2165 Running rough and blowing black smoke

Wanavet · Sep 19, 2005

My 2165 just started running rough after the last time that I mowed and is blowing black smoke. If I remove the air cleaner it seems to clear up. Will a new air filter fix the problem?

gamble77 · Sep 19, 2005

That would be where I would start, does the air cleaner look dirty?

Wanavet · Sep 19, 2005

The pre-filter was fairly dirty but the air filter itself didn't look all that bad. When I removed the metal top off of the air cleaner while it was running there was quite a bit of suction holding it down.

gamble77 · Sep 19, 2005

Just replace both the filters and see what happens.

cyberkrazze · Sep 19, 2005

If it clears up with removing the air filter, i'd say it's a dirty air filter. It doesn't always look really dirty when an air filter is plugged. It's a cheap test anyway.

Wanavet · Sep 19, 2005

Not that cheap of a test!!! Just picked up a filter and it was over $19.00 /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

JTKub · Sep 19, 2005

Check NAPA or Carquest next time for an aftermarket air filter. eBay has good deals as well. You can shop-vac the pre and main filter to clean them up as well, but you should replace them per the manual. $19 for that filter is absolutely rediculous!
G/luck
Joel

Wanavet · Sep 20, 2005

Even though it wasn't cheap for the Briggs filter it worked running well. I had to replace the plugs as well due to them being fouled.

200_Buck_2165 · Sep 20, 2005

Same exact problem I had with mine (hence the $200 deal). Turns out the filter was getting soaked with oil from the breather hose in the airbox due to a bad reed valve in the breather "block" itself. The filter was brand new, but it had become soaked with oil from the extra blowby getting by the bad reed valve.

Currently I rigged a hose to vent the breather outside of the airbox and have had no problems since while waiting for a new breather assembly.

Not sure if it's the same as your problem, but has the same symptoms (runs rich with aircleaner installed, runs fine without).

Best of luck.

cyberkrazze · Sep 21, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Not that cheap of a test!!! Just picked up a filter and it was over $19.00 /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )</font>

I thought it was cheap as compared to bringing it into a dealer to have repaired. Just thought i'd give you something to try before having a dealer or repair shop work on it.
/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif