PT 422 hard to start

[BobRip]

I have been having more and more trouble getting my model year 2000 PT 422 started. It has about 1100 hours on it and is using a lot of oil. I adjusted the valve backlash and cleaned the plugs with starting fluid. They had a lot of oil on them, but were only six months old. I was able to get it started, but it took a lot of cranking. It was also back firing through the carb while cranking. I called Terry (God Bless him) and he said you can't clean the plugs, just go ahead and replace them. Also the gap should be 0.025 inches. I did that and it started on the second crank.

Just thought this might help someone.

 

[MuncyBob]

Why can't the plugs be cleaned? Too oil fouled?

 

[BobRip]

He did not know why. Just plugs today cannot be adequately cleaned. I had this happen on a V8 many ago. The engine flooded, cleaning did not work and I put in new plugs.

 

[Marks481]

MIcro cracks in the ceramic insulator of old plugs get fouled with carbon, which shorts out the plug.

 

[MossRoad]

BobRip,
You said the plugs were only 6 months old. How many hours do you recon were on those plugs?

Also, the oil consumption.... I wonder if oil is slowly passing your rings and fouling the plugs? May be time for a compression check.

 

[BobRip]

Maybe 50 hours on plugs. Certainly the plugs were oil fouled. I am going to buy 8 next week and just replace as needed. It needs a new engine, but my plan is to buy a new 425 in 2020 or maybe earlier. It will be 20 years old then. That is enough. What a great machine it has been.

 

[BobRip]

I am still trying to use my 422, but today is was really hard to start. I noticed backfiring through the carb while trying to start with the air cleaner removed. I ran a compression test and got 160 PSI on one cylinder and 140 on the other. It seems to me that slow valve closing would cause the backfiring. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have a call in to Terry at Power Trac.

 

[Marks481]

It seems to me that slow valve closing would cause the backfiring. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have a call in to Terry at Power Trac.

Adjusted the valves recently? I think the EH65 manual calls for doing it every 100 hours or so.

 

[ernemats]

My 1999 422 has 2,689 hours on it and I have never adjusted the valves on it. It is now just starting to leak a little oil , I may have to add a half pint every 30 hours. It starts fine except in real cold weather.
I just returned from Tazewell last week, I had my 1845 sent down there to be worked on and I took 3 of the wheel motors of my 422 down to have the seals replaced, I spent several hours with Terry and he said they were changing from Subaru engines as they were bought out and that the recent Subaru engines were having some problems.

 

[Marks481]

I spent several hours with Terry and he said they were changing from Subaru engines as they were bought out and that the recent Subaru engines were having some problems.

Did he say what brand they were switching to? Back to Kohler?