Won't run with Air filter in place

[Simmons24]

I have a 2007 46" deck 20 hp Kohler cub cadet mower. It will not stay running with the air cleaner in place. The old one looked new but I replaced it anyway. Still won't run. Take it off and runs like a charm no matter how much load I put on it. Any ideas?

 

[reynoldston]

It should run with the air filter in place. Could you be shorting out a wire? Is the choke open. I say check it over very close because you must be missing something wrong. I would say as you install the air cleaner see when it stops running.

 

[Fish]

Put up your engine's model and spec numbers.
Plus go in to some detail about how this problem evolved...

Did it start doing this overnight, or has it been acting odd up to this point, etc.....?