Argo starts but doesn't seem to have enough power to go forward

[argo88]

2012 argo 6x6 briggs and straton engine

two years ago: Argo hiccuped (paused) continued running. Then, two days later ran fine for the two miles where we park our car. We went shopping. When back at the Argo it started but had no power. Wouldn't go forward but would go slowly backwards. Winched it onto a trailer and took it for repair. First shop couldn't find the problem. Took it six hour drive to Argo dealer. Said that 'there was a push rod problem.' After repair it ran but a few months later developed an oil leak. Back to dealer. Fixed leak but engine had loud rattle that wasn't there before.

Now a year after leak repair. Argo hiccuped two days ago. Then last night leaving neighbors after a visit engine started but no power forward, would go in reverse. Finally got it to go slowly forward. Down hill quarter mile home. stopped on level and it wouldn't go forward. Now we have it two miles from where road is plowed and where our car is parked. The first half-mile is up hill. Wondering if i can back it all the two miles to the car.

Help. We are in our seventies. The argo is our life line. Your thoughts?

[Shane1979]

Is the engine reving up to full rpm and its slowly moving regardless of rpm id check my belt and that my clutches were coming together.
Or do you mean you put it in gear and it struggles like under load to get up the rpm if so id be checking for a sezed axle something like that im no expert there are some real ones on here that might know better than me

[ARGOJIM]

If you post a little more info a member may chime in with suggestions, such as engine size, is it full of fuel, outside temperature, etc.. Are there any mechanically inclined neighbors near by?
An easy check that it is running on both cylinders is to remove the spark plug wire from each cylinder one at a time and try to start it, if it will only start on one cylinder there lies the root of the problem.

[trevorakm1]

I had this happen once but heard a large bang and then she acted like you state. I pulled the plugs one at time and one was bad. Forgot what it looked like but when I changed it she was back to normal. During the issue it would barely move with me and my nephew in it and wouldn't make it up a small hill. I had to push it while my nephew drove.

[plott hound]

where are you located?

[glen1971]

A few things to look at...
I had a broken plug wire once and it would kinda run, but had no power... Fixed it and all good..
Dad had an older one that would lose power at the weirdest times.. After a lot of looking by a couple of mechanics, they found a pin hole in the diaphragm on the carb...

Water in the fuel? Does it rev up when not in gear? Oil levels are all good (engine and trans)?

[guyvapeur]

I am no mechanic but my response would on occasion have trouble hauling itself down the road. At the end of the day, I sucked out a glob of snot from the carburator......I believe it has to do the ethanol gas.....plugging up the carb..... used some carb cleaner,,,,,,,,, premium fuel and it now works fine

[glen1971]

I am no mechanic but my response would on occasion have trouble hauling itself down the road. At the end of the day, I sucked out a glob of snot from the carburator......I believe it has to do the ethanol gas.....plugging up the carb..... used some carb cleaner,,,,,,,,, premium fuel and it now works fine

x2!
I had a friend of mine that is a mechanic and he said that most new small engines aren't geared up to run on low grade gasoline due to the ethanol... He recommended using the premium grade... I still haven't made the switch over, but haven't had any issues either (knock on wood)...

[Supermag]

I am no mechanic but my response would on occasion have trouble hauling itself down the road. At the end of the day, I sucked out a glob of snot from the carburator......I believe it has to do the ethanol gas.....plugging up the carb..... used some carb cleaner,,,,,,,,, premium fuel and it now works fine

X3
Go to pure-gas.org on google for lists of ethanol free gas across the USA and Canada.