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Kohler engine won't run

13 years ago

I have a Craftsman mower with a Kohler Command engine Cv22s, which is a twin cylinder motor. After sitting for several months, I found the mower will not start. It does crank, and will run for several seconds when gas is poured into the carb. It will do this repeatedly. I have replaced the fuel filter and then the fuel pump. Still get the same result. What should I do next? The mower is approximately 8 or 9 years in age.

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Comments (6)

baymee
13 years ago
The first test would be to remove the fuel line from the carb and see if gas pumps out when cranking. Use proper care.

If so, is there a solenoid valve on the bottom of the carb that isn't opening? It's electrically controlled.

If the solenoid opens, then I suspect bad gas or varnish in the carb, since it's been setting for a few months.
wmsuber
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the reply Baymee, I am getting fuel to the carb. I unhooked the line and fuel pumps out when cranking. I found a similar post and learned how to remove solenoid. It was froze up, but after cleaning it will work when current is applied. By the crude and slight corrosion on plunger, I suspect I have other issues with carb. When I removed solenoid, the gas that ran out of carb had a watery gas smell. I am needing to proceed with what I can do on carb, but I have limited experience here. Any pointers or suggestions?
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Your reading of 60-70 PSI on a compression gauge while cranking is only indicative of a properly operating compression release mechanism. The ACR is effective below 700 RPM and cranking speeds are are usually around 400 RPM or so. I think you have been chasing a red herring or a wild goose (regarding the compression). The ACR is why a leak down test is best for determining suspected compression losses. Did your engine seem to be cranking really fast? If compression loss was an issue, the engine would have seemed like it was really spinning fast when cranked, kinda like when you spin an engine with spark plugs removed. Have you tried spraying a 2 second shot of carburetor cleaner or pouring a spoonful of gasoline into the carb throat to see if it wants to start up and run well for a couple of seconds before it dies? Try that, and if the engine acts like it really wants to run well (for a couple of seconds), then you have a fuel delivery problem. Have you tried a new spark plug? Beware, testing plugs when they are removed from the engine can give false results. A bad plug might show a spark if removed and laid against the engine and the engine cranked. But the same plug might not be sparking at all while under the influence of compression in the combustion chamber.
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ewalk
13 years ago
Wms: Sounds like your carb may be in the same condition as the elect. solenoid . Drain your fuel out put new fuel back in with some dry gas treatment and fuel cleaner . Let it sit for a few hrs and then attempt starting with if req'd a few squirts of carb cleaner within the carb . Once it starts keep it idling until the cleaner does it's job . Hopefully you may not need to dismantle and clean the carb needle valve & fuel circuits due to watered down fuel and debris .
baymee
13 years ago
Sounds to me that the ethanol based fuel absorbed moisture and caused rusting and corrosion. Sea Foam, among others, is supposed to prevent this, and it's what I started using.
wmsuber
Original Author
13 years ago
Hey, the carb. cleaner did the trick and the engine is getting plenty of fuel to remain running. Thanks for the responses and helpful suggestions everyone. Now I have a new situation in the mower will not move when put into forward or reverse. Belts look like they are in place with plenty of tension. It was suppose to be working fine when it was parked. I said earlier it had not been cranked for several months, but it was not driven in probably 18 months. It has been loaded and trucked to 2 different locations. Could something have been knocked out of place or the fluid low. This was my fathers mower so I have no manual.
wmsuber
Original Author
13 years ago
I found the directions for purging the transmission and did so. In the process I found the foot pedal when released was not returning the up position. By pulling it up with my foot, the mower will go forwards and backwards, but does so sluggishly. I also smelled a slight burning oder, but could be solvents or oil on muffler, but it smelled more like a rubber smell. Any suggestions about where to find an online manual for this mower.

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