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#1
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Small engine repair question
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 |
#2
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Small engine repair question
"Hustlin' Hank" wrote in message ... 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 A new spark plug will sometimes cure this problem even if the old one sparks when removed and will run the engine. I thought for many, many years that if a spark was present that indicated everything was fine. I learned that intensity of spark was important and that plugs can fail to spark only when under compression in the engine. Spark intensity accounts for a lot of the differences in ease of starting between different engines. Don Young |
#3
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Small engine repair question
On Jan 2, 9:30*pm, "Don Young" wrote:
"Hustlin' Hank" wrote in message ... 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 A new spark plug will sometimes cure this problem even if the old one sparks when removed and will run the engine. I thought for many, many years that if a spark was present that indicated everything was fine. I learned that intensity of spark was important and that plugs can fail to spark only when under compression in the engine. Spark intensity accounts for a lot of the differences in ease of starting between different engines. Don Young- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - If it starts right up using starting fluid (available at Pep boys, Walmart, etc for under $5.00), then it is 99% likely a fuel problem. If starting fluid does not ease the starting, then the spark plug is the most likely problem. You don't say how old or if it was always hard to start, etc. |
#4
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Small engine repair question
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 |
#5
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Small engine repair question
To All that responded:
The first thing I did was replace the spark plug because I also have heard that they may work outside the engine, but not under compression. It has started on occasion with strting fluid, but not always. Sometimes it will start without the starting fluid. This is the reason I cleaned the carb twice. I am hoping the new pilot jet fixes it, but not too hopeful it will. This pilot jet is different from the others I have seen. I usually run a guitar string thru the pilot jet, but in this case, the pilot jet is removable from outside the carb and doesn't have a straight path thru it, just has a series of small holes on the side of it. Confusing to me. I am also wondering about the "automatic compression release" or stuck exhaust valve. Any other suggestions? Thanks, Hank ~~~~getting ready to slit wrists :-) |
#6
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Small engine repair question
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 You need a blue strong spark, the electric ststem may not provide enough volts to ingite gas under load. If spart is weak it coild be plug wire, coil, electronic ignition module or least likely magneto. I have had coils and ignition modules go bad, usualy there are signs like rough running or not starting warm on modules, a coil will just make it hard to start. Try a bit of gasolene squired in the carb, if it starts easy its fuel related most likely, if you have ever hit anything the flywheel key bay be bent and its out of timing the could make it hard to start. Does it work with either or gas. Low oil cutoffs can go bad. Try squirting gas in carb and look at the color of the spark, blue is what you want. |
#7
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Small engine repair question
if its cold where you are and you have 30w oil in it,that can
make it hard to get started.try 5w30 oil. try it with the air filter off , ive seen a bunch,the guy would oil the foam precleaner,it soaks right into the paper and air wont go thru the paper. ---------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm |
#8
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Small engine repair question
Does the choke close, for starting? Is there a good gasket between the carb
and the engine block? I've seen motors where the gasket is missing or dried out. So, the engine sucks air through the gap, instead of drawing gas air mix. You mention havinig the carb off, a couple times. Please try a light bit of Permatex 2b non hardening gasket stuff on the gasket. Very messy, removes from skin by using alcohol drygas. But much easier to be extra careful, and not get it on you. -- Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org .. "Hustlin' Hank" wrote in message ... 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 |
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