Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Sears riding tractor problem., carburetor, craftsman

Question
I have a craftsman model917.272751 18hp-42" cut tractor.Purchased in 2004. I don't have a serial number available. As soon as you engage the deck blades the engine begins to miss real bad and then will shut off. What could cause this?

Answer
Boyd
Those are the symptoms of a dirty carburetor or a clogged port. What is happening is when you apply a load the carburetor can not put enough fuel in the engine thus causing it to bog down,as soon as you disengage the deck it will come back up. I would suggest pulling the carburetor out and cleaning & rebuilding it with new gaskets & parts.