Clutch engaged & clutch out confuses the issue.
I consider both of them to mean the clutch is engaged.
Is that what you meant to say?

You can test the fuel solenoid by simply listening to it when you switch the key ON/OFF/ON............
You also have an OPR that will click, but only if you are in the seat.

Bill what I meant to say is while sitting in the seat and with the clutch pedal depressed it will start with the choke out but will die if (1) I push the choke in or (2) I let the Clutch pedal out.

Am rethinking my symptoms could it be seat switch if so can I disable it to check

Note to Bill:
According to the published schematic for this model, the seat switch and 1/2 of the brake switch.............control ONLY engagement of the PTO clutch.
I wonder what's up with that (if in fact the schematic is accurate)?
I find it hard to believe that it would be considered safe that the seat could be vacated while while the tractor was driving forward with the cruise control set, and the only thing the interlock would do would be to shut off the blades, while the tractor continued on into the distance.
The Craftsman owner's manual even states that if the seat is vacant without the parking brake set.......the engine will die............but the schematic sure does not show HOW that could be accomplished.
Or am I just suffering from too little sleep and don't see something?

According to the schematic-
All the seat switch does is complete the ground circuit for the electric clutch.
Nothing to do with the kill circuit.
This isn't the most common implementation of the seat switch.

The fact it will does it with the choke infers a fuel delivery problem.
Letting the clutch out likely imposes enough additional load on the engine from the hydro, that the engine simply doesn't get enough fuel.

You MIGHT be on to something with the fuel solenoid, since it blocks the carburetor Main Jet when "OFF".
MJ is aka "power jet or high speed jet".

Which brings me back to my original ? do either of you recall the thread about how to eliminate the valve All I remember was a 5/8 bolt was involved
I disabled the seat switch didn't change anything except that it now starts without the clutch being depressed tried pto when running with choke on an it kills the engine

The clutch/brake switch closes a switch in the starter solenoid circuit when depressed.
With the pedal up, the engine shouldn't crank!

Apparently, instead of testing the fuel solenoid as i suggested, you want to go your own way. Have fun!

This post was edited by bill_kapaun on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 12:30

Bill didn't mean to tee you off what am i supposed to hear when I turn switch on/off I do hear kinda tink tink but it no coming from the carb

Sorry

***"All the seat switch does is complete the ground circuit for the electric clutch.
Nothing to do with the kill circuit."***
OK, I'm with you so far, and that is what I see too, looking at the schematic.
BUT, the manual does state "Your tractor is equipped with an operator presence sensing switch. When engine is running, any attempt by the operator to leave the seat without first setting the parking brake will shut off the engine."

My point is that..........Either the owner's manual is erroneous in stating that the engine will die when seat is vacant without the parking brake being set..............or the schematic is erroneous in that it DOES NOT illustrate any circuitry necessary to KILL the engine if seat is vacant without the parking brake being set.
I understand perfectly how the cranking circuit half of the brake switch works/functions and have no issues with how THAT is depicted in the schematic.
There is no way that disabling the seat switch would allow the engine to crank with the brake pedal up.
But the other half of the brake switch and the OPR circuits CANNOT kill the engine as the schematic is drawn.
Note to kirk:
There is no place on the carb where a 5/8" bolt could be put.
Possibly a 5/16" bolt, but not 5/8".
If you are doing the repairs/diagnosis yourself, you can remove the fuel solenoid from the carb and make certain the plunger is free to move in and out with slight finger tip pressure.
If the plunger does not push in and spring back out easily you can try cleaning the bore that the plunger travels in (the bore on the solenoid, not the carb) with spray carb cleaner.
The carb itself may also need to be cleaned out good with spray carb cleaner.

"***when I turn switch on/off I do hear kinda tink tink but it no coming from the carb"***
Well, you might want to CONFIRM whether you can feel a slight click by placing your fingers on the fuel solenoid while a helper turns the key switch from OFF to RUN and back repeatedly.
If you DO NOT feel a distinct click, remove the fuel solenoid and test it as I described above, plus you can plug the solenoid back up after it has been removed from the carb and have a helper repeat the OFF to RUN motion while you watch to see if the plunger pulls into the solenoid bore when the key is in the RUN position. It may be necessary to push in slightly with a finger tip on the plunger to get it to pull in while it is removed from the carb, but once it pulls in, it should stay in until the key is turned to OFF.

BEWARE!!!! IF THE FUEL SOLENOID HAS ONLY A SINGLE WIRE GOING TO IT, YOU WILL NEED TO TOUCH THE METAL BODY OF THE SOLENOID TO A CLEAN GROUND OF BARE METAL ON THE ENGINE IN ORDER FOR IT TO OPERATE.
IF YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, MOVE TO A SPOT AWAY FROM ANY LEAKED GASOLINE, OR BETTER YET, CONNECT A SEPARATE ALLIGATOR CLIPPED JUMPER WIRE FROM THE THREADED PORTION OF THE FUEL SOLENOID TO A GROUND ON THE ENGINE.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS TEST.

"You can test the fuel solenoid by simply listening to it when you switch the key ON/OFF/ON............
You also have an OPR that will click, but only if you are in the seat."

To avoid the OPR being in play, turn the key ON/OFF etc. when OUT of the seat- That should leave only the fuel solenoid clicking or not.

I find the schematic a bit suspect

Hook the seat switch back up.
Remove the OPR and see what happens with the kill circuit.
IF the schematic is correct, the only difference would be the blades won't engage. Engine stalling (or not) should be unaffected.