Accelerator Cable Issues 2017 Blackhawk HP with Kohler engine

[oldgearhead]

This is a great forum and have used information on here to assist me in various repairs and recommendations. Thank you to all of you who address issues. My Dixie is the following:

• 2017 Dixie Chopper Blackhawk HP 2560 KOE purchased in 2018
• Kohler EZT 740 S/N: 4702504833

I have the following issues:

1. My throttle cable has been a royal PIA. Since I purchased this machine I have this chronic issue: after about one season of use the cable will STICK wherever I leave it when I shut the machine off. It is literally stuck and I cannot move the throttle when I go to restart. I have learned that if I drive it in low speed (typically where I leave it) and run it for several minutes the cable will loosen and work. This is fine if I run it all day and stop. But as you can imagine this is a PIA when I stop for lunch or break and the throttle is "locked" until the machine warms up. The dealer has willing replaced the first cable as it snapped. I am now on my second cable and once again it is locking up. I took the cable out and sure enough it is rough to move in an out after several tries and lots of silicone to free it up. It does not move smoothly or easily and probably will replace it rather than reassembling everything and seeing if the silicone matters. ANY recommendations on what I might do / try to resolve this for good? Is there a better cable I could use that is more heat resistant (assuming it is heat) as it works after warming up? Is there a lube I can try or a better cable or overall fix for this apparent heat induced "lock up". If you look at this model the throttle cable runs right across the muffler area which gets very hot in our Kentucky summers when running for several hours.
2. I have asked the dealer several times to adjust the high end speed to no avail. How do I adjust high end speed on this EFI engine? It typically runs around 3400 freely and about 3100 when cutting grass
3. Can you suggest a good vendor for both parts listing and parts for my Dixie?
4. I hate the OCDC on this machine.......I cut alot of rough yards and bouncing through the terrain the OCDC does the same causing clumps. Any ideas for adjustment or better alternatives? I cannot get it to close tightly for leaf mulching and open wide. I get one or the other and even when open wide it bounces around when cutting grass. There has to be a better way.

Thanks everyone I appreciate your suggestions and or help.

 

[hlw49]

Check and see if the throttle cable is close enough to the muffler to melt the lining in the conduit and seize the wire inside the conduit when it cools. You may have to buy a new throttle control and get it far enough away from the muffler not to melt the cable. Make sure the pivot point bolts are tight on the OCDC. You can adjust the OCDC by adjusting the fitting on the end of the cable. That said they do tend to not close tight or not open enough.

 

[StarTech]

Idle speed is only adjustment that may be performed on EFI system. Standard idle speed setting for EFI engines
is 1500 RPM, but certain applications might require a different setting.

But you might try a different governor spring location hole. Currently it should be in hole #3. But first make the governor is not stretched out shape.

To prevent engine over-speed and possible failure, a rev-limiting feature is programmed into ECU. If maximum RPM limit (4500) is exceeded, ECU suppresses injection
signals, cutting off fuel fl ow. This process repeats itself in rapid succession, limiting operation to preset maximum.

Now at 3100 you near max torque for the engine and any speed above that does not increase torque much at all. And 300 rpm drop from no load to load is just the normal governor droop.

 

[oldgearhead]

Check and see if the throttle cable is close enough to the muffler to melt the lining in the conduit and seize the wire inside the conduit when it cools. You may have to buy a new throttle control and get it far enough away from the muffler not to melt the cable. Make sure the pivot point bolts are tight on the OCDC. You can adjust the OCDC by adjusting the fitting on the end of the cable. That said they do tend to not close tight or not open enough.

Thank you. I checked the old cable and that is exactly what happened, the inner lining melted against the cable and locked it when cold. I will follow your directions once I get the new one (awaiting delivery) and route as far from muffler as possible. I appreciate the tips.

Regarding the OCDC, I agree with you 100%....of all the adjustments I have tried including the one you noted I cannot get the best of both worlds: closed or fully open. I was hoping I was missing something. I think my next step is to move to an aftermarket OCDC. Thanks.

 

[oldgearhead]

Idle speed is only adjustment that may be performed on EFI system. Standard idle speed setting for EFI engines
is 1500 RPM, but certain applications might require a different setting.

But you might try a different governor spring location hole. Currently it should be in hole #3. But first make the governor is not stretched out shape.

To prevent engine over-speed and possible failure, a rev-limiting feature is programmed into ECU. If maximum RPM limit (4500) is exceeded, ECU suppresses injection
signals, cutting off fuel fl ow. This process repeats itself in rapid succession, limiting operation to preset maximum.

Now at 3100 you near max torque for the engine and any speed above that does not increase torque much at all. And 300 rpm drop from no load to load is just the normal governor droop.

Thank you for the information, it is much appreciated. My idle RPM is dead on and once the new cable is installed I will check the governor spring location and its condition. The information on the RPM / Torque was great. I did not realize it was optimized at that rpm. I won't worry so much about the RPM factor as long as I stay around or above that 3100 level.

 

[hlw49]

Top no load engine speed on your engine is 3600. Much under this and it will effect the lift of the blades and quality of cut. I have adjusted the top no load speed on several EFI engines with no problems. I don't think they are talking about this when they are talking about governor settings. Basically what you are doing when setting the governor is taking the slack out of the linkage between the governor and the throttle. Then to set the top no load speed is to put more or less tension on the governor arm by the spring. A governor works like this the spring is trying to blow it up and governor is trying to save it. By adjusting the spring tension to the proper tension this balances the rpms to a top no load speed. Not an over speed which could blow up the engine.

 

[oldgearhead]

Top no load engine speed on your engine is 3600. Much under this and it will effect the lift of the blades and quality of cut. I have adjusted the top no load speed on several EFI engines with no problems. I don't think they are talking about this when they are talking about governor settings. Basically what you are doing when setting the governor is taking the slack out of the linkage between the governor and the throttle. Then to set the top no load speed is to put more or less tension on the governor arm by the spring. A governor works like this the spring is trying to blow it up and governor is trying to save it. By adjusting the spring tension to the proper tension this balances the rpms to a top no load speed. Not an over speed which could blow up the engine.

Thank you for the added information. I appreciate it.