Craftsman 17hp Kohler Pro... Intermittent smoking

[SuperDave4x4]

Well the gas or whatever may just be the problem, as anything getting into the crankcase will make it overfill and smoke like a freight train.

Look closer at the carb, if the head was blown, you would likely know it, but just for kicks, have someone run it while you go around the front and watch.

Well how much oil is supposed to be in there? I saw what appears to be a small at the bottom near the vale and I'm assuming oil is squirted out from it to lube everything in the head. Towards the top of the head there was another small hole with some type of plastic flapper over it. I'm guessing it cause sthe oil to splash out in different directions.

Next in going to pull the shrouds off the engine to see if I can locate where the head gasket maybe blown. If I see nothing in just gonna pull the head off.

Or I can just reseal the valve cover and trying playing with the carb adjustment

I put a new spark plug in it today and must say its running the best it's ever has but still smokes and spits. The idle just hasn't completely smoothed out yet.

 

[Fish]

What about that air filter? Is it oil soaked, or am I just not seeing it right in the video?

 

[SuperDave4x4]

What about that air filter? Is it oil soaked, or am I just not seeing it right in the video?

It is dirty and has some "flow" problems but I haven't ordered the new one yet. I'm actually ordering it and a new head gasket as we speak. I didn't want to pay 25 bucks for a filter so that's why I hadn't bought a new one yet.

I found a deal on one and a head gasket on tulsaenginewarehouse.com

Edit. Does this engine not have a base gasket? I'm trying to figure out how I would change the rings out if I need to so that.

It looks like the engine is a cv490 or at least that's what the craftsman owner manual tells me it is.

 

[SuperDave4x4]

Ordered a air filter, head gasket and fuel filter yesterday but I didn't even think about buyin a carb rebuild kit. I may just order it too. I was reading a post about how the float valves with rubber tips could deteriorate and cause the gas to leak into the combustion chamber while its just sitting up.

 

[Fish]

Ordered a air filter, head gasket and fuel filter yesterday but I didn't even think about buyin a carb rebuild kit. I may just order it too. I was reading a post about how the float valves with rubber tips could deteriorate and cause the gas to leak into the combustion chamber while its just sitting up.

If the needle was a problem, it would leak while not running and pour out on the floor or else seep into the crankcase and overfill the crankcase.

I discussed this in post #10, and is a possibility.

 

[Fish]

If the crankcase was overfull, it could explain all of your trouble nicely.

If it was due to gas flooding, then you need to fix that cause, then change out the oil and filter, then you need to run the engine a while with no air filter until all of the excess oil is burnt off, as excess oil blowing around will ruin the new filter, and the old clogged filter will just make the
engine run real rich.

Of course, I don't want you to mow grass or anything, just let it run and burn off all of the excess oil.

If after a while, it still smokes off and on, and the o-level looks fine, then I would dig deeper.

Also, do not just add "x" amount, as there is oil left in the engine, and adding "x" amount will result in overfilling. When you start getting close to
the full amount, start checking it with the dipstick.

 

[SuperDave4x4]

Well just a very small update. Didn't get to play with the mower over the weekend because we went on a fishing trip but I did mow the back yard last night. I put the new filter on and that didn't make too much of a difference in the way of smoke. I did notice that the engine bogs down if the grass is some what wet and/or thick. I'm going to check the oil this evening for any gas.

On another note I may be getting another free lawn mower tomorrow. My girlfriends stepdad said it is his sons and he doesn't use it any more. All he knows about it is that he used it once or twice last year and it worked fine for him. So with that being said I'm going to pull the head off the LT2000 this weekend and check the head gasket.

 

[SuperDave4x4]

Well after removing the carb to rebuild it I noticed that the throttle shaft is not the right one but I can't find a schematic showing part numbers to order a replacement.

The carb is an LMK Walboro 95A 1893 12053118


Anybody got any an idea on where I can find one?