On Jan 2, 8:51*pm, "Hustlin' Hank" wrote:
I hope I'm in the right NG.

I have a 36" exmark metro walk-behind mower. It has the Kawasaki 460v-
s14 engine. It is very hard to start.

First I dis-assembled the carb and blew out all passages. Carb bowl
looked clean and main jet was clear. Still no start.

I dis-connected the ground wire at the coil so that no safety switch
would affect it, altho I have always had spark.

I dis-assembled the carb again, this time removing the pilot jet. It
looked clean on the outside, but I blew it out the best I could. I
have a new one on order and plan on replacing it when it comes in.

I feel it is a carb problem, but I am not sure. It will start
occasionally and run great. But most of the time, it just won't
start.

It has an automatic compression release. I don't know how these work.
maybe that is the problem, I don't know. If you know, does it open the
exhaust valve a little while pull starting it?

I don't think it is timing since it runs great when it does start.

Any advise wil be helpful..........I think. :-)

Thanks,

Hank ~~~at wits end

I have heard some rumbles from owners of larger Kawasaki powered
machines that carburetion has been an ongoing problem. Warped
manifolds have been at fault in some. In the worst case it took a new
carburetor. Keep looking and maybe you'll get lucky with something
simple.

Joe