Need helpful advice

schillfam

Forum Newbie
Joined
Aug 1, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
2
We have a 2010 John Deere X300 with a Kawasaki engine Model FH491V-DS04-R. It has 279.4 hours on it. It starts and runs fine when you first start mowing, then when it heats up it starts to run very sluggish. If you let it sit and cool down it will run fine again.it's almost like when you go through tall grass and it bogs down, but it is not in tall grass. I have cleaned out the mower deck, checked the belt and belt tension, replaced the fuel filter, checked the air filter (good), cleaned out the carburetor, and replaced the spark plugs at the beginning of the season, also checked the coils by removing one spark plug wire at a time. One weird thing when I rechecked them is that the spark plugs all around the outside of them where you screw them in, the metal is all white, like they are heating up. The engine area is clean and nothing looks clogged so we are at a loss and looking for suggestions. Thank you!

~F
 

mhavanti

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Threads
12
Messages
924
Schillfam,

Remove the tins around the cylinder, check for grass blocking the cooling fins. Also, make sure the gas cap vent isn't plugged (stopped) up. There may be other things to consider. However, I'd start there.

Max
 

greenmowers.org

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
8
Are you sure the carburetor isn't getting bogged down by anything? How dirty was it when you first cleaned it?
 

mhavanti

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Threads
12
Messages
924
shillfam,

It is running extremely lean as mentioned above, the carb isn't delivering enough fuel to cool the cylinder atmosphere. Clean the carb extremely well. Make sure all circuits are open.

Max
 

Luffydog

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
566
Check for blocked fuel lines had one ran good for a little while then start going down bad filter and bad line was the cause. But also can't rule out the coil.
 

mhavanti

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Threads
12
Messages
924
Coils don't go bad that often. Take the gasoline line, an enclosed fuel cell of some sort foreign to the machine and run a line from the remote fuel cell directly to the carb. Run the mower WOT for the amount of time the original fuel cell begins to make it run lean.

Then you'll know if your fuel system in total is your problem and the coils are ruled out as well.

Make sure you mount the remote fuel system securely so you don't set yourself and the property on fire by trying to carry a remote tank in your hand while operating the machine.
 

Luffydog

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
566
Have the coils to go bad a lot here as they get weak and won't fire properly also fail to fire under compression quite often.
 

mhavanti

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Threads
12
Messages
924
That test will give you an idea then whether it is fuel or your coil.
 

Luffydog

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
566
Yes I agree to rule out the fuel by using another tank will rule that out as being fuel delivery issue. Some unless the pump fails or the anti-after fire solenoid is failing. Then then problem will still be there. Needs to get 2 inline spark testers and run them while the test is done to rule the coils right out. :thumbsup:
 
Top