PTO clutch bad?
 

Hello all first post here hoping to get some help. Mower is a 2007 LT1045 and when engaging the PTO it shuts the engine down. Brake switch has good continuity and it won't start if the pedal isn't engaged. The seat switch also has good continuity and will kill the engine with the brake off and seat up. Clutch continuity is 3.3 and engages with the switch and key on. Deck belt can be moved by hand and I cleaned and lubed before reinstalling. PTO and blades spin with the belt movement. Brake on, seat switch engaged, and 12v to PTO and belt won't move.
When I first got mower the PTO had a good bit of drag when off the mower and turning by hand. I was able to get it apart and clean it up fairly good. It spun better but still feels like it catches while rotating. So after all that is there another switch I'm missing or is the PTO clutch bad? Something else I missed? TIA for help and suggestions.

Have you owned this mower for a while? At what RPM are you engaging the PTO?

Unfortunately mower is new to me and I finally got it running over the weekend. It's throttled up when trying to engage. If the throttle is pushed to full quickly it will kill the engine. Moving it slowly and it will stay running.

Sounds like you may have a fuel starvation issue instead of a PTO problem.

Any suggestions on what to address? Filter looks like new and not dirty internally.

Trash in the carburetor.

I'll tear into it and report back.

Just a little junk in the carb but it was trying to run on water. I should've drained it and replaced it from the start. I can engage the PTO and see the pulleys turning. There's a whirring sound almost like a plane propeller when the deck is engaged. I had one spindle that was noisier than the other 2 when spun by hand. Greasing it didn't help much at all. New spindles or could it be something else?

New spindles or just replace the bearings.

Installed new spindle bearings and mowed a section of the yard and it did really good. I found that a slow pull on the PTO switch engages the blades, no yanking. PTO still feels like it's dragging when turned by hand with the belt on. Possible PTO replacement? Warner clutch date code shows April 19 12 10.

Info on the rest of the mower, it has about 642 hours on it. Courage 20 is in great shape surprisingly. No cracks and the cylinder is like new (head gasket). Fixed valve cover leak. Is the drive axle at the end of it's life cycle or can I get a couple hundred more hours out of it? Anything else stand out at this many hours?