Can we get a verdict on my Alternator?

[Greg Armstrong]

So I replaced the coil on my 184 since it was sputtering once it got hot. I also tightened up the fan belt that was super loose. Problem remained. I went to basics and checked for fuel flow... And of course there was gunk in the sediment bowl nozzle. I cleared the obstruction(s) and it seemed to be running good. The ammeter was consistently at high side of charge (never been this way before). Moderate height grass was causing it to loose power and get sluggish to the point I would have to stop and let the engine rev back up. The ammeter returned to normal but was falling deeper into discharge than usual as it had before I tightened the belt. Ammeter is "bouncy". PTO clutch wouldn't re-engage until I shut the lights off, battery was replaced this past spring. Is my alternator going bad?

[staninlowerAL]

Have your battery load tested. I've read that the pto clutch places a unusually high demand on the electrical system. Maybe that's why yours would not engage until you turned the lights off. Might be worthwhile to have the alternator output tested as well.

[Greg Armstrong]

I probably should have the better tested since it the alternator belt was loose. The bouncy ammeter is what makes me think the alternator is flaky. I'm guessing my loss of power under load is low spark voltage since I already know something is wrong electrically.

[tst]

check the output of the alternator with a volt meter, should be between 13.5 to 15 volts range

[outdoors4evr]

Usually when my PTO fails to engage, I have to remove the fuse from the fuseholder and reinstall it. The fuse holder is in the upper left corner of the dash and is not water tight. After a bath it may corrode and this raises the resistance of the circuit.
Might not be your issue, but don't overlook the simple things.
I think your alternator output is changing due to the variation in the load. Corrosion being the probable root cause.

[Greg Armstrong]

Good call to check for corrosion! I was able to fix the issue where it was loosing power under heavy load. I had put a new main jet adjustment in when I was working on the fuel system, it had been sitting on the bench since last summer and since my hands were already covered in gas and I had the leaky old one loose, I decided it was a good time. I thought I had match the setting to the one I removed, but since the needle was shaped a little different, I was running way too rich. After setting the fuel mix, I was able to mow through tall grass in 2nd gear without too much issue. The electrical issue remains. But next steps are checking out the battery and alternator and cleaning contacts. Thank you all for the helpful suggestions!

[Greg Armstrong]

The PTO clutch issue is certainly corrosion based. I couldn't get it to re-engage and I reached under the dash and pushed on the plastic 2 conductor connector on the PTO switch and it engaged. It was also hot. I need to pull the switch and clean all the connections.

[outdoors4evr]

Glad you have found the issue.

[Greg Armstrong]

The alternator belt broke a few days after my previous post (after I tightened it). The belt I had was a 3V475, replace with a 7480 from my friends at NAPA and it's much beefier. New tight belt, some contact cleaner on the PTO switch connections and we are charging like normal and engaging the clutch like a champ. Now, if I could just keep my throttle lever from slipping...

[outdoors4evr]

If you look under the fiberglass dash housing on the left side of the tractor, there is a hole provided where you can reach in there with a socket and an extension to tighten the friction on the throttle lever. Snug it down a little, but don't go too far with it!

[Greg Armstrong]

If you look under the fiberglass dash housing on the left side of the tractor, there is a hole provided where you can reach in there with a socket and an extension to tighten the friction on the throttle lever. Snug it down a little, but don't go too far with it!

I am way past this point. I need to replace the the lever and cable. The part that holds the cable kept bending and it's all sorts of mangled from me straightening it a few times. There was no nut on the left side, and I added one... that worked for a while. A few days ago I started using a bungee on the throttle lever and wrapped around the gas cap once I actually start mowing so I don't have to hold the throttle with my hand. I'll be ordering some new parts soon.