Cub Cadet Wont Start Kohler Courage 23

[evanburris1]

Hello All,

TIA for help. I have a 2011 Kohler Courage 23 in a Cub Cadet Lt1050 with just a few hundred hours. It wont start. New Plugs, Cleaned Gas Lines, Removed Carb Cleaned it, Cleaned Coil and Mag on fly wheel, Oil level is good and oil was changed midseason last year .Has spark gets gas. Motor Turns over easily 7 or 8 times then backfires through the carb. I have checked the key on fly wheel and its good. At my wits end on day 4 of working on this thing. It ran fine at the end of last season no smoke no issues. sat for 2 months, fired it up to moved it about a month ago but now it wont start. Not sure where/what to look at next. It stays in a shed and isnt exposed to elements just difference in temp.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

whats the model number? Kohler puts it on a silver tag along with other info, (Model and Spec number) should be SVxxx-xxxx
I'm thinking you may have a valve timing issue, as the courage has twin plastic gear cams. however, try getting some starting fluid, (carb/parts cleaner works fine for this) and spray it in the intake (Through the carburetor about a 2 second burst) and try to start it, if you get the same results as when normal starting, remove the spark plug and spray it in the plug hole, reinstall plug and wire, try to start. If you get good results ( no backfire, runs good for a split second) i would suspect a valve timing issue. Now, If you when you spray the startin fluid in the carb and it runs good, probably a fuel issue.

 

[ILENGINE]

Try removing the air filter and dumping a small amount of gas down into the intake and see what happens. If it starts and then dies you still have a carb issue, possibly the fuel solenoid on the carb not working or sticking closed.

 

[ILENGINE]

whats the model number? Kohler puts it on a silver tag along with other info, (Model and Spec number) should be SVxxx-xxxx
I'm thinking you may have a valve timing issue, as the courage has twin plastic gear cams. however, try getting some starting fluid, (carb/parts cleaner works fine for this) and spray it in the intake (Through the carburetor about a 2 second burst) and try to start it, if you get the same results as when normal starting, remove the spark plug and spray it in the plug hole, reinstall plug and wire, try to start. If you get good results ( no backfire, runs good for a split second) i would suspect a valve timing issue. Now, If you when you spray the startin fluid in the carb and it runs good, probably a fuel issue.

The Courage 23 is a V twin engine.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

The Courage 23 is a V twin engine.

Thanks

 

[evanburris1]

Hello All,

I have used starting fluid no start still. It gets gas into carb, its spitting it back out in air box... I noticed that when i move the throttle lever the linkage doesnt move and the butterfly in the carb is wide open, you can maunally move it but it springs back to wide open and wont move with the throttle lever? Choke moves fine, everything was clean.

 

[Born2Mow]

Gas, fire, or compression. One of those 3 is missing.

>> The ethanol fuel is so very, very bad that 98% of the winter storage issues revolve around gummed up carbs. So mechanics will immediately ask about the fuel. That's why the questioning so far has been focused there.

>> If there was ANY fuel left in the float bowl over the winter, then it could have fouled both plugs. If that is so, then they are dead and no amount of care will bring them back. New plug time.

 

[Ranamow]

Hello All,

TIA for help. I have a 2011 Kohler Courage 23 in a Cub Cadet Lt1050 with just a few hundred hours. It wont start. New Plugs, Cleaned Gas Lines, Removed Carb Cleaned it, Cleaned Coil and Mag on fly wheel, Oil level is good and oil was changed midseason last year .Has spark gets gas. Motor Turns over easily 7 or 8 times then backfires through the carb. I have checked the key on fly wheel and its good. At my wits end on day 4 of working on this thing. It ran fine at the end of last season no smoke no issues. sat for 2 months, fired it up to moved it about a month ago but now it wont start. Not sure where/what to look at next. It stays in a shed and isnt exposed to elements just difference in temp.

I would

Hello All,

TIA for help. I have a 2011 Kohler Courage 23 in a Cub Cadet Lt1050 with just a few hundred hours. It wont start. New Plugs, Cleaned Gas Lines, Removed Carb Cleaned it, Cleaned Coil and Mag on fly wheel, Oil level is good and oil was changed midseason last year .Has spark gets gas. Motor Turns over easily 7 or 8 times then backfires through the carb. I have checked the key on fly wheel and its good. At my wits end on day 4 of working on this thing. It ran fine at the end of last season no smoke no issues. sat for 2 months, fired it up to moved it about a month ago but now it wont start. Not sure where/what to look at next. It stays in a shed and isnt exposed to elements just difference in temp.

I would pull the valve covers and check the clearance. Could have a bent push rod or a valve seat issue.

 

[Bobw2bs]

Hello All,

TIA for help. I have a 2011 Kohler Courage 23 in a Cub Cadet Lt1050 with just a few hundred hours. It wont start. New Plugs, Cleaned Gas Lines, Removed Carb Cleaned it, Cleaned Coil and Mag on fly wheel, Oil level is good and oil was changed midseason last year .Has spark gets gas. Motor Turns over easily 7 or 8 times then backfires through the carb. I have checked the key on fly wheel and its good. At my wits end on day 4 of working on this thing. It ran fine at the end of last season no smoke no issues. sat for 2 months, fired it up to moved it about a month ago but now it wont start. Not sure where/what to look at next. It stays in a shed and isnt exposed to elements just difference in temp.

I had issues with mine. It would start and run but turn it off and would not restart. New coil. On the upside, at least everything else gets cleaned.

 

[VRR.DYNDNS>BIZ]

Try removing the air filter and dumping a small amount of gas down into the intake and see what happens. If it starts and then dies you still have a carb issue, possibly the fuel solenoid on the carb not working or sticking closed.

I second the fuel solenoid - and add they can be very intermittent and also may only stroke partially so that under load or higher rpm you run out of fuel.