Kohler Command 18 Acts Like It's Running Out Of Gas

[rforster]

Thanks for the help in my other thread. New problem is the mower wants to quit running after cutting for a while, acts like it is running out of gas. Stops and starts righ back up, and then in a little while does the same thing again. Filter seems to have gas in it when it stops. One other question, if you pull the oil fill cap off during the motor running do you get air and maybe suction out of the fill hole on the valve cover?Any help here.

Thanks
Ray :confused2:

 

[BKBrown]

Have you checked the gas tank cap for venting ? If the cap isn't venting it will stop the flow of gas. Have you checked the Air filter -- it can be restricting flow even if it looks OK ! ???

Don't know about the other question.

 

[rforster]

I blew through the gas cap and air is moving. Don't know how much air you can blow through that hole? Have not replaced the air filter. Going to get fuel and air filter tomorrow. Let you know if that helps if I can ever get the mower back on the lawn with all this rain in Ohio.

:smiley_aafz:

 

[Blackhawks81]

I have a 2186, it does the same thing, seems like it vapor locks after about an hour of mowing. When its hot out it will run even shorter. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to replace the float in the carb. Seems like I saw a post, not on here, that when the motor temp builds up the float can swell, and basically starve the motor. In the same note. I've heard others say it can be the coil.

 

[IdahoPuma]

Not sure if it is te same as my 15.5 , but mine originally started acting that way . Near the front was a crankcase line that ran to the carb .
I had vice grips gently pinch hose ( care not to over tighten and damage hose but enough to pinch off ) . That corrected problem BUT only helped diagnois the problem . Gasoline was getting into the oil , so instead of just venting crank fumes it was sputtering oil/gas mix into the carb after a few minutes of running effectively killing the fuel air mix . THAT known , was to eliminate the fuel getting into the crank causing the crank to over fill . Put in new oil ( found old oil did have gasoline in it ) , installed a fuel-line shut off just before the carb and ran ( sure to shut off fuel when not in use ) and had not had the problem since .
THAT SAID , if pinching closed that line does not improve the mowers operation , then it is something else BUT an easy test for diagnositics

Thanks for the help in my other thread. New problem is the mower wants to quit running after cutting for a while, acts like it is running out of gas. Stops and starts righ back up, and then in a little while does the same thing again. Filter seems to have gas in it when it stops. One other question, if you pull the oil fill cap off during the motor running do you get air and maybe suction out of the fill hole on the valve cover?Any help here.

Thanks
Ray :confused2:

 

[cjones636]

I'm having the same problem and it's driving me nuts because i'm not mechanic. Only thing i know how to do is take things apart and put them back together. Do you have a multimeter to test the coil or a good coil laying around to replace it with? Mine was doing the same thing put progressively gotten way worse where i can't even mow with it anymore, but i suspect it's the coil going bad.

Here's my thread
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/small...sputtering-backfiring-after-riding-5mins.html

 

[ILENGINE]

Does the engine that is dying have a fuel solenoid on the carb. If it does, when the engine dies, quickly shut off and turn the key back on to see if you can hear it click. I have seen the solenoid cut out on Kohler engines for a short of time as 3-4 seconds, before working again. So You may be able to turn off and then back on, and about the third one, you will hear it click again, and the engine will then start and run for any where from a few minutes to an hour.