and no-name ones?

[gitractorman]

I have no idea, I've always gotten them directly from a Cc dealer.

[Ida Red]

I have used a coil off and MTD on my 982 when I was quoted $250 for the ONAN , as long as a 2 wire coil.Red

[67galax]

Well, I finally got around to putting the new coils on today. I was able to get to them without removing the engine.

Once I had it all put back together, it fired right up. I started mowing the yard, but after about 3 laps, it started dying again, just like before.

Any ideas what it could be? It was full of gas, and I even tried running it without the gas cap on, in case it is a vent issue.

[Ida Red]

Ask GItractorman for some advice. Red

[67galax]

Well, I finally made it back. Tried mowing for the first time this year today. Mower died after about 10 minutes.

I pulled the air cleaner and watched the carburetor when it went into its death spiral. Seems like its running fine, then all of a sudden the throttle plate starts fluttering quickly and you can see gas getting sucked in from the 'spray nozzle' at the top. It looks like its flooding, but why, I don't know.

[67galax]

Well, I decided to replace all my fuel line today, just to eliminate that. Found the two valves on either side of the gas tank, and turned them off. Pulled the hose off the ‘drivers side’ and found a brass barb full of black crud. Could this be the cause of my problem? Fuel starvation. Turns out it probaly was. After I cleaned it out and installed new hose, I mowed for 45 minutes and the mower seems much more responsive than it has in a while.

[Ida Red]

Perhaps put in an inline filter also. Red