2086 acting up

[tspurlin]

have a cub cadet 2086 will run fine then into mowing it will lose power sputter try to die ..i have to keep pulling the choke in and out to keep it running ..i put new plugs in ..new fuel filter ..switch mowers and come back to start it again runs perfect go to mowing and it goes wild again ...what could be wrong

 

[jchamberlin]

Tim: I've had exhaust valves stick like that --drove me crazy! After switching to low ash oil and running Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) in the gasoline, I no longer had the problem.

I'm not saying you have the same problem, but it is a possibility. One of the tell-tale signs for me was that after the motor died it seemed to spin faster with the starter, as if it had no compression (because it didn't).

Someone reported problems similar to yours and it turned out to be the coil, even though he had replaced it --the new one was faulty. The problem only cropped up when the motor got hot, that is, AFTER he had been mowing a while. He replaced virtually everything on the motor trying to figure it out, hopefully you will benefit from his experience. I think the problem was reported on the main forum in the last month or two. Do a search on "coil was bad" or something similar and see what comes up.

 

[dtanner]

tim spurlin

check the Vent for the gas tank ,does the fuel bowl run dry ? when the tractor stops next time, then take the bowl bolt out so you can see it is getting gas.A weak spark when hot will turn out to be the Coil or what ever the correct term is now.Have you check the lines to the Carb ? and there is more to it or might be something simple. You have to start some where . My .02

 

[tspurlin]

no i got mad at it and used another mower havent had time to check the wires and lines ..which oil would be good for it...it never uses any oil

 

[tspurlin]

also should i pull the cylinder heads and clean carbon buildup off the pistons and valves ..its never been done since new that i know of

 

[mgonitzke]

If pulling the choke helps, you have a fuel delivery issue, not a sticky valve or an electrical issue.

 

[jdiederichs]

Remember that you have 2 fuel filters on the 2086, the primary is before the fuel pump under the fender deck and you found the second by the engine before the carburetor. The culprit may also be the fuel shutoff valves under the tank, one above each wheel area. On my 1782 they gradually plugged up over time (there is a fine screen on each where it fits into the tank)

You may want to use a clean container to catch the fuel as you remove the fuel line by the engine side filter, then carefully (pressurized gasoline)switch on the key switch to "run" to observe fuel flow; it must remain steady. If it begins to taper way down after a half minute that tells you there is a restriction up stream.

If the tank is near empty you may want to jack up one side of the tractor then remove that high side shutoff valve with screen to clean it. Repeat on the opposite side next. Next consider replacing the primary fuel filter before the electric fuel pump. NOTE: this requires using the proper fuel filter since it is only gravity fed, it cannot be too restrictive as a filter after the fuel pump is. Wrong filter here will cause poor performance so choose wisely.

 

[jchamberlin]

Jim & Matt: You guys seem to be on top of this one.

Tim: Two of the best heads in the Cub Cadet universe are counseling you to thoroughly check out the fuel delivery system, upstream of the carburetor. I would heed their counsel before tearing open the engine or looking for other, internal, mechanical failures.

Adding my two cents to Matt's and Jim's make 6 cents, and there advice is probably worth at least 50 cents apiece!

 

[tspurlin]

thanks didnt know about a second fuel filter or shut off valves ..the old man that had it put a fuel cut off valve near the carb line ..will check the others..i mowed the back yard with it yesterday done fine till i got about 20 minutes into it then went to sputtering like it was out of gas..can i get the second fuel filter at napa or does it have to be cub cadet brand

 

[tspurlin]

they sure dont want you to get that fuel filter under the seat off..is there a nut or something behind it..also noticed little splits in the fuel line leading to the fuel filter ..do i take the little fuel cutoff valves under the tank off and clean them ..is there a certain way of taking the fuel filter and cutoff valves off

 

[tspurlin]

how do you get the fuel filter under the seat off ..there seems to be a screw behind the bracket that i cant reach ..do you have to take the whole back end,fenders off to get the fuel filter bracket off

 

[tspurlin]

i think i,ve been trying to unbolt the fuel pump instead of a fuel filter under the seat area will look for the filter

 

[tspurlin]

there isnt a fuel filter before the fuel pump on this one,it has the cut off valves on each side of the tank that lead to a tee connector then runs to the fuel pump then on up to the fuel filter under the carb unless its made into the fuel pump or something

 

[tspurlin]

well this one didnt have a gas filter before the fuel pump but one of the gas valves on the gas tank was turned about half way to off i turned both valves all the way out,pulled the gas line off the carb ..turned key on and it pumped a pretty good flow of gas for several minutes,also found a ground wire running from the ignitor plugs and just barely moved it a little and the connector broke off where it was grounded to the block ..put a new connector on ..hope that fixes it

 

[jchamberlin]

I hope it does too, Tim. There is nothing like putting your hands on the equipment to find the problem.

 

[tspurlin]

if it acts up again i,ll pull the gas line and see if gas will still come out

 

[tspurlin]

i must have fixed it mowed 3 yards didnt cut out once

 

[jchamberlin]

Thanks for checking back, Tim; so few do.