MTD 42 inch Yard Machine Engine with PTO engaged
I have a 42 inch MTD Yard Machine lawn tractor. This is the 3rd season for this mower. Sunday I was cutting the grass as usual, everything was normal when the engine began to miss out and sputter, it sounded like it was going to backfire. It acted like it was running out of gas. I pulled over by the shed to get the gas can. When I lifted the cowling the tank was half full. I changed the fuel filter even though the gas was flowing freely through it, put a new spark plug in, and changed the air filter, all to no avail. As I tried different things, changing throttle speeds, choking the engine etc. I soon realized that the engine appears to run completely smooth until I engage the PTO, then the problem starts again. I made sure the deck and pulleys were clean and turning freely but as soon as I engage the cutting mechanism the engine begins to fowl. Do I have internal problems like burnt valves or bad rings that show up when the strain of the cutting unit engaged or is it possible that one of the safety switches is shorting out when the PTO is engaged. Thanks for any help I can get. Although the cutting season is about done, we have 30 trees on our property and I use the mower to chop up leaves and bag them 3 or 4 times a week in the fall. Rick