Cub Cadet will not start

cmevans

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I have a Cub Cadet series 2000 tractor, model 2185, with 18 hp Kohler engine. When trying to start it, the engine backfires and turns over slow. Verified getting gas and spark to the cylinders. Both cylinders have good compression. I found by removing the spark plug from the left cylinder, the engine cranks faster and will start, only running on one cylinder. Found yellow spark at the spark plugs, so I pulled the engine and replaced both ignition coils. After re-installing the engine, am getting the same results. Any ideas? Thanks.
 

EngineMan

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Did you check the valves and look for a partly sheared key (flywheel)
 

Fish

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I have a Cub Cadet series 2000 tractor, model 2185, with 18 hp Kohler engine. When trying to start it, the engine backfires and turns over slow. Verified getting gas and spark to the cylinders. Both cylinders have good compression. I found by removing the spark plug from the left cylinder, the engine cranks faster and will start, only running on one cylinder. Found yellow spark at the spark plugs, so I pulled the engine and replaced both ignition coils. After re-installing the engine, am getting the same results. Any ideas? Thanks.

Pull the valve cover off of the non-running side, you may have a loose rocker or bent and fallen pushrod.

Fish
 

cmevans

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Should have checked the flywheel key when replacing the coils, will check that and the valves, and let you know what I find. May be a week or so. Thanks for you input.
 

Fish

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Leave the flywheel alone, and sell me your old coils.........

Just pull both valve covers and stop wasting money....
 

Carscw

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I had the same thing going on last year ask for help and was told by all the super techs on here that there was no way the engine could run with a spark plug out. Fact is every 2 cyl engine will run with one plug but mine would only run with one plug out. Never found out why. Let it sit for a few months. Went out and it started and been fine still using it.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))
 

Fish

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I had the same thing going on last year ask for help and was told by all the super techs on here that there was no way the engine could run with a spark plug out. Fact is every 2 cyl engine will run with one plug but mine would only run with one plug out. Never found out why. Let it sit for a few months. Went out and it started and been fine still using it.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

Maybe you should fix it then...

Or did it get better on its own?
 

Carscw

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Maybe you should fix it then...

Or did it get better on its own?

I did nothing to it but put it in a corner.
Blew the engine on my mud mower.
So bolted it on and it started right up no problems after around 75 hours.

When it was on my walk behind put a new coil on it twice. A new $216 carb did everything you could think of short of a rebuild.

No one could explain why it would only run with one plug out. Did not matter which plug I took out.
I have built plenty of engines and never have seen anything like this.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))
 
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