My LT-1000(16 HP Kohler) is leaking gas from the exhaust system. Any ideas why?? It over flooded the engine and got gas into the oil pan so i drained oil and replaced. I thought it was the carb floater that was stuck or not working so i took it apart cleaned and put back in, but im having the same issue! When i first when out to start the mower the starter was unable to turn over the flywheel, and it was quite difficult for me to do it by hand but when it finally did spin, a lot, i mean alot of gas poured out of the exhaust pipe. If its not the carb floater piece, what else could be causing this?? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Craftsman LT-1000 leaking gas from exaust
- Thread starter w0lf215
- Start date
RandyT
Elite Member
The needle valve attached to the float is not sealing. have had a run of this recently on several kohlers going through my repair shop. most I can polish the seat with a q-tip with a little valve grinding compound on it. others only option was to replace the carb. one recent carb was $240 on an older cub cadet.
mostly_gas
Super Member
If it has a fuel pump then the pump could leak fuel into the vacuum source (cylinder head?) then into the exhaust.
RandyT
Elite Member
the vacuum source for the pump is either in the valve cover or directly attached to the block therefore the fuel would fill up the crankcase first if it was the fuel pump. I am almost certain it is the carb leaking fuel overfilling the carb then running in through an open intake valve filling the cylinder with gas then out the exhaust when the valve opens.
mostly_gas
Super Member
Read second line of OP 1st post. "gas in oil pan"
RandyT
Elite Member
mostly_gas The gas gets in the oil pan because it overflows the carb and run in through the breather hose connected to the breather cover. Some gas will also seep past the rings and also get in the oil. When you drain about a gallon of gas/oil out of 15-20 crankcases a year you learn the drill.
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Baby Grand
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I just had the gas in the crankcase drill with my Craftsman (B&S 21HP) mower. I installed an on/off valve in the fuel line and shut the fuel off whenever the engine gets shut down.
PoodlePimp
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I just went down that road with fuel running out of my kohler carburator. After a new carb kit and a solenoid fuel was still running out. I called Kohler and talked with the tech department. These engines have brass needle seats and it is the ethanol fuel that is eating them up and causing them to leak. Kohler will sell you a new seat with a special tool for 40 bucks, or the only way to fix it is to install a fuel shut-off valve below the tank. Sometimes you can polish the seat with a q-tip and some compound, but with time your problem will be back. From what i have been told there is a whole slew of engines out there experiencing this problem. It sounds like somebody needs to come up with a rubber seat to install like they use on the Tecumseh engines. What next???
chkntrktr
Bronze Member
I had the same problem with a 18 hp briggs on a rider and my rear tine tiller. It's the ethanol and I am installing shut-offs on me two riders and sleeve hitch tiller. Evidently even using stabilizer doesn't help with the gas we have to use now.