Craftsman T2400 Kohler won't start

[TobyU]

Even testing fuel tanks at a gas station, in my day, we would only pressurize to 5psi! People, understand that you only need a very small burst of air - even a bicycle pump would do it - to clear out a fuel line, regardless of tank size! Also, the black rubber fuel lines won't last more than a couple years - maybe - unless they're made of butyl or poly. A failed fuel line will just about disintegrate in your fingers.

All the gas that I have used for well over 15 years is 10% ethanol and I also believe the gas has gotten worse and worse over the years as far as quality BUT I have seen no difference in the lifespan of rubber fuel lines.
Now, the clear vinyl ones or the tinted ones etc yellow faster and get brittle more quickly and will break if you so much as touch them and only two to three years now when they used to last 8 or 10 years before doing this but this is not the case on the rubber ones.

I have dozens of mowers here right now that over 17 to 20 years old with their original fuel lines on them.
These have had this gas and whatever else over the decades of their life.
Some of the fuel line is still supple enough that you see no cracks in it and you can squeeze it with your fingers and pinch it off.
Some, of this age, are hard and I wouldn't dare pinch them at all because frankly, they need replaced.

The new fuel lines I have replaced in the past several years are also holding up quite well.
99% of my fuel line is the standard fuel vapor line off the bulk roll from O'Reilly Auto Parts.

I have no complaints with this at all.

 

[Air4Dave]

All the gas that I have used for well over 15 years is 10% ethanol and I also believe the gas has gotten worse and worse over the years as far as quality BUT I have seen no difference in the lifespan of rubber fuel lines.
Now, the clear vinyl ones or the tinted ones etc yellow faster and get brittle more quickly and will break if you so much as touch them and only two to three years now when they used to last 8 or 10 years before doing this but this is not the case on the rubber ones.

I have dozens of mowers here right now that over 17 to 20 years old with their original fuel lines on them.
These have had this gas and whatever else over the decades of their life.
Some of the fuel line is still supple enough that you see no cracks in it and you can squeeze it with your fingers and pinch it off.
Some, of this age, are hard and I wouldn't dare pinch them at all because frankly, they need replaced.

The new fuel lines I have replaced in the past several years are also holding up quite well.
99% of my fuel line is the standard fuel vapor line off the bulk roll from O'Reilly Auto Parts.

I have no complaints with this at all.

Back in the '70's, when unleaded was first coming out - thank you EPA! - carbs mostly, other fuel retaining systems would have the gaskets and seals harden to a point of uselessness and failure. Even on our fuel tankers, we had to replace the seals with the butyl or better yet, Viton seals. They worked for years and gradually, over many years, the scientists in the petroleum industries came up with an additive for use in the fuels that would stop this problem! Long story short, what you have in your mowers that are 17 - 20 years old are comparatively this "new" technology I've spoken to. I'm glad you have found fuel lines that work well!
As a side question - is this fuel vapor line actually called that and does it come in the different sizes required by some systems? I just got a set of 3 fuel lines within a black rubber bushing for a new carb. One of them is a black line and looks like rubber...

 

[Joed756]

I would never pressurize a fuel tank. They are not designed to be pressure vessels, pressurizing them is just asking for trouble.

 

[bc22]

On your situation, had you have gone to giving it an external fuel source first,
You would have removed the air filter and sprayed a little bit of carb cleaner or a tablespoon of fuel into the intake and then cranked it over.
It would have done one of two things.
It would have either started and continued to run just fine or it would have started and then died after a few seconds.
Then, the proper diagnostic procedure is to repeat this at least three times.

Well - I did this several times...maybe not 3 times in a row (possibly that was my shortfall)...but I got the same result each time...it fired up strong for 2-3 seconds then died. This happened whether I choked it or not. I watched a video on Kevin Caudill's youtube channel about choke adjustment - went out and watched it NOT CLOSE and made the adjustment, It fired and ran a bit rough at first but then started running great. You are correct that maybe I spent money on stuff I did not need - but frankly - this was a hell of learning experience for me - so I have no regrets...it was a $100 classroom experience. The suggestions and information from forum members plus many, many Youtube videos helped me immensely. No regrets! and no apologies needed. Heartfelt thanks to all for the help and explanations !

My mower was a 2022 model Craftsman T2400. My starter was the first thing they replaced. The one I took off yesterday (2nd starter) was a 2023 and had the model number of 3209810S stamped on it. I watched this video that I will put below and it made me question the starter AGAIN. I ordered the starter in the link below and it fired right up.

This is the starter needed for this mower: Caltric Starter Compatible with Kohler 3209810 3209810S 32-098-10S

This is the video that led me to the water:

Evidently the first two starters didn't have enough ass to turn the thing over. Sometimes it would, sometimes it would get to the compression point and be too weak to spin it.

 

[mrjohndeere4240]

I have a craftsman mower with that same EXACT model engine KT730-3046. Ran it out of gas one day and it never fired back up. Put 2 carburetors on it, I was sent the wrong one the first time. Put a new fuel pump on it, new plugs, new fuel lines, new air filter, changed the oil and oil filter. All to no avail. When It did run it was so rough I was unable to mow with it. It was one month out of warranty when it did this. I bought 2 new coils for it after watching a youtube video. I checked both plugs with an inline tester and neither coil was producing spark. Put them on last night, did a little adjustment on the carburetor. Finally after 8 months I got it right. She runs and mows again!