Hey Guys,
I have a tough one for you today. I have a Craftsman tractor (model # 917.259551) with a kohler command 15.5HP (model cv15s) engine. I got this mower back in 1997 new and has run GREAT .... until last year. I go overboard on maintenance every year, syn oil, plug, oil filter, air etc....
Last year as I would try to start it the engine would lock up on me and gas would pour out the exhaust. I gave it a couple of mins and turned the engine from the top by hand to make sure it wasn't locked up anymore, it would start up and run fine. This went on every week last year. I cleaned it up put stabil in the gas and stored it for the winter as I always do. THIS year I go to change the oil and the gas from the gas tank drained into the crankcase (gravity fed tank). Changed the oil and started it up, NOW I DON'T HAVE THE LOCK UP PROBLEM ANYMORE AT START UP?? (go figure!!!)
This year I started belching blue smoke out the exhaust. Checked the oil again and sure enough 1/3 of the gas in the tank leaked down into the crank again. So I took the carb off thinking the float was stuck/dirty etc. Cleaned it out, nothing apparent seemed out of the ordinary. I added an inline fuel shut off after the fuel filter - this prevents the gas now from getting into the crank. But I am experiencing some hard starting. First it was 3 GOOD LONG cranks from the starter now it's seems like a couple of mins. I have to sit there and fiddle with it to get it going. I can hear it puffing out the exhaust so I am holding compression and it's backfiring once or twice so I am getting spark. It is getting plenty of gas as I stated before. It will fire up eventually and once it gets warmed up, she runs like I just got her yesterday, and when the engine is all warmed up I can turn it off and start it right up, no problem at all. It's just the cold starts are the problem and it seems to be getting worse. I have done internet searches on this problem and it "seems" to be a specific problem to this kohler engine family as I have heard this problem stated before, BUT no one seems to have an answer or I have to pay $30 to talk to a Kohler specialist.
ANY AND ALL thought or comments would be appreciated. I am at a loss here guys............... HELP!!!!!
THANKS FOR TIME
HOSS
I have a tough one for you today. I have a Craftsman tractor (model # 917.259551) with a kohler command 15.5HP (model cv15s) engine. I got this mower back in 1997 new and has run GREAT .... until last year. I go overboard on maintenance every year, syn oil, plug, oil filter, air etc....
Last year as I would try to start it the engine would lock up on me and gas would pour out the exhaust. I gave it a couple of mins and turned the engine from the top by hand to make sure it wasn't locked up anymore, it would start up and run fine. This went on every week last year. I cleaned it up put stabil in the gas and stored it for the winter as I always do. THIS year I go to change the oil and the gas from the gas tank drained into the crankcase (gravity fed tank). Changed the oil and started it up, NOW I DON'T HAVE THE LOCK UP PROBLEM ANYMORE AT START UP?? (go figure!!!)
This year I started belching blue smoke out the exhaust. Checked the oil again and sure enough 1/3 of the gas in the tank leaked down into the crank again. So I took the carb off thinking the float was stuck/dirty etc. Cleaned it out, nothing apparent seemed out of the ordinary. I added an inline fuel shut off after the fuel filter - this prevents the gas now from getting into the crank. But I am experiencing some hard starting. First it was 3 GOOD LONG cranks from the starter now it's seems like a couple of mins. I have to sit there and fiddle with it to get it going. I can hear it puffing out the exhaust so I am holding compression and it's backfiring once or twice so I am getting spark. It is getting plenty of gas as I stated before. It will fire up eventually and once it gets warmed up, she runs like I just got her yesterday, and when the engine is all warmed up I can turn it off and start it right up, no problem at all. It's just the cold starts are the problem and it seems to be getting worse. I have done internet searches on this problem and it "seems" to be a specific problem to this kohler engine family as I have heard this problem stated before, BUT no one seems to have an answer or I have to pay $30 to talk to a Kohler specialist.
ANY AND ALL thought or comments would be appreciated. I am at a loss here guys............... HELP!!!!!
THANKS FOR TIME
HOSS