[LEAKYSEALS951]

Just to share- I had a recent similar problem with one of my mowers. It would get hot and run intermittently, and then cut off.

I noticed the emergency cutoff switch had shorted to the "on" position so it did not work. I figured "cool"- I never liked that switch anyway, and as long as the engine was running, why should I care? I could still cut it off with the ignition, so I let it be. Then it hit me it was the problem. So I disconnected that, and it ran like a champ.

Basically the switch had broken, but when hot, could still short and cut the ignition regardless of whether the switch was on or off. - this seems similar to your deck reverse cutoff going kaput and working "better" since you don;t have to mess with it.

good luck