Tractor has 1,400 hrs on it. It does smoke a little a startup. It started up like normal/fine this morning. I pulled it up on my trailer (to go mow a friends place) and shut it off. Get to the friends place and start the tractor to back it off the trailer. It was slightly sluggish starting but started up. But I could tell the engine was running different and it sounds like there is a popping noise coming out of the muffler. Engine RPM's dropped to the point that trying to mow was basically impossible. I suspect it's only running on one cylinder now. With the engine running I placed a gloved hand on each valve cover. I could feel some warmth through the glove on the left cover but not the right cover. Even with my bare hand I could not feel any warmth on the right valve cover. So I took the plug out on that side and checked for spark as I turned the engine over. I could see spark. So where does that leave me ? I'm not a mechanic but the popping sound coming through the muffler makes me think it's the valve issue on that side. Suggestions ?
#2
wjjones
Welcome to the Forum!..macguy.. I would say it is a valve issue. Is it a air cooled, or liquid cooled Kawi?
I should also add that I bought the tractor with 278 hours on it and in the 1,200 hours since have not had the valves adjusted. So are you thinking a stuck or burnt valve on that side ? Bent push rod maybe ?
Ok I got brave and took the valve cover off the side I think is not providing power. Lo and behold the push rod for the bottom valve (exhaust valve?) was just just laying loose. So that valve was not opening. I assume this is probably what caused the loss of power and popping through the the exhaust ? I tried to adjust that valve based on some YouTube videos. It did not go well. I managed to bend the push rod. Ordered another one along with new gaskets. I'm confused about something though. In the videos they show using an allen wrench to hold to hold the center while you use a 12mm box wrench to loosen the nut. They then show that you use the allen wrench to check the valve clearance. On my Kawasaki engine it isn't just a nut. It's a nut with a bullet shaped sleeve on the bottom of it. The screw in the middle of that has an allen socket and is only about a 1/4" long. That screw was already hitting at the end of its travel (the post). Is it the allen screw or is it the bullet shaped nut that actually adjusts the clearance ? I've attached a JD parts picture
Thank you that was exactly what I needed. I must have adjusted that nut down too much causing the the push rod to bend. Is there an easy way to determine TDC for each cylinder ?
Remove the spark plug, and what the piston move up and down, and position the piston at TDC or slightly after, with both valves closed on that cylinder, and then adjust the valves.
Remove the spark plug, and what the piston move up and down, and position the piston at TDC or slightly after, with both valves closed on that cylinder, and then adjust the valves.
New question. Figured out that the exhaust valve was stuck open preventing proper valve adjustment. I bought a new head , both valves, oil seals and head gasket. I reused the retainer clips, springs, posts, valve guide and rockers from the bad head. Had the new valves put into the new head then I installed the new head and did the valve adjustments. Pretty straight forward. Torqued the head bolts at 19 ft lbs (per John Deere mechanic). Definitely have power back and the blades are running like they used to but . . . now the low oil pressure light comes on about halfway through my 1 acre yard. If I turn the tractor off for 10 min then power it back up I can mow for awhile again but the low oil pressure light comes back on. Could I have done something to cause this when I put the new head on ? Or could it just be a coincidence like a clogged or partially clogged oil filter ?
*edit* Now that I think about it, it's been quite awhile since the oil filter was changed. Should I try that first ?
Did that but still get low oil pressure light about 20 mins into mowing. The engine does not make any unusual noise/sounds though. Very odd. I suppose it could be a faulty oil pressure sensor switch (by the oil filter) but I keep reading that they rarely fail. Anyone know if it's possible to test that switch ?
If the pressure switch is a one wire switch then with the key on and the o/pressure light on there should be near to 0v(less than .5v) at the switch wire when the light goes off, the voltage should be cut off at the switch and open the circuit giving you 12v(battery voltage) at the switch wire. Hope that helps, John
It's air cooled