Super LT 1554

[JoeK]

Ok so i picked up a Super LT 1554 cub cadet, its in need of major tlc, what are your thoughts on these little tractors?
i guess my first task is to get it running then figure out what else needs to be done. the PO said it needs new valve's, said he had them fixed twice under warranty but they are sticking again.

pictures are up. what do you guys think? hooked battery charger to it after work here and its showing 577 hrs.

anyone know much about the 1500 series, seems very cheap and not there best but for a small yard in town i think it would be ok. thoughts? something like this worth sticking money in to the PO did say there is something wrong with the valves on this motor but he didn't say what side was sticking

[duke]

I think that has the courage engine?I know the earlier GT1554 had a command.I have not heard anything to good about the courage.But I know some have lasted.Its tough to say how much to invest into it?But if it was me i would not put alot of $$$ into it.

[ghennessy]

I think sticking valves may be the least of your problems if you look at that home-rigged air cleaner.

Not sure it even cleans the incoming air. Looks like a pie tin where a proper housing and paper element should be.

[Tom Scott]

That is definitely a rig job for an air cleaner, but if there is a filter element inside it may actually work.

I have a friend who has one of those who is like the grim reaper to equipment. He leaves his outside year round and at best changes the oil every now and then and his is still going.

As mentioned, I wouldn't put a bunch of money into it, but might be able to get it going again cheap. Some MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil) in the gas might alleviate a sticky valve problem, but it won't fix damaged parts. If you like working on engines the valve problem may not be too much money for a few parts.

[JoeK]

sorry guys kinda forgot about this post , yeah the air cleaner bit kinda baffled me to. i talked to the po and he said grass would gather on the muffler and catch on fire. he got tired of getting covers for the air filter every year so he cut a metal pot and stuck it on there, yes it gets tight to the filter and i think i will be ordering a new cover just so it looks complete.

i have a update for you guys. took this bad boy to work with me this morning and with some fresh gas new spark plugs and a inline fuel filter it some how started and run today, only problem is that its firing on only one cylinder, fellow coworker has a compression tester and both cylinders make good compression- takes valves out of the equation. has good spark so i guess that only leaves fuel.. will dig into it further tomorrow if its slow in the shop. i should mention i got this mower from another coworker and he is the same way, leaves things outside, he bought this new in 05-06, and he gave me this mower only money i got sunk in this is the fuel to trailer it to and from home. more updates to come.. ill be sure to check this post from now on

[JoeK]

ok had some time to work on this beast today and took the engine cover and what do i see...... Mr mouse has found my spark plug wires. little $%&*# chewed threw one and started on another.. haven't tried starting it yet but will let you know if it runs on both cylinders tomorrow

[Tom Scott]

Joey - Glad you found the problem. Often the plug wires are made into the magneto, so I am curious how you repaired the destroyed one. Were you able to replace the whole plug wire or did you have to fashion some type of splice?

[JoeK]

Ok Finally able to post some pictures. been busy with work and all that yadda yadda, PICTURES!! no good post is with out pictures right.. so i should start off and say my problem was not the spark plug wire itself but rather the wire's that controls it... im still learning on these gas jobbers so bear with me. i just cut out the bad and soldered in a new hunk of good wire is all i did. i ended up taking the carb apart several times to clean out the fuel shut off solenoid otherwise it sticks when it sits for an extended period of time like over night, and it dose the whole ran good yesterday but Y U NO START TODAY business..... really need to put 5 gallons of av-gas through this hog once and cleaner out good once. any-who once it was running good and strong i gave this pig a bath probably its only real bath in its life, we have a chemical degrease here at work called red-hot and i used that on the paint and let me tell you i had yellow suds on the ground and make this thing look like new "almost"

next update should be with all my new goodies installed new muffler air cleaner "the proper one" new PTO clutch and a new fuel shutoff solenoid, and a full tank of av-gas then i should be off to the races.

[nicky1]

ok had some time to work on this beast today and took the engine cover and what do i see...... Mr mouse has found my spark plug wires. little $%&*# chewed threw one and started on another.. haven't tried starting it yet but will let you know if it runs on both cylinders tomorrow

The same thing Happened to me. I just pulled the chewed wire out of the coil and put in another. Glued it in with epoxy. It has been good for 6 yrs now.

SLT 1554 25 hp Courage