Lawn mower help

[Herb]

I do hope this is the correct place to post this thread.  

I have a 25 hp Craftsman lawn mower and before the blades will engage it has to warm up. If I pull the blade engagement knob just after I cut the engine on, it will stall the engine.  After I run it awhile and moving, I can engage the blades and there is no longer a problem. Any suggestion as to what my problem may be?  Do I need to adjust the electronic clutch or replace it? Could it be in the blade engagement switch?

Thank you for your help,

[jteneyck]

I do hope this is the correct place to post this thread.  

I have a 25 hp Craftsman lawn mower and before the blades will engage it has to warm up. If I pull the blade engagement knob just after I cut the engine on, it will stall the engine.  After I run it awhile and moving, I can engage the blades and there is no longer a problem. Any suggestion as to what my problem may be?  Do I need to adjust the electronic clutch or replace it? Could it be in the blade engagement switch?

Thank you for your help,

My Honda walk behind is the same way; always has been.  After it warms up a minute or two it's fine.  I don't think there's anything wrong or any adjustment you can make that will change it. 

John

[daddo]

You get more complete gas combustion and more hp on a warmed/hotter engine.

That's one of the reasons there is an engine coolant thermostat in your vehicles.

[Herb G]

If it's belt drive, you may need to rebuild the deck. I have an 18 HP that did that.
The bearing towers seized up after awhile.
I rebuilt the deck completely, and replaced the old belts with the new Kevlar belts on top of it.
Runs as good as new after 15 years now.

[EdL]

Thats normal.....my 35hp Deere zero turn will stall if you engage the blades on a cold engine at idle.

No problem when it's warm.

Ed

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

My sears craftsman walk behind is the same. Need to let idle for a minute and then start cutting or it will stall.

[Carl Grover]

Herb,

You're probably using old gas in it.

carl

[messmaker]

I do hope this is the correct place to post this thread.  

I have a 25 hp Craftsman lawn mower and before the blades will engage it has to warm up. If I pull the blade engagement knob just after I cut the engine on, it will stall the engine.  After I run it awhile and moving, I can engage the blades and there is no longer a problem. Any suggestion as to what my problem may be?  Do I need to adjust the electronic clutch or replace it? Could it be in the blade engagement switch?

Thank you for your help,

Engage your clutch while driving down a grade. You will get a flywheel effect and should help. Sometimes it helps to leave the choke on until you hit the clutch.

[Cooler]

My Honda mower (now retired) was very sensitive to having a clean air filter.  

To test, just remove the filter and start it up.  If it runs better then you know it is the filter.  

BUT DO NOT USE THE MOWER TO MOW A LAWN WITHOUT THE FILTER.  Snow blowers use no filter all the time because the snow presumably knocked down all the dust.  

But a lawn mower will kick up huge amounts of dust.  

First you need to find out whose engine is on a Craftsman mower.  Tecumseh (my snow blower engine) went out of business and repair parts are hard to find.  But filters should be available as aftermarket people enter that all the time.

It is probably a Briggs & Stratton:

https://www.google.com/search?q=25+hp+cr...e&ie=UTF-8