2021 BB Rogue engine struggling

[HunterTR]

Hi - Posting here to see if anyone can help with an issue that I'm running into with my 2021 Bad Boy Rogue. I've had the mower for a little over a year, and cut 3.5 acres a week - only residential (not used for commercial). The past couple of weeks the engine (KW 1000) seems to start struggling periodically. It will run fine for a while, then start to struggle like it is having a hard time getting gas. I notice it mostly when turning at the bottom of an incline and trying to go back up. And it's consistently sporadic - the next time up the same hill it will be fine.

I changed the oil a week before the issue started, and it ran fine the week after before the issue started. I've changed the fuel filter and both spark plugs. I always run mid-grade gas in it. When I changed the fuel filter, gas was coming out pretty strong so I don't think there is a blockage anywhere. Haven't changed the air filters, but they look pretty clean.

Any other things I can check before I have to take it to a shop? Thanks in advance!

 

[slomo]

Manicured lawn or pasture hay?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Drop the carb & clean it
Check for water in the fuel
Faultering when turning is often a pool of water sitting on the bottom of the bowl
Remove the rocker cover & check the valve lash
Kawasaki's are very touchy about valve lash
The service manual is a free download from Kawasaki

 

[hlw49]

Did you put gas in it just before it started. Check for water.

 

[HunterTR]

Manicured lawn or pasture hay?

Normal yard - kept cut every week

 

[HunterTR]

Did you put gas in it just before it started. Check for water.

I usually top it off every week before I mow. Not sure how water would have gotten in there but I guess it's possible. It's been happening for about 3 weeks.

 

[HunterTR]

Drop the carb & clean it
Check for water in the fuel
Faultering when turning is often a pool of water sitting on the bottom of the bowl
Remove the rocker cover & check the valve lash
Kawasaki's are very touchy about valve lash
The service manual is a free download from Kawasaki

Thanks. I'll do some searching around and see if I can find more info to check this.

 

[slomo]

engine (KW 1000) seems to start struggling periodically. It will run fine for a while, then start to struggle like it is having a hard time getting gas. I notice it mostly when turning at the bottom of an incline and trying to go back up. And it's consistently sporadic

Indicative of a fuel system restriction/water/carb or an ignition coil going bad. You are losing either air, fuel, spark or compression.

I've changed the fuel filter and both spark plugs.

Say it isn't so......

I always run mid-grade gas in it

87 octane 100% gas at 5 bucks a gallon now is all you need. You gain nothing from any fuel over 87 octane in a lawn mower.

When I changed the fuel filter, gas was coming out pretty strong so I don't think there is a blockage anywhere.

That is promising. Better test is take a glass canning jar at 1 quart size. Drain AT carb into said jar. Fill jar all the way up. Look for water in the bottom as Bert said. Don't spill it. You are holding $1.25 in gas LOL. Nothing but gas, dump back into the tank THROUGH a coffee filter and funnel.

Haven't changed the air filters, but they look pretty clean.

Leave them alone until you have running issues. As in it takes a couple more cranks to fire her up deal. Losing power constantly and running rich - black smoke out the muffkin.

1.So a year old mower. Doubt the cooling fins are clogged BUT you never know. Clean the block and cooling fins. This is a yearly must do item in yours and every other engine manual out there.

2.Test for spark. Old plug gapped at 1/4" wide. Check for nice blue spark.

 

[BigBlueEdge]

If by "KW 1000" you mean the Kawasaki 1000 engine, isn't that fuel injected? There won't be a carb involved if that is the case.

Check your wiring related to the fuel pump and in general on your battery connections. A loose/weak ground connection can cause a lot of flakey situations that are sporadic and hard to diagnose.

 

[MParr]

If by "KW 1000" you mean the Kawasaki 1000 engine, isn't that fuel injected? There won't be a carb involved if that is the case.

Check your wiring related to the fuel pump and in general on your battery connections. A loose/weak ground connection can cause a lot of flakey situations that are sporadic and hard to diagnose.

Kawasaki make both an EFI and carbureted version of the FX1000