Any small enging guru's available
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Topic: Any small enging guru's available
Posted By: JW in MO
Subject: Any small enging guru's available
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2019 at 8:46pm
After 3 years, Gravely zero turn mower with a 23hp Kawasaki started acting up. Runs fine for an hour or so then all the sudden runs short on fuel. I've discovered when it coughs, if I immediately shut the blade off and turn the choke on, reach around and lift the fuel line that runs between the tank and fuel pump, hold it until it starts flooding, (usually about 5 seconds), then we are good to go again. I noticed that the in-line fuel filter in that line shows very little fuel until I lift it, it fills up and that's when it takes off, I shut the choke off and away we go. If I don't choke it, it dies. That fuel line is about 8" long. Reading the Kawasaki forum, guys have replaced filters, tubing, coils, plugs and all kinds of stuff but no conclusive answer posted. One guy said the plastic float in the carb warps from engine heat and to replace it so I did that along with the needle seat but it happened once again today, did my little lift and choke and ran for the rest of the day no problem. I've not changed the inline filter nor done anything with the tubing. It does have that stupid little solenoid on the bottom of the carb but I'm pretty sure that's working and normally and if the fuel pump goes bad it pumps fuel in to the crankcase. Short of putting a line from the pump to an auxiliary tank I'm running short on solutions.
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Replies:
Posted By: desertjoe
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2019 at 9:23pm
Well,,JW,,I ain't one of them gurus but my experiences with them small engines or all engine for that matter,,,is if you have to choke an engine to keep it runnin,,,there is a blockage somewhere from tank to engine,,and the blockage may be in the carb itself. May be some trash in fuel tank that moves around, collapsed fuel line, or a plug in carb,,,,,,, Good Luck,,!!
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Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2019 at 9:25pm
Are you sure its fuel related? I'd be checking safety switch interlocks. That is unless you have already ruled them out...
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Posted By: 200Tom1
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2019 at 9:50pm
Dang that's gonna be a hood one to locate. Don't suppose you might have a dang little ol bug crawl in the fuel cap and partially block off the vent??
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Posted By: Dave H
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 7:31am
for the money involved, I would think the filter would have been changed by now just for grins.
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Posted By: AllisFreak MN
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 7:58am
I agree with Tom, did you try loosening the fuel cap when this happens?
------------- '49 A-C WD, '51 A-C WD, '63 A-C D17 Series III, 1968 A-C One-Seventy, '82 A-C 6060, '75 A-C 7040, A-C #3 sickle mower, 2 A-C 701 wagons, '78 Gleaner M2
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Posted By: sho-man1
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:01am
Do you run ethanol (10-15%) gas. I ran that stuff for about 10 years having to clean the carbs really good every year. Used seafoam treated and still had issue just like you described on a Scotts(jd) 1642 riding mower with a Kohler. About 2010 i have ran nothing but pure gas, no ethanol and have not touched a carb since.
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Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:08am
It does have that stupid little solenoid on the bottom of the carb but I'm pretty sure that's working
They go 'bad' TWO ways... 1) stuck open......drains tank into crankcase.... 2) sticky closed....engine stops with gas in tank..
#2 can be an over heated coil in the solenoid valve or 'varnish' buildup. I've yet to see a 'bad' coil but I've cleaned dozens of them. Varnish covers the spring return and plunger assembly, making for a 'lazy' action. The one on B&S engines are FAST, Kohlers are slow... Have no idea how fast a Kawi plunger is.
You usually need a thin 1/2" open end wrench to remove the valve from engine. I use spray carb cleaner,spray-blow air,3-4 times, check operation by connectng to cable, then turn key on-off several times. Oh yeah ALWAYS KEEP a finger on the rubber tip when blowing air near it !!!!!!!!!
If you lose yours, I have a spare 'somewhere' in the garage.......
Jay
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:13am
If changing the filter or testing the gas cap proves unsuccessful I would flush the gas tank next. Next step would be mounting a temporary fuel tank up high and bypass the fuel pump.
------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC
1968 one-seventy
1956 F40 Ferguson
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Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:16am
Is there a "sag" in the fuel line, maybe drooping down below the carb inlet? I have had lawn mowers where someone replaced the fuel line and made the new one a bit too long. You would think gravity would push gas to the carb, since the tank is above the carb inlet, but if there is a sag in any extra fuel line, that goes below the carb inlet, it WILL cause problems. It doesn't make sense to me, but it will cause fuel flow problems.
------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF
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Posted By: Dave in PA
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:34am
Change the fuel line for what it cost, had one that separated inside and would collapse at times. LOOKED fine on the outside. When you move it, might be opening it up? Worth a try.
And install a new filter.
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Posted By: JW in MO
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:43am
I forgot that it has never had ethanol in the tank. First time it happened to me I immediately thought about plugged vent, took the cap off the tank and it still sputtered and died and have tried a couple more times with same result. I've always started out with a full tank also, next time I might start with a quarter tank.
I will throw in that I have to choke it every time I start it unless it's within a couple minutes after I just shut it off. I'm leaning toward the pick-up tube in the tank but has anybody cut the tip off that little solenoid on the bottom of the carb to render it bypassed? You can hear the engine start to struggle a few seconds before the full shut down starts. At first, when it happened, it would die, I'd shut the blade off, restart the engine, if I tried to mow it would continue to do it so I would let it cool, shut it off let it rest for an hour and go again. I suspected the coils but did the research to find out a lot of guys replaced the coils to no avail. It's a Kawasaki 691V engine, same as used on Deere mowers but info from them is scarce. It may be worth taking a piece of emery cloth to the little magnet just to experiment. At this point it's a challenge, doing things one at a time because I just need to know what the heck it exactly is. Oh yes, air filter was the first thing, genuine 5 micron Kawasaki.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 8:43am
IIRC these engines used a small diaphragm fuel pump operated off engine vacuum that pulsed with crankcase pressure to work, check those vacuum lines and the diaphragm in it.
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Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 9:00am
Is vapor lock a possibility?
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Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 9:40am
re: has anybody cut the tip off that little solenoid on the bottom of the carb to render it bypassed?
yes , on Cub Cadets with Kohler engines as they want $$$$ ($200) for the solenoid valve !! It's easy to pull off the rubber tip, just toss it in the drawer of rider ignition keys and rear wheel keystock...
If you do remove the tip, add an manual inline shutoff( $2) otherwise, one day , the oil sump will be 'thin' and extra full and smelly like gas....
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 10:22am
Don't know much but I had a JD with Kawasaki, it would act like your, turn out to be some kind of resistor. I took it in and they found it, just a possibility.
------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner)
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Posted By: Ron(AB)
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 1:09pm
Jim, You mean to say a bad coil?
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Posted By: JW in MO
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 5:33pm
Went to town today and got a new filter, during replacing I may have stumbled on to one of the problems as the float improved operation. Noticed the tubing has a pretty good bend in it, probably could hold up while it was new but age being a factor I'm thinking the pump sucks it shut once the heat gets to it.
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Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2019 at 6:12pm
I'd shorten the top hose to minimum, to allow the bottom one to be longer for a more gentle bend. Tight bends are bad news, might take 3-4 years but tubing will collapse. If that doesn't work out, grab a section of brake line, bend as required and connect to 2 'stubs' of rubber hose. 'Fuel injector' hose has a stronger 'sidewall'( good for high pressure ) so it won't collapse.
Jay
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Posted By: Dave H
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2019 at 7:13am
Here we go on the ethanol high horse again.
My toro Z with Kaw motor is 20 years young and has 1600 hours on it. I have run it for 16 of those years. The carb has never been taken apart. I do not have a problem with E10 in any of my small engines.
Oh and the Z and lawn tractor have always set all winter with E10 and stabilizer in them all winter and have always popped right off in the spring.
Matter of fact the lawn tractor is semi retired and over 20 years old and the carb has never been off of it. Go figure.
i am not a champion of E10, I use what is available .
Now I will get off my high horse. 
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Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2019 at 7:32am
I'd have to pay $5.40 US$ per USG to get 'cheap' gas with NO Ethanol in it... so... I've used stuff with E10 for years. As long as I drain the tanks and burn off what's in the carb, they all come back to life next time round except for 2 strokes... they hate me..
Jay
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 10:00am
check the gas cap and bowl vent
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Posted By: john(MI)
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 5:06pm
I use E10 and never drain or treat it. My D14 will usually kick off on the second rotation. Others might take a little coaxing but nothing to complain about. I don't even know where I could get pure gas, unless that is what the higher octanes are?
------------- D14, D17, 5020, 612H, CASE 446
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Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2019 at 7:26am
john(MI) wrote:
I use E10 and never drain or treat it. My D14 will usually kick off on the second rotation. Others might take a little coaxing but nothing to complain about. I don't even know where I could get pure gas, unless that is what the higher octanes are?
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The higher octanes are not (necessarily) You need to look for a sign that says "REC Gas". Lot's available up here. Not that you "need" to, but just saying if you wanted to find pure gas.
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Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2019 at 8:02am
Up here the ONLY source of nonE10 gas that I know is SHELL hitest.... ..well, cept for avgas....
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Posted By: chaskaduo
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2019 at 8:07am
Here's a site that is keeping track of where you can buy ethanol free gas. click on your state at the bottom of page. https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov" rel="nofollow - https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov
------------- 1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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Posted By: JW in MO
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2019 at 8:38pm
Well, between Dave in PA and jaybmiller it is fixed. I shortened the hose between the tank and filter, installed a new filter, put a short piece of hose on the outlet of the filter and then used brake line, bent at a 90 into the hose to the pump. The amazing thing is that not only did I have a short piece of brake line that fit but I knew exactly where it was. Thanks a lot guys, mowed for 3-1/2 hours straight and not so much as a hiccup. Didn't have any small hose clamps so I put some temporary clamps on. However, as a boss I had years ago once said, "Nothing is so permanent as a temporary repair."
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Posted By: Dave in PA
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2019 at 3:56am
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2019 at 5:37am
NICE ! Glad that's fixed... I'm impressed you KNEW where the tubing was...yeesh my garage is stuffed of 'have-to-haves' I can't find anything...like my favorite 1/2" deep 3/8 drive socket. It 'shows up' , once every 3-5 years though, then goes 'rollabout'.
Jay
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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