Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Engine Stalls & Dies

My lawn tractor will start but when you take your foot off the clutch it stalls. it runs as long as you have your foot on the brake, changed the air filter and the fuel filter and the spark plug any ideas?

I am not totally certain the this is the problom, but here is one idea for you. All riding mowers have saftey switches to provent accidents! For example have you ever had your mower running and got off of it without engaging the parking brake? The engine shuts down. In normal operation releasing the clutch should shut the engine down. The switch for the clutch works as far as, you have to have it pressed in order to start it. My guess is that you may have a electrical wiring problem. If this is not the reason I know that cheese can help you further!

Hello tara h!

Terminator is right, it sounds like you have a safety switch problem. The switch that would cause this symptom is the seat switch. Make sure the connector is pushed on tight. Most of the newer seat switches have an internal bypass that does not allow you to disconnect it to make it run. It has to be plugged in tight because the internal bypass in the connector is spring loaded. The spring pushes the connector away from the switch a bit, and sometimes it gets pushed away far enough to allow the internal bypass to engage. I have had to use a cable tie to strap the switch and connector together tight enough for it to work right.

tara h,

Most of the newer Sears tractors have safety relays under the dashboard. If you find the seat switch is all right then check the relays. There should be two or three depending on the model of tractor. You may need to purchase a new relay and start switching then out to find the bad one.

Roger

thank you, you were right it was the switch, I couldn't get it in tighter so I had to pay a repairman.

:) tara

Glad we could help tara! Thanks for letting us know how it went!