24hp Kohler Hard to Start When Cold

[hlw49]

Then there are the mowers that the manufacturer did not put a throttle control the had enough travel. Problem here is when you adjust the control to properly choke the engine to start then when you set the control to full throttle the choke does not come all the way off.

 

[oldsquare1]

For my Kohler Command Pro engines, 6 HP (2003) & 12.75 HP (2009) I rely on OPEngines of Salem, Oregon for manuals and clear information. Their data sheets and manuals are excellent. I suggest you print a manual for your v-twin then check specifications set of your engine. Good. Luck!

Wow, what a treasure trove of manuals. I'm in the process of downloading all of them for future reference. THANK YOU Sherman Anderson for the source!

 

[barny57]

My JD did the some, put a carb kit and set the governor, use it to blow snow it was 3 above zero yesterday, and don’t need to run the nipko on it for a half hour like before

 

[Johner]

I have a 2018 model Kohler 24hp V-twin in a Cub Cadet XT1 that I've owned since new. It's a mower in the summer and gets a snow blade for winter use. It's always been hard to start when it's cold (<45 degrees), and I have to use starting fluid if it gets much below 40 deg. F. It lives in an unconditioned shed and is on at battery tender year-round.

I have the engine manual that came with it, but it's pretty vague. They evidently don't want owners messing with their machinery. Can anyone here help me out with some adjustments to improve cold starting? Thanks in advance.

I have an older Kohler similar problem hard starting in idle, until you increased the throttle. Inside the carb there is a jet that has 2 O-rings very small. Bottom O-ring was cracked, replaced O-ring and all is good. The jet is removable about 1" or so long.

 

[ILENGINE]

I believe that Kohler spring loaded is meant to partially open when the engine is running and not when cranking.

Now modifying choke is an old Tecumseh trick that works on a lot of engines. Sometimes you can find a different plate (vane, butterfly) that has smaller holes. Other times it takes sealing one of holes or welding up a hole and drilling it out smaller. I have even installed screws and nuts to seal them up but of they got to be pinged to prevent from coming apart and being inhaled.

I got a Subaru 650 wagon that has such a mod done. It would not start to save your life below 35F.

And I also engines that these vane holes had to be enlarged due startup flooding while cranking.

Most will flutter when the engine is cranking. Sometimes it is how the tension is set on the spring from the factory. But I have seen more that flutter than stay closed during cranking.

 

[reynoldston]

I see that the choke and oil has been covered. When you say it starts hard what is it doing? Turns over very slow? You might want to check to see if the fuel pump is holding pressure seeing it starts with starting fluid. There are many things that can cause hard starting?

 

[twerth]

Wow! This thread has taken on a life of its own! So many people reaching out to try to help. What a great forum!

To circle back, adjusting the choke solved the problem. Easy fix that I should have been able to figure out myself. Thanks!!

SOLVED