Engine dying after hour and half of mowing

M

martin1b

Forum Newbie
I have a 2013 hustler Fastrak SD with a Kaw fx730. After about an hour and half of mowing, the engine starts to surge and eventually die. It's pretty consistent. During surging, I give it choke, which helps but eventually it's overcome and dies. I've also tried taking the lids off of the gas tanks, thinking venting was an issue. No change. Gas tank is 3/4 full. Once it dies, I can't start the engine for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then it's fine.

Is the engine overheating?
 
It could be overheating.
Take the blower cover off & clean all around the cooling fins, particularly around the head area.

However it sounds more like fuel starvation.
In most cases this is due to accumulation of debris in the fuel tank.
As the fuel is drawn through, the debris is collected around the outlet till eventually it plugs it.
When left, the debris moves back to the lowest point in the tank.

Easy test is to hang a temporary tank off the rop.
If it runs longer without developing the problem then dirty tank is top of the list.
 
martin1b said:
I have a 2013 hustler Fastrak SD with a Kaw fx730. After about an hour and half of mowing, the engine starts to surge and eventually die. It's pretty consistent. During surging, I give it choke, which helps but eventually it's overcome and dies. I've also tried taking the lids off of the gas tanks, thinking venting was an issue. No change. Gas tank is 3/4 full. Once it dies, I can't start the engine for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then it's fine.

Is the engine overheating?
Click to expand...


Just yesterday when cutting the lawn I also experienced this same situation with my (new to me) Hustler Raptor Flip-up (with Kohler engine KT740) stopping as well and not being able to restart it until about 30 mins or so.

I have only had this Hustler Raptor Flip-up for a couple of months (brand new) now and the fuel gauge shows only 6.8 hours and still it has stalled/stopped on me when using it yesterday as I just explained.

This did not happened to me when I first used it the few times before, just yesterday?

I use only clean fuel as well and the gas tank, well there is nothing else in it except clean fuel so yes it could be that small foreign particules are clogging up the fuel line but I highly doubt that, that is the problem with mine because it is new (only had it a couple of months) and has not been used much (fuel gauge shows only 6.8 hours of use?
 
Mr. Mower said:
Just yesterday when cutting the lawn I also experienced this same situation with my (new to me) Hustler Raptor Flip-up (with Kohler engine KT740) stopping as well and not being able to restart it until about 30 mins or so.

I have only had this Hustler Raptor Flip-up for a couple of months (brand new) now and the fuel gauge shows only 6.8 hours and still it has stalled/stopped on me when using it yesterday as I just explained.

This did not happened to me when I first used it the few times before, just yesterday?

I use only clean fuel as well and the gas tank, well there is nothing else in it except clean fuel so yes it could be that small foreign particules are clogging up the fuel line but I highly doubt that, that is the problem with mine because it is new (only had it a couple of months) and has not been used much (fuel gauge shows only 6.8 hours of use?
Click to expand...

You can buy dirty gas straight from your gas station. A car can handle the dirt but a mower can not. Age has nothing to do with it. In my area we have 2 service station that sale the worst gas. Kum & Go and Caseys. I know the family that owns the refinery around here and Kum & Go amd Caseys buy the gas that is almost 2 months old so they can get a better price. I only buy gas from conoco stations around here. It is the cleanest and newest gas in my area. Not all areas are the same so research for yourself to find the best gas in your area.
 
BlazNT said:
You can buy dirty gas straight from your gas station. A car can handle the dirt but a mower can not. Age has nothing to do with it. In my area we have 2 service station that sale the worst gas. Kum & Go and Caseys. I know the family that owns the refinery around here and Kum & Go amd Caseys buy the gas that is almost 2 months old so they can get a better price. I only buy gas from conoco stations around here. It is the cleanest and newest gas in my area. Not all areas are the same so research for yourself to find the best gas in your area.
Click to expand...


Yes you are correct about gas going bad and stations selling bad quality gas because as we all know gas does has a short shelf life. But still I strongly believe that is not the problem in my case. You see I know all about bad gas, etc. and what it can do to just about any type of gasoline engine and such. Like you, I also only purchase gas from either of the following places: Exxon, Mobil One, Shell, Costco, Texaco, etc. only from places like that never from a corner store place, mom & pop, Quick Stop, etc. because from places like that your only buying bad gas.

So I know for a fact that it is not the quality of gas that I am using that is causing the problem. Also, I use the recommended gas fuel additive by Kohler as read straight from the owners/user manual on specifically what type to use as, again, recommended. This is to help the good quality gas that is left in the fuel tank to last longer until the next usage (when more good quality fuel is added).

So again, yes I agree, it could be that bad gas could be the problem but not in my case.

Thanks for your reply.
 
Firstly the device that measures running time is an HOUR METER.
Even if you have one of them **** multi displays that displays voltage ampage fuel level & hours, it is still an hour meter, otherwise it gets confusing.
Secondly we expect people to act on the advice given, not just keep trolling through till they get a suggestion that they like.
As such each poster assumes what has been suggested previously has been done so they eliminate that from the diagnosis.

Now an engine running for an hour & 1/2 then surging and stopping is going to be fuel related.
The magic word is SURGING
SURGING IS ALWAYS DUE TO LACK OF SUFFICIENT FUEL

This leaves a few options,
1) debris in the fuel line / fuel tank
2) duff fuel pump / crack in crankcase
3) blocked fuel vent
4) blocked fuel filter
5) debris in carb
6) duff switch on duel tank models
7) soft fuel lines ( bad fuel does this )
8) water in fuel tank
9) bad fuel
10) Sticky float needle.

What appears to you to be a good flow, might not be quite enough for your engine so a slightly slow fuel delivery after time will progressively lower the fuel level in the float bowl till there is not enough left in there to run the engine.
 
Never ever seen a vapour lock on a lawn mower.
Before a mower engine fuel lines got hot enough to boil the fuel the motor would have seized an hour earlier.
I have some really uld mowers with metal fuel lines that run across the head & above the exhaust.
If they don't vapour lock, nothing will.
 
Just an update about this..........(yes even though your mower does or did start)

As I am finding out (after researching) it appears the problem(s) of a Hustler mower (regardless of what type model, Raptor, Fastrack, Z, etc.) is having to do with either one of the following:

1.) Solenoid

OR

2.) Relay Solenoid

OR

3.) Starter

The fix?.....either buy a "Solenoid Relay Assist Kit" or "Starter Relay Kit" or buy both a new Solenoid, Starter and a new Relay Solenoid ?


NOTE: Keep in mind that all this of course is assuming that your battery is fine, you have gas in the tank, all fuse's check out fine and both "handle safety switches" check out fine and are fully set forward all the way.
 
Doubt it's the starter on mine as it will crank and crank. Sounds like fuel delivery issue.

On the solenoid, are you referring to the fuel cut off solenoid in the carb?

Could it be a fuel pump issue? Are those fuel pumps driven off of engine vacuum?
 
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