Great deal on a Craftsman Riding Mower
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Thanks everyone. I'll take off the cover tomorrow an clean everything out. Didn't see any junk from above. I'll clean the sides of the engine also. Will check the oil level, but I do check every time before I use it and the level never changes.
I just thought it may be an electrical problem, which I know nothing about.
With respect to the fuel/vent system, why would it cut out only when it gets hot?
I just thought it may be an electrical problem, which I know nothing about.
With respect to the fuel/vent system, why would it cut out only when it gets hot?
No condensors, no points either. The coils spark with every revolution. Again, check the cooling fins for trash and blow out and take the fuel cap off and blow it out as well. Make sure it has enough oil and by all means change the oil filter every oil change. The Kowalski and Kohler engines only go about 1800 hours and then they are shot.
Crapsman riders are at the bottom of the quality totem pole btw. Made by MTD, just like 95% of everything else in the lawn care arena. Stamped decks, not serviceable transaxles, no grease fittings, die cast spindles you cannot grease and cheap, thin sheet metal. Need I say more?
It's a disposa mower, plain and simple.
Crapsman riders are at the bottom of the quality totem pole btw. Made by MTD, just like 95% of everything else in the lawn care arena. Stamped decks, not serviceable transaxles, no grease fittings, die cast spindles you cannot grease and cheap, thin sheet metal. Need I say more?
It's a disposa mower, plain and simple.
Well yes, that's how low oil switches work, switch grounds the coil and eliminate spark. Engines that aerate oil, sensor placement relative to how an engine is run, IE steep slopes or embankment, pressurized vs splash lube, all play a small factor in how early a oil switch is triggered. And you are right, many engines are unintentionally run low.
You just described 95% of lawn mowers yet did nothing to try and help solve the problem. (SHOCKER)
They can all be fixed. Cheap mowers = cheap replacement parts. Expensive mowers = expensive replacement parts, when they break. And they do break. I have had to rebuild the gear box on my mower deck twice in 1900 hrs using OE Superior Gear components. The 2nd time was my fault when the mounting bolts came loose from the first rebuild 5 years prior and turned the gear box into a wild drive shaft propelled club destroying the gas tank in the process. Talk about an expensive lesson in checking fasteners annually. The repair costs on that job alone could have bought a cheap used rider.
If fuel flow is reduced it runs lean under load increasing engine temps, if the engine temps get above normal it can boil the fuel in the lines and carb vapor locking it. You can instantly kill a hot spark plug hitting it with fuel, I can't count the number I have killed during the repairing of small engines especially with faulty carbs.
Keep a spare spark plug in your pocket and a primer of gas or starting fluid at the ready for when it quits.
Pull off a plug wire when it quits and install your test plug with it grounded good and look for spark.
If you have spark give it a prime of fuel.
One or the other will give you a hint.
Pull off a plug wire when it quits and install your test plug with it grounded good and look for spark.
If you have spark give it a prime of fuel.
One or the other will give you a hint.
That makes sense. And that's exactly how it's acting. I'll pick up a fuel filter this weekend and check the hoses.
Took off the cover this morning. The top fins were clean.
but the fins on the cylinders were partially clogged.
Gave everything a good dry cleaning with compressed air and a brush and then a wet cleaning got 90% of the gunk off.
The oil level was normal (checked the right way, don't screw on when checking) and will change fuel filter.
P.S. I need to find a 1/4" wide brush to be able to get between the fins better.
but the fins on the cylinders were partially clogged.
Gave everything a good dry cleaning with compressed air and a brush and then a wet cleaning got 90% of the gunk off.
The oil level was normal (checked the right way, don't screw on when checking) and will change fuel filter.
P.S. I need to find a 1/4" wide brush to be able to get between the fins better.
Well shoot! I thought the clean up would cure the problem. About an hour of mowing today and the same thing happened. Let it set 2 minutes and then restarted, half throttle to the garage. Lost a gas cap when mowing along my trees so venting was not the problem. Hope the new fuel filter does the trick.
Yep when you mow with one after the gas cap falls off it's time for a fuel filter install and might have to remove and clean the gas tank also.
Even though you are disgusted that cleaning the fins did not solve your current issue it appears that you might have saved the engine from valve seat issues. The valve seats will pop out quite often when the engine is subjected to overheating due to cooling fins restricting air flow around the heads. It was not a total waste of time.
Might also be about time to think about opening a new post. (18 pages and not the Original poster. (lots of reading back and trying to stay on the correct page. (kinda in the same category as changing horses in the middle of a stream.
Even though you are disgusted that cleaning the fins did not solve your current issue it appears that you might have saved the engine from valve seat issues. The valve seats will pop out quite often when the engine is subjected to overheating due to cooling fins restricting air flow around the heads. It was not a total waste of time.
Might also be about time to think about opening a new post. (18 pages and not the Original poster. (lots of reading back and trying to stay on the correct page. (kinda in the same category as changing horses in the middle of a stream.
Yep, I'll do that with the follow up.
A flux brush or acid brush works well .
If you post a link to your new follow up post in this thread us subbed followers will have a heads up notice about such.
Purple power cleaner degreaser applied to the fins with a brush and spray bottle usually does good.
I have hosed down a cold engine using purple power and then let it air dry for at least 24 hours before cranking but I only do such on the new to me really nasty one. Sometimes the hose bath will cause other things to crumble especially on old engines..
Later
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/kawasaki-23hp-twin-overheating.375227/post-8280337
Continuation on my zero turn engine.
Continuation on my zero turn engine.
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