Engine problems please help!

Garbear

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I have an old JD 317hp lawn tractor. It has a newer(11years old) Kohlor 18hp engine in it. I have had no problems until this summer when i noticed the engine a little hard to start. During the hot summer months the engine has been acting up. After the tractor has been working with the grass cutter for 25-30 minutes the engine starts to surge much like it would if it were running out of fuel. It will get progressively worse until it stalls out. I have changed plugs, fuel and air filter, and nothing seems to be working. It appears to act up when you load it up. Could this be a govenor issue?
 

Briana

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Hey there - WELCOME to LMF!

I moved your thread to the Small Engine & Mower Repair Forum. :smile:
 

ILENGINE

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Could be a fuel pump failing after it gets hot. Saw it once on a briggs or maybe something is causing a vapor lock situation from heat around the carb.
 

Garbear

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Thanks alot for your input. I will investigate.
 

Ifixdit

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When the tractor is running, can you feel if there is any hot exhaust venting around the carb? Where does the muffler connect to the block in relation to the carb? Just wondering if a new manifold gasket was used when the engine swap was done??
 

Garbear

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Doesn't appear to be any heat around the carb however it does appear to be a lot warmer around the engine when i lift the engine hood. I have had the tractor with the new engine for about 10 years and never really had any significant engine problems thus far. I now can't even get it to keep running. It will start but i need to choke it to keep it running and than of course it appears to get too much fuel and stalls out. What ever it is it has progressed from being just an intermittent problem to a biggy.
 

reddragon

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sounds like vapor lock....check the fuel pump.....what is the engine model?....can you take pictures of it in the tractor?
 
Last edited:

benski

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Check the line that runs from the block up to the fuel pump very carefully for cracks or blockage. IIRC, those can be a little temperamental.:wink:
 

Garbear

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Update; i have been on vacation the last few weeks and to my suprise the self healing option on my tractor doesn't work! Thanks for everyone' assistance. Right now i am looking at fuel pump or ignition module based on input from others. A friend of mine checked the carb settings and it started much better. I hoped that would be it but as the engine got warm i got through half of my 66'X125' lawn and it started acting up again. Last night i couldn't even get it to stay running. I have to choke it full to keep it running and after about 20 seconds it dies because it is being choked too much! I will attempt to attach pictures of the engine nameplate. Still scratching my head.
 

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reddragon

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that engine is definitely a vapor lock candidate with the carb right on top of the heat maker....i would definitely check the fuel pump for low output
 
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