Export thread

For the last week, we have been able to mow for about an hour before the engine starts to cut out. If you turn off the blades and wait, it will backfire and start running again. This will go on for 10-15 minutes and then it will run fine for another hour or so. Well today, it ran for an hour, we did our little dance, and then instead of going back to working it decided to die everytime you try to turn on the blades or even just drive without the blades. Carb was just replaced last year. What could be the problem??

First check that you are getting good fuel to the carburetor, if it has a fuel pump, check to see it's working good. Or you may have some trash in the fuel tank floating around and every now and then plug up the outlet.
i would recommend removing all fuel lines blow them out with compressed air/make sure they're clear and replace the fuel filter.
A big help to us would be if you give us the engine model, Kohler puts their info on a shiny tag on the plastic of the engine, you'll need the Model and Spec numbers.

Model # 915075
Serial # 020071

What is the outside temp while it is doitng this

Anywhere between 80-95

Model number isn't showing up on Kohler.

Mxcutburth said:

Anywhere between 80-95

Click to expand...

Next time if it is a tractor wit a hood take it off to get airflow and see what happens.

Scrubcadet10 said:

Model number isn't showing up on Kohler.

Click to expand...

It’s an Ariens mower with a Kohler motor. That’s the right model number

Ahhh, I noticed an Airens product showed up, that's the model number for the mower, not the engine. Kohler usually starts their models with letters, CV_____ ,SV____ etc.

Oh!...
Model: SV 590s
Spec no: SV590s-0219

Hammermechanicman said:

Next time if it is a tractor wit a hood take it off to get airflow and see what happens.

Click to expand...

I see where you are going but that engine should run all day in 100+ degree temps.

Sounds like a weak ignition coil or dirty carb. Valves probably never been adjusted. Oil is probably black.

slomo

slomo said:

I see where you are going but that engine should run all day in 100+ degree temps.

Sounds like a weak ignition coil or dirty carb. Valves probably never been adjusted. Oil is probably black.

slomo

Click to expand...

Carb is new at the end of last summer. Oil was changed in the spring. Idk about the ignition coil but the ignition switch was changed last summer along with spark plugs and batteries

When the temp gets up in the 90's and some mowers have the muffler nearly under the carb and enclosed with a hood sometimes it can get hot enough to boil the fuel in the carb causing all kinds of poor running issues. Usually shows up after running for a while and goes away when it cools off.

Hammermechanicman said:

When the temp gets up in the 90's and some mowers have the muffler nearly under the carb and enclosed with a hood sometimes it can get hot enough to boil the fuel in the carb causing all kinds of poor running issues. Usually shows up after running for a while and goes away when it cools off.

Click to expand...

It hasn’t gone away for days now

We checked all the fuel lines and replaced the filter. Problem is worse. Mower will run for about 2 mins then start back firing, try to die, then catch up and over and over for about 2 minutes until it dies. Or if you try to turn on the blades it will die right away

When it starts acting up, feel of the carburetor bowl, see if it's too hot to touch.

Scrubcadet10 said:

When it starts acting up, feel of the carburetor bowl, see if it's too hot to touch.

Click to expand...

I can’t keep it running for more than a minute now. And it’s been drinking a ton of gas

Check your oil level, be sure it isn't over full or smells like gasoline.

If you pull the carb lone off the fuel pump and crank the engine do you get a good pulsating stream of fuel?

I think the SV590 is gravity fed.

The ipl for the engine number he gave showed a fuel pump. If it doesn't have a fuel pump what type of fuel filter was installed? If a paper type get the red disk type with the screen in it and see if fhat fixes it. Shouldn't use pleated paper type filters in a gravity system. Not sure what the OP has.

Yep, you're right.
here's what the pump looks like.

Hammermechanicman said:

The ipl for the engine number he gave showed a fuel pump. If it doesn't have a fuel pump what type of fuel filter was installed? If a paper type get the red disk type with the screen in it and see if fhat fixes it. Shouldn't use pleated paper type filters in a gravity system. Not sure what the OP has.

Click to expand...

Shouldn't use a paper filter on a gravity tank, but I do. No problems on several mowers. Just saying. Hammer is probably correct about the filter details.

slomo

Man mine was doing samething be cutting grass it would just shut down back fire somtimes let set start back up somtimes pull it back to garage check oil pull plugs out everything wiggle key switch started wiggled it again quite so all was was keyswitch lol