XT1 with Kohler 24HP bogging down when blades engage.

[howie70]

Have a Cub Cadet XT1 that was given to me by my father in law. Mower is only 3-4 years old. Mowed once and it ran fine. Changed oil last week. The drain that you push in, twist & turn came completely off and oil went everywhere. Finished the oil change, cleaned up & put it away. Mowed a day or two afterwards and when I engage the blades (electric pto) it will run fine for a few minutes, then lose power for a few minutes. Then it will run fine and lose power again. Blades continue to turn. Engine runs fine when pto is off. I've changed the usual maintenance items such as plugs, air and fuel filter. Clean fresh gas. Belt is fine.
Could oil have gotten on the pto clutch and cause this? Any ideas? I have removed the pto clutch and it looks dry as a bone but maybe some seeped in?
The other thing I will mention, is that when it bogs down the exhaust smell changes. Almost the same smell as if the choke is on??

 

[cdaigle430]

Have a Cub Cadet XT1 that was given to me by my father in law. Mower is only 3-4 years old. Mowed once and it ran fine. Changed oil last week. The drain that you push in, twist & turn came completely off and oil went everywhere. Finished the oil change, cleaned up & put it away. Mowed a day or two afterwards and when I engage the blades (electric pto) it will run fine for a few minutes, then lose power for a few minutes. Then it will run fine and lose power again. Blades continue to turn. Engine runs fine when pto is off. I've changed the usual maintenance items such as plugs, air and fuel filter. Clean fresh gas. Belt is fine.
Could oil have gotten on the pto clutch and cause this? Any ideas? I have removed the pto clutch and it looks dry as a bone but maybe some seeped in?
The other thing I will mention, is that when it bogs down the exhaust smell changes. Almost the same smell as if the choke is on??

I had same issue for a couple years on my 24hp B&S-bogs down on any kind of load like engaging PTO. I put sea foam in the tank and it cleared it up-something in the carb possibly.

 

[Roadworthy]

I'll agree - Sea Foam is a magic elixir for small engines. I know you changed the air filter. Check it and check for any restrictions. You could also check to see if your choke plate is sticking closed even though you move the lever to open it.

 

[howie70]

Thanks for the replies. As a follow-up I found the problem. It was only running on one cylinder (intermittently I guess). I checked for fire at the plug and had it one time and didn't have it the next time I checked. Found a chewed up wire, cut and splice it. Didn't fix it. Swapped the coil packs from an old mower that my father-in-law had and it fired right up and ran fine.
I guess the timing of that with the oil change was just purely coincidental.

 

[Richard001]

Thanks for sharing the fix.

Richard