On Aug 18, 9:37�pm, hibb wrote:
I have a 15 Hp Simplicity garden tractor with a Kohler engine. This
machine is about 13 years old and I have had it since it was new.

I went out to mow the grass this weekend and the engine died on me
after about a half an hour. It just suddenly stopped and made a couple
of small back-firing noises.

I noticed it did still have a few inches of gas in the tank but I
topped off the tank with fresh gas anyway. But before I put more gas
in it I took off the fuel filter and noticed there wasn't much gas
flow from the tank. I blew out the filter with air pressure and re-
installed the fuel filter. It still wouldn't start even after adding
more gas to the tank.

I poured a little bit of gas in the carburetor and it still wouldn't
fire. I spent some time trying to get the hydrostatic transmission
release lever to disengage so I could push it back into the garage but
never got that to work so I left it alone for a while.

After a few hours, I went out and it started right up. It ran good for
15 minutes and then quit again. I left it in the yard until yesterday
morning. It started right away and I pulled it into the garage. While
I was out and about yesterday, I picked up a new fuel filter and
installed it just in case that would help.

I started mowing the yard with it again today and had the same
problems. It ran good for about a half hour and quit. I waited a few
hours and it started and quit again after about 15 minutes.

I was very hot Sunday when this started but not as hot today and even
cooler this afternoon. But I'm still wondering if it has a vapor lock
problem.

Anybody got any more ideas I can try?

Thanks, David

Before you buy expensive electronic modules, coils, stators, carbs,
pumps and such, CHANGE the spark plug. Don't check to see if it is
getting spark because many times they can show spark and run fine,
only to fail a minute later and then work fine after another few
seconds.

2 days ago a guy brought me a John Deere Gator 4X2 to fix. It would
start and run great for a minute or two, then die, then start right
back up for a minute or two. It would idle forever. AFter checking the
fuel delivery system ( it was fine), I replaced the spark plug and it
ran fine for my test drive of a few miles. $3 part and $35 labor and
he was on his way.

Hank