882D - Let it be good news
 

After finally getting the 882's driveline back together, I've been able to mow the lawn twice. Today after mowing 3/4 of my yard the PTO acted up. While mowing the motor seemed to sputter. So I figured I may be running low on diesel. I was at about 1/4 tank but I filled it anyway. Mowed a little more then it sputtered again, but it ran fine after I turned the PTO switch off. I have a slight suspicion my field coil is failing. Any first step suggestions?

This may help. Click on this link..... PTO

When you say the engine sputtered, what does that mean?

FWIW, I've had the switch and wiring and connectors fail more often than the PTO itself.

jack vines

I'll toss out 2 possibilities.

1: The PTO is drawing so much that the alternator can't keep up, the voltage is dropping and the electric fuel pump is not able to supply the injection pump with enough fuel. I consider this to be very unlikely.

2: You have a dirty fuel filter, a restriction in the fuel lines or fuel tank. Under full load like with the mower engaged the engine is not getting enough fuel, as soon as you disengage the PTO the demand for fuel is reduced so the engine returns to full RPM.

Engines need food and air. As Sam said- fuel filters. When was the tank last removed/ cleaned, new rubber fuel lines, and clean the tank shut offs?

The sputtering was as if the motor was running out of diesel. Sluggish and lower RPM, but as soon as I turned the PTO switch off it kicked right back up to full throttle.

I replaced all fuel lines and filters about 12 hours ago. It had both electric and mechanical fuel pumps. Mechanical pump was removed and electric pump maybe original. Not sure if PO replaced it.

Listen to Sam.

...or fuel tank!

I used to have a diesel. It started acting like yours. I did what you did. It still acted like yours. I blamed Democrats and bio-diesel fuel. :bash2: I called a guru friend and he said, "Flush the tank." I couldn't believe how much crap was in there because I had owned the thing over 15 years and I'm crazy about keeping fuel clean.

Just do it!

PeterJ

scarps68, I had the same problem with my 1572. I could run all day with the PTO off, but when the engine loaded up cutting grass with the 60" deck, the engine would sputter and start to die. Evidently, I was getting enoough fuel flow to run the engine with no load but not enough fuel to load up and work the engine. I found that if I would run it until it started to sputter then shut down the engine and removed the fuel line on the output of the electric fuel pump and turned the key to on, I was getting no fuel out of the pump. I initially changed all the filters with no change. I then changed the electric fuel pump out, but the problem persisted. The next time it happened, I pulled the fuel line off of the valve on the bottom of the tank. To my surprise no fuel came out when I opened the valve. The filter screen on the tank valve was all plugged. I ended up at this point replacing all the fuel lines, fuel filters, and pulling out the fuel tank, flushing it out with super clean, flushing and drying the tank out then replacing the shut-off valve on the bottom of the tank with new rubber bungs. I have not had a problem since then.

Looks like I'm emptying the tank and giving it a good cleaning. Been busy with parties and work so that'll be Thursday. Let you know how I make out. Thanks for the info!