Is the remedy basically a replacement fuel pump? Could you explain the vapour lock to me or steps to confirm vapour lock? I am pretty sure the fuel pump is nylon? Is the vapour lock a symtom of normal wear? Appreciate the help.
Engine problems please help!
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reddragon
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vapor lock is when gasoline goes from liquid to gaseous state...it can happen in the fuel pump or fuel lines or carb....or all of them...its caused by heat and when fuel gets air in it ..it exacerbates the problem...if the fuel pump is weak...it could allow the heat to get to it or if the air is getting in at the pump...check for cracked fuel lines and the fuel pump:smile: ........ http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/tp_2204_b.pdf ....... take a look at this manual
When i first started having problems i replaced the fuel filter, changed plugs, air filter and replaced tank with fresh fuel. The engine definitely appears to be having a fuel issue because there is plenty of crank when starting and the plugs are firing. I have noticed that it turns over quite a bit before it actually fires and starts but as i said now it doesn't even want to keep running so i imagine the problem is getting worse. I am currently shopping on line for a fuel pump. Any suggestions? I am up in Canada near Michigan's UP.
reddragon
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theres lots of JD online parts places....but i would pull the fuel line from the carb [ while the engines cold] and crank to see if fuel is getting to it first...... GreenPartStore - Parts for John Deere Lawn Tractors, John Deere Lawn & Garden Tractors, John Deere Mowers, John Deere Attachments, John Deere Accessories .... JD Mower Parts .... and EBAY too
I changed the fuel pump last night after first checking the lines and trying the old pump while cranking the engine. It did appear to be hit and miss as far as pumping the fuel althoug i am not sure how well they are supposed to pump. I made sure the lever was above the camshaft when i reinstalled and i tried the engine. It would turn over but not start so i assumed that there was an air lock and raised the back end of the tractor so gravity would move the fuel to the pump. It worked. the engine started and seem to run fine so i left it running for about 15minutes mid throttle with PTO engaged. I worked the lawn for a while and things seemed ok but than the engine started surging again! The big difference this time was that it did not go ahead and stall out on me but i didn';t push things either. It appears the problem is persisting but seems to have improved somewhat. Could it be something to do wiht the govenor i wonder? I guess it may be time to have someone look at it.
From the symptoms you describe, my first approach would be to make certain that fuel supply is addequate. Since you have verified this, I would then suspect the carburetor. Since you apparently have a rubber hose delivering fuel to your carburetor, if vapor lock is the problem, it would most lkely be from engine overheating.
As with any "air cooled engine" perodic cleaning of the cooling system cylinder heads fins and related parts would be recommended.
I would suggest cleanining the engine and clean the carburetor.:thumbsup:
I think that you will find the carburetor to be your problem. If it has been recently cleaned---clean it again and be thorough with cleaning of every small passageway.
Even the smallest amount of water, or trash, can cause problems. :thumbdown:
As with any "air cooled engine" perodic cleaning of the cooling system cylinder heads fins and related parts would be recommended.
I would suggest cleanining the engine and clean the carburetor.:thumbsup:
I think that you will find the carburetor to be your problem. If it has been recently cleaned---clean it again and be thorough with cleaning of every small passageway.
Even the smallest amount of water, or trash, can cause problems. :thumbdown:
Thanks for your advice. I certainly notice significant debris around the fin area while i was changing the fuel pump. The symtom certainly seems to appear as the engine gets hot and loaded up. This summer cutting grass really caused problems, to the point it would just surge and sputter so bad that it would stall out. In the early summer i found the engine hard to start so i cleaned the plugs and filters and used a carberator cleanning product. I followed the instructions carefully but i wonder if it didn't just loosen some debris up only to move it around somewhat. I was leary about taking the carb out and cleaning it because i have tried in the past on snowblowers only to find that the unit wouldn't operate any better. Most people including me don't like touching the carb. I even used an ultrasonic cleaning machine at work and it did an excellent job. I follow instructions well but lack the skill of the fine tuning and tinkering needed i think for carb work.