deere down

[mygt225]

Hello everyone need some advice. My GT225 is down. Had the machine about a year, in good shape ran well.

Been having some problems with it; run fine for 15-20 minutes then acts like it running out of gas. Sputter and cough sometimes backfire then catch up. Some times stall out but crank right up. Last time it was really hard to cold start, but ran fine for 20-30 min. This time it wont start. Motor cranks, spark tester shows spark, new fuel filter, fuel pump is pumping fuel but machine wont even try to fire up. Crank long enough you can see the intake getting wet with gas. Stuck valve? Any other thoughts before I tear too far into the engine?

 

[SandburRanch]

A quick check of compression is the old thumb on spark plug hole test. If it's impossible to keep our thumb on the plug hole at cranking speed there is usually enough compression to start. That's one free compression test to get out of the way. Another test on twin cylinder engines is to remove the spark plug on one cyl. and try to start. If it fails, re- install the plug and remove the other plug and try again. Unless a bad cylinder is screwing up all operations they will usually run on one cylinder.

 

[murphy1244]

try removing the gas cap to see if the vent is plugged.

 

[tony visser]

Drain fuel and try fresh gas

 

[swines]

try removing the gas cap to see if the vent is plugged.

Agree.

Then check the fuel lines from the tank to carburetor. Old gas lines get soft and can either collapse restricting fuel, or get hard, crack and cause air to get into the gas line. I replaced all the gas lines on my 17 year old GT275 five years ago and was quite surprised at how badly they had deteriorated from ozone etc.

Start with the simple stuff and rule those out before you decide it's more complicated.

 

[oldpilgrim]

First change the plug. My guess is bad gas. If the intake is wet and you have spark and the gas doesn't ignite, then it must be bad gas.

 

[mygt225]

Thanks for all suggestions.

Compression test showed 85psi, cold no oil. Seems a little low, but cold no oil and something about a compression release for starting on the cv15s

Gas cap vent was gutted long ago.

I use stabil in my gas, the push mower filled from same can starts on first pull.

Plug has about 10 hours on it. Hold it to the block and crank gives a nice bright spark.


Plug is wet when I pull it out, though not very. Leaning toward carb rebuild or new carb.

 

[deerseeker001]

Take a straight pin and clean the hole in top of gas cap,this also happened to me.start good then ran for 15-20 mins then acted like not getting gas.cleaned vent hole been running good a couple Years now.I didn't even know there was a vent hole in it.It is a very small hole in the center of the top of Cap.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Also, double check to make sure you used the correct spark plug when you replaced it. I recently read a post by somebody that was having fits with his mower after changing plugs only to discover he had bought the wrong ones.

 

[mygt225]

Deere back up.

Replaced fuel system; fuel line, fuel pump, carb....helped a little. Hard to start (but would) still random stall out.

Replaced ignition coil....now starting and running like a new one.