Runs only on Choke???

[FxdGrMind]

Ok 10+ yr old V twin Kohler 16 hp motor.

I ran it the prior w/e... no issues. 7 day's later ....

It will run, but only on "Choke" and then smokes like a BUG SPRAYER!!!

This happened 2 years ago also. Then I changed filters, Oil and plugs and all was good. This time no change.

I'm suspecting the fuel pump, but I ran it with the fuel line disconnected flowing into a cup and fuel flowed.... Maybe not enough??

Any thoughts?

 

[Scooby074]

What colour is the smoke?

Check and clean your carb as a start. Then go from there.

 

[PHIL850]

I agree with Scooby. It sounds like your Main jet is plugged up and it is running
extreamly lean. turning on the choke richens things up enough to get her to run.

Pull the fuel bowl off the carb, clean out all the sediment and junk in there,
remove your main jet and blow it out clean and reassemble the whole shootin
match.

Ciao, Phil

 

[KennyV]

I'm with Scooby & Phil on this...
drain the carb, water will set under the fuel...
and then check the fuel level in the carb (float level)... KennyV

 

[FxdGrMind]

I had pulled off the top of the carb and all looked clean as can be... I guess there might be water in the bowl...

I'll head back out and fully disasemble...

 

[Egon]

Play with high speed jet setting.

 

[FxdGrMind]

Well.... can't fully disassemble... bolts are on the bottom and I'd have to take the fairing off the motor... which means I might as well just pull the whole thing.... GGRRRRR

I checked the valves for open/stuck, but all 4 work fine.

I checked the fuel pump again, disassembled and all is in order there, plenty of fuel flow when I re-assembled and turned it over. Nice flow.

Went back and tried it all again... still will not run unless on choke.

And it is WHITE smoke.... GOBs of it.

I noticed it would backfire up the carb just before starting on choke now though.... does that symptom help any???

Cheers

 

[sunnyside360]

My 90 year old neighbor had the exact same problem as you. Turned out he used some really old gas from a can stored in one of his sheds. Besides being old, it was very dirty and had water in it. The gas filter was clogged and had a hole allowing dirt to get to the fuel pump and then the carb.
Had to flush the tank, replace the filter, and clean the carb.

 

[Just Bill]

I had the same problem after letting a mower sit over the winter.
I made a trip to walley world and bought a bottle of carb&injector cleaner.
I put half in 5 gal. of fresh gas and after a few tanks full it started and ran
better than it had in a long time. Give it a try its cheap and it might save you a lot of work.

 

[FxdGrMind]

Well, that's not it..... New filters..(all) and I just put gas in it from the gas station. It goes through a lot of gas every year, so i don't have much around very long.

I'm baffled, nothing I have done... clean carb, plugs, fuel pump, replace all filters, change oil. and to top it off, just pulled the valve covers and checked rockers, valve operation and spring tension.

That's as far as I can go without removing the motor from the chassis.

Thanks for all the input. I'll be headed to the shop tomorrow after work.