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Hi
I have a John deere x300r with a 17hp kawasaki (kaxs family)

Engine runs fine for a few minutes and then starts spluttering.... I can only keep it going by feathering the choke in/out to get it back to the shed! Tractor only has 200hrs on it!
I've changed fuel and filter (twice), put sea foam though (twice), blown through the fuel lines, checked the fuel solenoid (clicks nicely with 12v), and sprayed copious amounts of carb cleaner through the carb.....
Presumably it's a bath for the carb next??
If I take the carb off, do I need to strip it before soaking or do I just soak it as is? Presumably I'll need a new gasket set afterwards?
Any other ideas?
Cheers

The daysof soaking carbs in acidic or highly alkaline baths are fairly well over.
Even the solvent baths have had their day as most will do more damage than good to modern ( very cheaply made ) mower carbs.
Start by going to K & T . Click on the first Item in the navigation bar and download the manual for your engine .
When it is time to order parts just remember who you got the manual from .
The pop over to outdoor power Equipment site and read the Kawasaki carb cleaning proceedure.
As you have been mowing for a long time while you have the carb off drain the tank then let it dry and blow back up the fuel inlet to blowthe rubbish out of your tank.
You will be astonished just how much rubbish will have collected in there.

Thanks Bert.
Yep I blew out the tank yesterday and gathered a nice collection of black gunk.
I've struggled to find the carb details (I think it's kW model no. 15003-7081) but can't find details for stripping it down anywhere... And would really like to avoid doing it if poss.
Could it just be a dodgy carb gasket? (they both look OK)
Do the fuel pumps on these things have a habit of dying slowly? That's the only other thing I can think it could be ie runs OK when cold but fails as soon as its up to temp.

Any ideas would be great.

Cheers

W

Wilf1234 said:

Thanks Bert.
Yep I blew out the tank yesterday and gathered a nice collection of black gunk.
I've struggled to find the carb details (I think it's kW model no. 15003-7081) but can't find details for stripping it down anywhere... And would really like to avoid doing it if poss.
Could it just be a dodgy carb gasket? (they both look OK)
Do the fuel pumps on these things have a habit of dying slowly? That's the only other thing I can think it could be ie runs OK when cold but fails as soon as its up to temp.

Any ideas would be great.

Cheers

W

Click to expand...

You say you've got 200 hours on your mower, but how many seasons is that over? How many times over your ownership have you changed the fuel filter? How long is your off season from mowing? Did you purchase this new? Like Bert says most likely it's the carb but more background is always helpful for us and others reading the posts.

gotomow said:

You say you've got 200 hours on your mower, but how many seasons is that over? How many times over your ownership have you changed the fuel filter? How long is your off season from mowing? Did you purchase this new? Like Bert says most likely it's the carb but more background is always helpful for us and others reading the posts.

Click to expand...

Fuel filter has been changed twice over the five seasons I've owned it. It had 100hrs on the clock when I purchased it in 2015, so 25-30hrs per year.
Oil changed once.
Plugs renewed this year.
It's only used between April and September and I'm afraid I'm not the greatest at winterising it!! It's generally just left in the garage...

If you wont pull the carb apart you may as well urinate in the petrol tank .
Carbs can only be cleaned by being pulled apart , washed, dried the reassembled.
I have been using a soda blaster for quite a long while to clean carbs as soda is soluable in hot water .
You have to get all the stale old petrol gum out of the carb to get them to run right.

I'm surprised you made it this far before having trouble. As Bert says pull carb and clean thoroughly or take it in for service.

Sorted...
There was a tiny piece of thread or grass in the jet....
Running much better now, although still hunting at low idle - any advice ref that would be great.
Cheers for the help.

Glad it's running much better now. Honestly, if the only issue is some hunting at low idle I'd call it a day and maybe work on it some more on the off season. Typically hunting at low idle is either an adjustment to the low idle,( if there is one) or the jet or passage is clogged. If you choke it a little does the low idle hunting go away? However, why fiddle more with something you can use when the mowing season it just starting. Just my 2 cents but that's what i'd do.

Yep, thanks. I agree, it's been hunting for a couple of years.... The hunting does go away with a bit of choke - so probably a more aggressive soak for the carb over the winter.....

Depending upon which carb you have , sorting out the idle circuit can require a full rebuild kit & removing welch plugs & bungs or just pulling out the idle jet & blowing out the passages.
A blocked idle will also affect the high speed where the fuel will be 95% high jet & 5% idle jet so the effect of an idle jet 1/2 blocked is not all that much.
If it does not bother you & the mower continues to run on low idle then you might just leave well enough alone.
After all, low idle is for warming the engine and opening gates.
Al all other times the engine should be running full governed speed.