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Am currently stumped. I have a Scag Tiger Cat 19hp Kawasaki, bought new in 2010. Engine was running perfect like it has before but suddenly it just started losing power and wants to die out when engaging the PTO. Drained all the gas and replaced with fresh premium high octane gas, added some Sea Foam, changed plugs, gas filter, removed carb and cleaned the jets, needle and cleaned bowl. Am waiting on bowl gasket as it tore when replacing. Checked seat switch with ohm tester and it checked out good. Pulled on main belt and all the blades turn pretty free then turned ignition on and engaged PTO switch on and had some resistance to clutch which I had already just reset to I believe it was(15 thousands. I did notice that one plug was a light brown on the right (looking at the engine from the back) and the plug on the left looked slightly darker. Will ck for spark tomorrow by pulling out plug and touching to block. Engine will start and run and blades will turn slow BUT looses power and wants to die when I engage PTO and try to cut grass even if it's short. Had another issue last year where the dealer changed the coil due to PTO would stop cutting but continue running then start cutting later. Don't want another $400 hit so I could really use some help. I'm a little hands on so not scared to try anything, just need some direction. Will most likely order a shop manual for this engine like I did for my small Kubota tractor. Thanks for any help you can send my way. Wife chomping at the bit to go out and cut grass on her mower. She really is missing it and my ears keep burning from hearing her. Thanks again.

Shop manual for your engine is available on line as a PDF from here http://www.mymowerparts.com/about_us.php click on the free manuals in the red navigation bar then to the Kawasaki section.
Your symptoms point towards one dead cylinder.
Order a pair of rocker cover gaskets and check both the valve lash, the security of the rocker retaining bolt & the pushrods.
Valve lash should be checked every 200 hrs ( or there abouts ) and K use a bolt on housing that can come loose allowing the pushrods to jump off for no apparent reason.

Ok. Something new for me but am willing to try. Just how difficult will this be more or less. I just read where I can pull off the plug wire while mower is running and if it does not turn off then that is the bad side, ( if I read it right). Will try and down load manual which i'm sure will help with this procedure. Is it sort of difficult? Thanks for the help so far. Will update once I start and hopefully have a positive outcome, lol.

odbud said:

Ok. Something new for me but am willing to try. Just how difficult will this be more or less. I just read where I can pull off the plug wire while mower is running and if it does not turn off then that is the bad side, ( if I read it right). Will try and down load manual which i'm sure will help with this procedure. Is it sort of difficult? Thanks for the help so far. Will update once I start and hopefully have a positive outcome, lol.

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That is about it .
You will most likely find one side makes no difference ( bad side )
The other will kill the engine ( or make it run substantially worse ) and that is the good side.

Download the manual and read the section on valve adjustment. a strait out simple job.
Put some axel grease on the engine side of the rocker cover gasket so it strips off clean next time.
If you are not familiar with using feeler gauges, if the gauge is held up it is tight enough.
No 2 mechanics set them exactly the same.

Mr. Bertsmobile 1, Thanks for the reply. I will get my wife to help me down load the manual. Will also order the parts you recommended. I can do the feeler job, no problem, just needed to get pointed in the right direction. Fixing to go out of town but will check out the procedure and go for it as soon as I can and will relay the results when I'm done. Hope I don't blow anything up, lol. Thanks again for your help and have a great and safe 4th of July holiday.

Enjoy your holiday.
There are some down here who seem to think July 4 is a holiday in Australia.
I think they are the same people who voted for Pauline Hanson :laughing:
And no need to be so formal, we are all friends here so you can call me what my customers do,,,,,, actually Tieving Bastard is nt all that nice so we might leave it at Bert :confused2:

Hello Mr. Bert,
Had a little time today to mess with the mower. Did as you had suggested as far as adjusting the valves (at .15 thousands). (Kawasaki 19hp, Spec.# FH580V-AS37R).Looking at the engine from the back the compression test on the left side showed 140 and the right also 140. Adjusted the valves and the second results were left - 142 and right side 138 -139. Can't start it cause I'm waiting on the cover gaskets but just before I was done for the day I remembered I had a spark plug tester so I tried it out. Well the left side had spark but the right side didn't show any. I then switched plugs to the opposite side and had the same results. Spark on the left side but none on the right. Getting close to the goal line I hope. Now I just have to figure out how to check or just replace either the plug wire or see how I can check out the coil. I'm entering new territory but you guys have been a world of help. Just wanted to give an update. Fixing to go out of town so it may be a week before I can get back to the mower unless I get lucky and have a little time on Sunday. Thanks again.

Remove the thin wire on the bad coil and try again.
If you get a spark, then the wire is bad
If you don't get a spark the coil is bad
Pull the wire off the carb which will stop the engine getting fuel & thus running ( very messy )

Thanks again for pulling my head above water. I must say though the wife and I are still laughing at the relationship you have with your customers and the thieving bastard nick name, lol. Too funny. I dealt with the real one's here in Houston last year or so when I took the machine in for what they said was also a bad coil, (machine would run and cut then after a while it would keep running but stop cutting then start up I guess after it cooled a bit). I walked out of there like a stuck pig with about a $400 tab but had no choice. Retired now due to work related injury and trying to stay on top of 4 - 1/2acs, grass is a full time job in itself so I'm trying to get as much know how on my mower and echo weed eaters. Will definitely do as you suggested and hopefully solve the mystery. Wife can't wait. Am starting a log of issues and how to fix them. We always blow down and clean the machines up after each use to eliminate any unnecessary problems. Thanks again and will keep you updated. Let me know if you ever need anything from this side of the world.

Yes it is a funny world
Repairs are always judged against the cost of replacing the mower with the cheapest pile of puss sold in the discount stores rather than a machine of equivalent quality.
Down here nearly all of the brands are distributed by a local franchise agents.
There is a cartel of men with big wallets and small apendages who get their jollies from out bidding each other for the franchise agency then they have to jack up the prices to cover their stupidity.
Thus we pay double what you do ( currency corrected ) for mowers & 3 times the parts prices.
So no matter what you charge ( & I am about 1/2 the big shops ) you are a thief.
Your time spent chasing up obsolete parts has no value.
Parts get delivered to you door same day at no cost to you.
And all your parts are cheaper than the junk sold on evilbay.

But it does keep me off the streets:laughing:

Hello I have the same problem I disconnect one plug of the spark plugs and nothing happens I disconnect the other side and it turns off ? What was the problem with yours ?

Chepeca11 said:

Hello I have the same problem I disconnect one plug of the spark plugs and nothing happens I disconnect the other side and it turns off ? What was the problem with yours ?

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Ok, so you know which side has the problem. If you take the plug wire loose on the bad side, do you have spark? If no, check coil and associated wiring. If yes, pull the plug, and inspect. Disconnect wire from other plug and check for compression and piston movement. If no compression and no piston movement may have a broken connecting rod. No compression with piston movement may have a valve stuck open. Sorry, there is no single answer to your question.

SHB said:

Ok, so you know which side has the problem. If you take the plug wire loose on the bad side, do you have spark? If no, check coil and associated wiring. If yes, pull the plug, and inspect. Disconnect wire from other plug and check for compression and piston movement. If no compression and no piston movement may have a broken connecting rod. No compression with piston movement may have a valve stuck open. Sorry, there is no single answer to your question.

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Sorry how do I check the spark ?

Chepeca11 said:

Sorry how do I check the spark ?

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Spark needs to be checked UNDER LOAD. As in taking an old spark pug, opening the gap to a MEASURED 6mm or 0.25". Or buy a PET-4000 spark tester.

Stay away from those inline spark testers that have a red light that blinks with spark. They are NOT load testing the coil. Just blinking a light at you.

These are junk.



This kind is the best. Click on the youtube video below. Watch it a couple times if needed.


slomo