Diagnosing A No Start Issue On A 2021 Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro Series Lawn Tractor
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The video documents a diagnostic process on a 2021 Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro Series lawn tractor that was experiencing a no-start issue. The host initially observed that the engine would crank but immediately stall upon turning off the key, only to restart successfully after a brief moment or with the help of starting fluid. This behavior strongly suggested a fuel delivery problem rather than an ignition failure, as the engine fired when extra fuel was introduced. To investigate further, the host removed the hood and inspected the air intake system, noting the presence of fuel smells which confirmed that the fuel pump was delivering pressure to the system, effectively ruling out a failed pump or clogged primary filter as the root cause.
The investigation then shifted focus to the carburetor area, specifically examining the electric fuel solenoid located beneath the carburetor bowl. The host explained that this component is responsible for cutting off fuel flow when the key is turned off, and a faulty solenoid could prevent the engine from running properly after startup. During testing, the host attempted to verify if the solenoid was engaging by listening for a click sound when the ignition was switched on and off, but no response was detected. Further electrical checks revealed that while power was reaching the relay associated with the solenoid circuit, the signal was not consistently activating the solenoid, indicating an intermittent electrical fault rather than a mechanical failure of the pump or filter.
The final conclusion identified the issue as an intermittent electrical connection within the wiring harness leading to the fuel solenoid, likely caused by a loose or corroded wire that only functions correctly under specific conditions. Although the host temporarily bypassed the problem by manually holding the solenoid to confirm it could run the engine, he determined that a permanent fix would involve tracing the specific wire from the ignition switch directly to the solenoid to ensure constant power when the key is turned on. The video concludes with the host acknowledging that while the immediate issue was resolved enough to perform necessary tasks like moving vehicles, the underlying intermittent wiring problem remains and will likely require a more thorough repair during the next scheduled service visit.
Read the full video transcript
Hey everyone, Sha Bird 1000 here. So, I
started the tractor up.
I'm going to I was going to move this
out, move the gold car in here and mow
over there where the camper was sitting.
And then I'm going to park the camper
back where it usually goes and the black
car there on the other side of that
tree.
So, I started up, started one crank
every time,
started to finagle it out of here, and
it stalled just like you shut the key
off.
Well, it wouldn't even do that a second
ago.
So,
let me see if I got any starting fluid.
And we'll try that. And if it starts on
starting fluid, I'll know it's a fuel
issue. And it does have gas in it before
anybody says like monkey.
Does have gas, right? So, let me get you
on a stand. We'll take this cover off.
See what's going on there.
Uh, since it fired that time and it
didn't before, I'm guessing it's not a
spark issue. So, I think it's in a fuel
issue. Maybe the fuel pump went out. If
it did, I think I got one that'll work
on it. Let me get you in the stand.
Fire up an intro. Let's see what we can
do with this thing.
All right, guys. I'm going to start by
taking the hood off. But first, we got
to unplug the headlights. They're right
here.
They just unplug and this hood should
just lift right off on this one.
There we go.
All right.
That way we got more room to work cuz
we're getting into here.
Should have backed you out first, but
okay. So now
got an important phone call here in
about two hours. So
let's uh
get our light up here so we can maybe
see a little bit better.
All right, let's see if we can see
better now.
Is that any better?
A little bit.
All right. So, anyway,
this should just flip like this on these
colars.
Man, I'm gonna have to uh blow this out.
This is the pre filter.
This is the air filter secondary.
Here we go. All right. I smell fuel.
That doesn't mean it's getting any.
Sounds like it's got a knock.
I mean, I smell fuel.
All right, let's uh
let me see if I can find some starting
fluid. All right, I found a little bit
here. If I spray this in there and it
fires right up, then we'll know it's a
fuel issue. All
right.
Sounds like either the fuel filter or
the fuel pump. Uh,
so
let me get you over here.
And I got to get a pair of pliers.
And what we're going to be looking at,
that's the pulse.
That's where it gets it. This is a pulse
pump. This is a fuel filter.
Uh, I got to get a pair of pliers. Let's
take this off and see if there's any
fuel coming out of here first. Then
we'll take it off here. And it should be
squirting fuel. Let me get a pair of
pliers. Okay, I've got my pliers. I'm
going to try to stay out of your way the
best I can.
What I've seen happen before is like
these hoses here that creates the pulse
for that. It opens and closes that. I
have seen them deteriorate
and be sucking air. Okay. See, I'm
seeing fuel here.
Of course, it could be something in the
carburetor, too. So, that's good. We got
fuel there. So, we know it's not the
filter, which is back here.
So, we know we got fuel to the pump.
Now, we got to make sure it's squirting
it out.
Okay, that should be enough. But let's
let's just see if it pumps it.
Okay, it does. So, that's a carburetor
issue.
There's something wrong with the
carburetor.
Uh,
some of these have an electronic
solenoid on bottom. This one does.
It could be that. What it does is it
will
as soon as you turn the key off, it
shuts the fuel off. So, a lot of times
if you hear somebody mowing and you hear
their tractor backfire when they shut it
off, a lot of times it's because it's
that solenoid under there.
And let me see if I can get you down
here so you can see it.
All right. So, right up under
Get you up here.
Right there. See where that red and
black wire is going in
a gold looking thing. So, this up here
is your bowl and this is that solenoid.
Now,
I'm going to uh
unplug this. And what I'm going to do
is I'm going to turn the key on and plug
that in and see if I hear it click.
And if I don't, then that solenoid could
be bad.
Or I can just hold it and turn the key
off and on.
Whoops.
Okay. So, nothing's going on with that
solenoid.
So,
that solenoid is going to have to come
off of there
because that's not turning on the fuel.
So, I got to get me a real thin looks
like about a/ inch. Take that selenoid
off.
Then, maybe we can check it with a
battery. But, let's go ahead and take
that off first. Let me get a real thin
wrench. Okay. Okay. So, the first thing
I'm going to do, I'm going to ground
this out. I'm going to check this
with a test light first.
Red is your power. And I'm going to turn
the key on.
Make sure it's not like a fuse or
something. And it should light this
light.
And it's not.
It's not lighting that light. See? So,
it might not be that solenoid.
Just try a couple different grounds.
Okay. Let me see if I can find a fuse
somewhere. So, what I'm going to try to
do here, it does have lights. I did find
one fuse. It's good. So, what I'm going
to try to do, I'm going to try to stick
this wire down in here and shove this up
in there. And the headlights still work.
So, I'm going to try to hook it up the
headlight and see if it'll click. And if
it doesn't, I got to trace this wire
down. That's not going to be that's not
going to be uh it's not going to work up
in there. So, let me try.
I hate trimming these back.
I wonder where this goes. I bet it comes
down in here somewhere.
There is a looks like a relay on here.
So, what Let's go ahead and pull this
tape off of here. Can What are you guys
saying?
Pull this tape off of here and see if
that red wire goes into this relay.
Could just be this relay.
Hate when they do all this funky stuff.
And I'm not seeing a Well, there's a red
wire there.
There's a relay. Let's check this red
wire here.
Let's see if it's got power.
And it does. So, it's not that one.
Uh, shoot.
Only comes on when the key is on. So, it
should come in the wiring harness
somewhere. I don't want to have to pull
this off if I don't have to. Um,
let me see.
Let me see if I can get a uh
a little thinner wire. I don't want to
bear that wire up, but I may have to to
check that.
I mean, we know it's not.
Okay, now it's getting power.
So, we did something.
See if it clicks. Wait, this car goes
by.
Hear it.
Now it's clicking. So, I bet if I start
it up or try to start it, it'll start up
and run now.
Okay, that's a good thing and bad thing.
Good thing is it runs and I can do my
job now. The bad thing is
we didn't fix anything. So, it's an
intermittent problem and I can't fix it
if it's not broke right at the moment.
So,
all right guys, well, we know what the
problem is.
Intermittent.
So, what I may have to do, I may just
clip that wire, find out which one that
that's hot when the keys on coming off
the switch and just wire it direct.
It's what they used to do. I don't know
why they do it now or don't do it now,
but anyway, let's go ahead and put this
back together.
And uh
you know what? Let me blow this out
first.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Okay, guys.
Sorry it wasn't much of help, but I
don't know. I mean,
so to do away with that, I'll bring you
along with me when I do it. Probably
next service.
I'm just going to find that wire from
the from the ignition switch, run it
straight to that. It won't hurt a thing.
Uh so that way as soon as the keys on,
that thing's on. All right, guys. I got
to do my work. I got to move that car
and I'll see you guys in the next one.
Again, sorry it wasn't much help, but I
thought we can find something, you know,
like maybe bad fuel pump. I'm glad it's
not. I have one, but I'm glad we didn't
have to change it.
Thank you. So, anyway, guys, thanks for
watching. I appreciate it. Sha Bear, the
myth man legend. I'm gone for now. We'll
see you guys in the next one. Bye-bye,
everyone. Take care.