Kohler 17HP engine dying

[freddmc]

I have a Huskvarna riding mower with a Kohler 17HP engine.
After it has been running for about an hour the engine starts to hunt and then dies completely. If you leave it for a couple of minutes it will start right up and run fine for 10-15 seconds and then dies. If I let it die and immediatley remove the fuel line and check in the float bowl there is gas so I don't think it is a fuel delivery problem. It has me stumped. I haven't changed the spark plug in a long time.Could this be the problem?

Regards

Fred Mc.

[amcjavelin74]

It could be a coil...
but... I would change the spark plug, engine oil, and air filter every year. While small engines don't see the "miles" a car does, the conditions are worse... generally small engines are under much greater load (think driving your car around at half throttle or more all the time, instead of cruising down the highway or puttering around town), being air cooled the oil sees higher temperatures which means it chemically breaks down faster (and small engines often don't have oil filters... oil filters became commonplace in cars in the 1950s, if not earlier). Being dirty and dusty an air filter doesn't hurt, and of course a spark plug is only a couple of bucks so it's just good maintenance.

[KE4AVB]

Please post your engine's model and spec numbers so we see what you have.

[Deere2me]

I have a Huskvarna riding mower with a Kohler 17HP engine.
After it has been running for about an hour the engine starts to hunt and then dies completely. If you leave it for a couple of minutes it will start right up and run fine for 10-15 seconds and then dies. If I let it die and immediatley remove the fuel line and check in the float bowl there is gas so I don't think it is a fuel delivery problem. It has me stumped. I haven't changed the spark plug in a long time.Could this be the problem?

Regards

Fred Mc.

Prolly the fuel/anti-afterfire solenoid acting up. All the fuel goes thru the main jet, and that is what the solenoid acts on, shutting off the fuel delivery when ya de-energize it. The cheap way out is to clip the pintle/plunger off and unplug it. Just idle down a bit to cool the motor before ya shut down.


Get ya a manual here: http://www.kohlerengines.com/manuals/landing.htm

[bgsengine]

It could be vapor locking - run it until the problem occurs, then loosen or remove the gas cap and try again , (two or three times) see if the problem repeats. If it does, it aint't gas cap, might be as Deere said, possible anti-afterfire solenoid failure. (Might even be one of those affected by what I'd call "hot Solenoid Syndrome" - but we REALLY need your engine model, spec, and date code numbers for that.)

[KE4AVB]

Could even be a bad fuel line. We just had that problem here in another topic where the engine would suck the fuel filter dry and die after 20 minutes of running but when the fuel flow was checked it was present.

[freddmc]

I think I have eliminated the fuel line or filter as when it died the last time I quickly disconnected the fuel line and checked the float bowl which had fuel in it. So the engine died while still having fuel in the carb. I think perhaps it might be the fuel/anti-fire solenoid as it seems to be fuel related.

Unfortunately the indetification tag on the engine came off but the owners manual says it is a Command Series Kohler and lists the models as CV11,CV 12.5, CV 14, CV15,CV16,CV460 and CV490. The engine has a tag on it saying 17HP.

Thanks

Fred

[StarTech]

Well that gets us down to the CV490, Couple versions list as Husqvarna's spec. Does your have the mechanical fuel pump?

[freddmc]

No, mine has gravity feed.

[StarTech]

Then mostly it is CV490-27511 based on the HP label.