Got a x540 law tractor with a 26hp Kawasaki liquid cooled motor. It all started when the owner was mowing there lawn and it started surging but they decided to run it a few weeks that way until it just wouldn't run any longer . I go there and do a general tune up (air filter, plugs, fuel filter ) the fuel filter plugged up with grass . Took the carb apart and cleaned it . Had grass plugging up the main jets . Put it all back together and runs good . Fast forward to the other day, I get a call saying it's doing the same thing . I pick it up and it runs beautiful . I take it anyways and rip it apart. Take all the fuel lines off and blow them out . Take the gas tank off and slosh it around and run it threw a paint strainer. I was surprised it even ran . Had sticks , leaves , pine needles , pine cones and grass in it . I did that until it kept coming up clean . I clean the carb again just for good measures and it's clean as a whistle. I went out to start it and it was acting up . So I take out the fuel shut off and looked up how to test it . It checks out . It isn't acting up now so I can't troubleshoot it at the moment but I did notice a few things . The fuel filter looks like there is hardly any gas in it while it's running, also when I turn the mower on it seems like it almost dies then picks up and runs good . I was hoping some one that had one of these could tell me if that's normal or not . Sorry for the long post
#2
TJR345
If there was that much stuff in the tank check the vent in the cap.It could be venting slow and causing a power (starve) for fuel.Check the linkage and springs on the carb since you had it off.I never seen a kawasaki engine that had a full fuel filter so that's normal.
I didn't see a vent in the cap . I took it off when it was acting up and made no difference . The fuel tank has its own hose that goes all the way to the carb(that I blew out and made sure there was no crap in it ). It's kinda weird that you say you've never seen a full fuel filter . Wonder how they even run on such a low supply but thanks for crossing that off ??
I didn't see a vent in the cap . I took it off when it was acting up and made no difference . The fuel tank has its own hose that goes all the way to the carb(that I blew out and made sure there was no crap in it ). It's kinda weird that you say you've never seen a full fuel filter . Wonder how they even run on such a low supply but thanks for crossing that off
My 345 the fuel filter has never been full,just the way they are.You may have to recheck the carb for stuff that may have gotten in there again.Be sure all linkage and springs are on right.
Lastly when I rebuilt my 345 I remember the governor arm had to be turned and set one way.This was so when a load was put on the engine the arm moved and gave it more power.By having the carb off it might have moved and in its current position it's maxed when a load is put on.
Well I finally got a chance to see it acting up . It will run fine on full thorottle no load for atleast a hour (that's all I had for time ) but about 30-45 mins into actual mowing it will start surging. Got to run choke to get it back to the garage . Let it cool down . Hour later go and mow and it will run good for a half hour then do same thing . I know running choke makes it seem like a fuel issue but what does heat have to do with that ? When it started acting up I immediately pulled both plugs and checked spark . Looks fine . Drained the carb bowl and some gas came out but not what I would think would be a full bowl . More like a half a bowl . If that makes sense . Seems like it will run no load all day but not long with mower on
You are going to have to bite the bullet and fully remove the fuel tank drain it, dry it, then hold it upside down than blow in from the outlet till all of the crud is removed.
Grass clippings are very close to the same density ad fuel so they float around inside the tank then lie hair in the bath tub get sucked in to the outlet by the action of the fuel being sucked through.
Get a couple of fuel filters , a gravity one and a pump one and a fuel tap fit the gravity one under the mower, near the tank outlet with the tap between it and the tank. The second goes before the fuel pump.
While the tank is off check for moulding flash partially blocking the outlet.
As for filters, cut one in 1/2 and see where the outlet tube is and you will understand how air gets trapped.
The fuel pump has a check valve built in and if all that crud in the carby bowl was passing through the pump, good chance come grass clippings are stuck in the check valve so the pump is not pumping to full capacity.
That could be , I'll put my spare pump on and try it . The owner texted me and said they just mowed for 3 hours no problems at all ( this is after I took every thing apart to fix the 6mm bolt that I twisted off ) used a stud to fix it . So you can see that it's very speratic
The landlord has 1000 acres and around 5 of them is olive orchard.
He uses a 2000 series cub to mow in the orchard and do the inside perimeter fences ( I do the outside ).
The cub was great because having a horizontal engine you can run it at quite steep slopes.
HE got it ( and now 4 others ) used so when it used to stop between 1 & 2 hours operation we assumed overheating.
his wife could mow all day with no problems.
Eventually we traced it down to grass clippings in the tank and after cleaned properly the problem went away.
Thus we were weary of dirty tanks on Cubs and sure enough he (and I ) have been able to buy a lot of them "with an engine problem" cheap and in every case it was crud in the tank.
Who ever made the tanks had a problem with the mould as in many of them, there is a moulding flash that almost goes all the way across the outlet on most where small bits that would get caught in a filter, get caught in the tank and form a plug.
Over the pas 4 years I have found this a very common problem with any mower with a big ( over 3" ) filler cap behind the seat.
It is a lesser problem with side tanks where on ZTR's dust is the biggest problem which no doubt is why a lot of them are now using a vent tube and in the case of the new Kawasaki & B & S engined ones, this vent is filtered air .
Hmmm that must have a pain to figure out . When it acts up again I'll clean the tank again . I'm not sure of what you mean by moulding flash . I'd assume a bad spot in the mood that holds all the crap near the pick up tube
A moulding flash is where the join faces on the mould used to make the tank come together but don't quite seal so you get a fin of plastic on the join line.
I am sure you have seen one on something that you have bought.
Happens with both metals and plastics.
The outside ones are easy trimmed off but inside ones are a bit harder, not seen by the customer so oft ignored.
My X540 kept dieing this summer. We finally took the carb off and found two small pieces of black rubber in it- from he fuel hoses. This tractor is only three years old and in perfect condition: except that the fuel hoses are breaking down on the inside. We replaced the hoses when the carb went back on. Tractor has run great the last four times that we mowed.
My X540 kept dieing this summer. We finally took the carb off and found two small pieces of black rubber in it- from he fuel hoses. This tractor is only three years old and in perfect condition: except that the fuel hoses are breaking down on the inside. We replaced the hoses when the carb went back on. Tractor has run great the last four times that we mowed.
