john deere 188 with water cooled kawasaki

[chadpiatt]

I have a john deere 188 with a water cooled 17 hp twin kawasaki. its running rough and when I engage the blades it loses power and almost dies. If I take the blow by tube off it still runs a little rough but doesnt lose lose power.

 

[motoman]

Does it smoke (white) with the tube connected, but not when removed?

 

[shiftsuper175607]

I have a john deere 188 with a water cooled 17 hp twin kawasaki. its running rough and when I engage the blades it loses power and almost dies. If I take the blow by tube off it still runs a little rough but doesnt lose lose power.

Make sure you are firing on both cylinders. You may have only one working.

 

[chadpiatt]

Does it smoke (white) with the tube connected, but not when removed?

it is still black smoke and I have repaced carb and reed valves

 

[Homer1]

My 285 died last year, similar engine, FD590V 18hp. The filter side pushrod fell out of the guides and trashed the cylinder head, I was just mowing along, and lost power. I was able to fix it but eventually realized that the valve seats were bad and it needed new head's bad. I re-powered from small engine warehouse @ a B&S 21hp single piston, and sold off the parts of the kaw by breaking it down, paying for the repower completely.

Something to keep in mind if you don't get it where you want it.

 

[motoman]

How many hours on the Kaw when it failed?

 

[Homer1]

Not sure, I bought it from a family member who handed it down and handed it down. Service records and all were kept up with, but no hour meter. I'm the 4th person to own it, it's been used yearly as a primary mower.

 

[motoman]

Homer, Thanks, Always interested in what reliability edge water cooled have over ac.