# MTD yard machine has granny-low only!



## creekowl72556

Okay, so here's the deal...

We have an old MTD (model #13al673g098). It falls in the 660-679 series. We have nursed the baby back to health. It's hard to start, but it will start and run.

So, I got to do the 1st test drive. It moved out and up the driveway, cut the grass great, then wouldn't shift into any higher speeds. I go to park it back down on the driveway...and it won't stop, either! I had 3 ways to go: my van, our new doublewide, or off the driveway and into the creek! After my panic attack, I remembered the key and shut it off.

Now, here's my question(s): Is it a brake issue? A clutch issue? Or is it in the belts and pulleys?

FYI, I am blond and female(2 strikes, I know) and my fiance, who is also the mechanic, is a double amputee. I need all the help I can get.

We had previously owned 2 Wizard/Craftsman mowers (mid 90's models) that were not set up like the MTD. They were simple enough that I overhauled mine, myself after it had set up for 5 years. For some reason the MTD is just blowing our minds. 

Please help,
Clueless in AR
`


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## BelarusBulldog

I am guessing that the clutch and brake peddle are one. If this is so, I venture to say that the linkage may be out of adjustment to the clutch. The way it should work is: When you press on the peddle it first should disengage the clutch and as you apply more pressure, the brake will be applied. Something you can try, put the machine in neutral and give it a push. If you can move it, then apply the brake and see if you can still move it. If you can't, the brakes are working. If the brakes are working, the reason it didn't stop for you is because the clutch wasn't disengaging and the motor over powered the brakes. You didn't say if the gear leaver would move to the next gear position, but not engage to that gear, so I can't say anything on the shifting problem. Good thinking on shutting of the key! Bye


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## dangeroustoys56

You dont happen to have a picture of it? Most MTD's use a variable speed pulley setup in the center of the tractor , some older ones have a single belt straight to the trans.

If you pull the deck or try and look up underneath- youll see which type you have. The variable pulley tractors have a single speed transaxle - the variable pulley IS the transmission. Common issues for those is the variable pulley freezes up with rust and wont rotate or the center part of the pulley freezes ( supposed to move up and down in the pulley) - its also supposed to swing back and forth with the clutch.


The single belt type would use a manual trans in the back. 

First off, id defintiely check the brakes - the non stopping problem means either the brakes arent adjusted correctly or theyre siezed up , which could cause the granny gear issue as well. Id remove the brake caliper and disassemble it, and use a lil dab of never seize on the pins and caliper bolts when it goes back together - if its a really old machine, they might use a band brake setup - which just might be worn out.


The granny gear issues could be caused by simple belt slippage as well ( if its old and theyve never been replaced).


I have a '97 MTD mastercut ( has variable pulley) with the opposite issue - it went way too fast - mine turned out to be the rear drive belt was way too short , holding the vari drive all the way back and the brakes were way out of adjustment ( causing a non stop issue) - since its a mower , it wouldnt do.

The variable drive pulley setup looks like this- its the large pulley closest to the dash :


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## jhngardner367

First,Welcome to the forum!I checked on the MTD site,and your tractor is definitely a vari-drive.I agree with Dangroustoys56,completely!DT56,it's set up exactly like your pics,and it's a disc-type brake.Good call!


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## creekowl72556

Yes, the beast is definitely the variable belt-driven style mower. I will try to post pictures tomorrow.
The clutch and brake pedal are one and the same. I will try to determine what is actually sticking, and post that tomorrow as well. The gear selector moves 1-7, but we can't determine if anything under the housing is moving. We've removed the battery and housing and watched the linkage. We can't actually see anything that the shifter is actually causing to move. It's like it's just free-wheeling. And I know we will have to replace the belts soon, so i guess I'd better start looking for those.

Thanks guy for all you advice and help. I'll try posting back with the pictures tomorrow. Have a great day!


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## dangeroustoys56

The gear lever is connected to the variable pulley by rods- the clutch is also connected to it and the brakes. There is some adjustability on the end links, but more then likely somethings just stuck from corrosion is all.

The good thing is the components in the drive setup can be taken apart and apply fresh grease/never seize.


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## creekowl72556

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/148e8d8879254a4d45a3050df24ea918_1089.jpg?dl=1307108017

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/7b07ba3828a25bca2f5001a9f6fced4d_1088.jpg?dl=1307108017

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/60c5512455de6c664fe5ef32bb2f0659_1090.jpg?dl=1307108017

I hope the image urls worked! This is my mower. I know it says wizard, but it was made by MTD. It has set up a few years and we just recently cleaned the variable pulley to free it up. I did check the brakes/clutch pedal last night. The brakes do try to stop, but they still need adjusting up just a bit. I believe all the advice we've gotten so far, it's in the variable/clutch end of things. Will install new belts this weekend, as well, and go from there. Thanks for the info...will report findings back on Monday. Have a great weekend!!!!


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## creekowl72556

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/148e8d8879254a4d45a3050df24ea918_1089.jpg?dl=1307108017

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/7b07ba3828a25bca2f5001a9f6fced4d_1088.jpg?dl=1307108017

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/60c5512455de6c664fe5ef32bb2f0659_1090.jpg?dl=1307108017

I hope the image urls worked! This is my mower. I know it says wizard, but it was made by MTD. It has set up a few years and we just recently cleaned the variable pulley to free it up. I did check the brakes/clutch pedal last night. The brakes do try to stop, but they still need adjusting up just a bit. I believe all the advice we've gotten so far, it's in the variable/clutch end of things. Will install new belts this weekend, as well, and go from there. Thanks for the info...will report findings back on Monday. Have a great weekend!!!!


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## creekowl72556

http://www.tractorforum.com/albums/thumbs/1/60c5512455de6c664fe5ef32bb2f0659_1090.jpg?dl=1307108017


oh, well, I did try!!!lol


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## Lawrence1210

I can't speak to your MGD mower, but I had a similar problme on my old AYP style mower that I sometimes use when my 60" mower deck on the Ford is too big to get around stuff.

The rods that connect from pedal to break/clutch requires a small spring by the transmission/brake assembly.

The small spring holds the brake/clutch pad "open" so the break pad won't engage/disengage on it's own.

Took me a long time to figure out that little missing spring, and lot of time scouring assembly schematics.

Someone had previously worked on the transmission/drive assembly, and didn't get it back together right. My dad fiddled with the transmission assembly and got it put back together right, then gave it to me to fix everything else.

So... why did I tell you all this... I dunno...

Anyway...

Dangerous said... "its also supposed to swing back and forth with the clutch."
Bellarus said... "the linkage may be out of adjustment to the clutch."
For me it was a small missing spring on the clutch/break rod.

Common issue here is some kind of clutch adjustments, controls, setting, springs, or linkages. Figuring that out will probably require a study of assembly schematics if you can find a copy, as well as a refurbishing cleaning of the parts... which you are already doing.

If the clutch pulley can't be cleaned/refurbished, it may have to be replaced to get something that works properly. But elbow-grease is free, and none of us would be here talking about this stuff if we had to cash to buy a new mower... hah...


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## creekowl72556

Hey there!

We got the belts on this weekend, and in the process, may have stumbled upon our problem...when the old belts were removed, the variable pulley system fell completely out! Our friendly and local Sears mechanics obviously didn't tighten things up when the pulley was replaced last year.

Soooo...now that we have the new bolt in place, I have one more request. While we were doing all of this, a wave(?) spring popped off of the forward/reverse shifter mechanism. Does anyone have a schematic or diagram as to how this spring goes back on? Or even a picture?

Thanks and have a great day!


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## dangeroustoys56

One fell out out of one of my MTD's - i couldnt figure it out either- even looking at one of my other ones - i just left mine out - itll still shift and stay in gear.

Thats a mid 90's 'bolens' style hood setup on your tractor.

You can faintly see the bracket where the shift lever goes thru on the pic i posted- i dont have a pic of how its supposed to sit in there.


One thing that bothers me about MTD's- the engineers liked to use springs on everything - the one i really dont like is the spring that runs to the transaxle for the deck - that wasnt a good design idea.


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## creekowl72556

We finally got the spring figured out and back in. Everything fired up great, now we just need to work on the adjustment to the brake/clutch pedal. When the mower starts, all the belts are trying to run at the same time, taxing the starter. Some minor adjustment is outta whack.


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## Lawrence1210

My old AYP machine seems to want an 81.5" belt. Not going to spend $40 for an original replacement. So I use a $12 belt that is 81" from the auto parts store. It is almost too tight sometimes, but then an 82" belt is too loose.

Check if belts show signs of wear such as stretching, being heated, or indications that material has been rubbed off in some manner. If something stopped the belts but the engine pulley kept turning it can quickly damage the belt, while not being immediately obvious.

A belt worn in one place can also cause the mower to shake when that spot on the belt runs across the engine pulley. On and system you describe, a worn spot on the belt could also cause a malfunction when trying to adjust speed.


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## dangeroustoys56

My dads's 88 MTD is doing that - some of my tractors do as well .

MTD's have a set of small brake pads under the foot rests on a spring type metal- when the deck is lifted- the tops of the mandrels contact the pads and stop ( why theyre flat) - sometimes they wear so much they cant hold the deck belt from spinning- you can get replacements or if youre into doing a lil fab work , take a old set of car brake pads with some material left on them and attach them to the stock part .


Sometimes too the deck belt might be a hair short and a bit grabby till it stretches as well - we called MTD and asked what length of belt we'd need and thats whats on it - it still slips when you go to fire it up.


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## jab1

The granny slow condition is probably the frozen variable speed pulley (previously mentioned). You will need to remove both belts from it to take it off of the tractor.
With a lot of luck and penetrating spray, you may be able to free it up. Otherwise,
replace it (Part No. (917-0800A). This should also take care of the free-wheeling shift selector rod and you should have all 7 speeds. The selector rod is connected to an adjustable rod that connects to the variable speed pulley bracket. This may need some adjustment. MTD should have a user manual
as-well-as a parts list for your model online.


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## Chrisarvor

I have a mtd mower with similar problems to Creekow
I don't Mind if its hard to stop as I just turn it off but it doesn't change gear it has a 5 speed gearbox (electronic)
I have taken out on the street but it does not change gear 
Last year it was great but now it does not change above second,,,???
Is this also due to something seized ,do you think 
It has also become hard to get into forward or reverse ,this is done on a separate stick
It's an old machine but after sitting up in a hard winter all these problems have appeared 
Any thought s thanks


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## Kingtucker

*shifter trouble*



creekowl72556 said:


> Hey there!
> 
> We got the belts on this weekend, and in the process, may have stumbled upon our problem...when the old belts were removed, the variable pulley system fell completely out! Our friendly and local Sears mechanics obviously didn't tighten things up when the pulley was replaced last year.
> 
> Soooo...now that we have the new bolt in place, I have one more request. While we were doing all of this, a wave(?) spring popped off of the forward/reverse shifter mechanism. Does anyone have a schematic or diagram as to how this spring goes back on? Or even a picture?
> 
> Thanks and have a great day!


In a later post you said , that you figgered out how the spring goes on. I am having the same trouble. Sure wish you could tell me.


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