First full day with new Lazer

[Lawn-Scapes]

So far so I'm pretty pleased.

I have a couple of questions though...

It's a 25hp Kohler and it backfires just about every time I shut it down. I read the Kawis do this alot. Is this unusual for Kohler? Is it just a break in thing that will get better?

The hydrolics seem to me to be pretty noisy... forwards, backwards...always hear 'em working. Much more pronounced than my previous Gravely ZTR. Normal?

Last job of the day my customer comes out so I drive over and shut the machine off. Chit-chat a bit... show off the new machine. I go to start up the mower... Nothing! Just a very faint click. Ask the customer for a hammer, tap on the starter and it started... thank God!
What's up with that? Break in thing again?

[65hoss]

Don't know about the kohlers. The ones I have don't backfire much, but they have many hours on them by now.

Yep, the hydros are noisy. You don't really notice them at full power, but lower rpms you can really hear them scream.

Sounds like a starter problem. I would probably call the dealer and see if they have a new one in stock, and have them replace it.

[joshua]

let the machine cool down for a minute before shuting it down, thats why its making the noise afte you turn the key off. i can still hear the hydrolics working on mine after 400 hours, just normal to me, it makes me feel better though because i know their working. not sure on the last one of why it wouldn't start.

[Lawn-Scapes]

You don't really notice them at full power, but lower rpms you can really hear them scream.

That's the thing... they're pretty loud even at full power. On the Gravely I had to lower the throttle to hear them. I'll have to see if I can find someone else with one to compare.....

Thanks

[David Gretzmier]

my kohler backfired for a while when it was new, after 100 hours or so it mysteriously stopped. after 950 hours, mysteriously stopped alltogether. rebuild. dave g

[Cutter1]

The hydro's get quieter after you put some hours on it. My dealer always said to make sure you turn the mower off with atleast half throttle or it will back fire. Not sure if this helps you, but maybe it will

[John DiMartino]

The kohler 25 always backfires,if its a command pro,shut it off at wide open throttle,if its a command,let it idle for 30 seconds,and it should shut down quietly.The starter not engaging-Id demand a new one,its already getting corrosion,and dirty contacts inside.The hydros,cant help you with,check out another one if you can.

[Skolnick's Landscaping]

I have the toro z-master with the 25 koler and 118 hours on it and it has never once not back fired i was told by a few people that you have to put it to half throttle then shut it off. i tried that and it still back fired i found that putting it to low idle gives it a quiter back fire and with the starter problem sounds like a bad cellenoid.

[Mowman]

I have a 20HP Kolher Command on my Walker. It has 750 hr's on it and if I don't let it idle for a few minutes it ALWAYS will backfire. I've learned to let it idle and cool down a bit and it WILL NOT backfire. Try it and see if it solves your problem. 2-3 minutes should be enough time. Hope this help your engine problem. As far as the hydro's I will admit I have no CLUE, as Walker Mowers are a whole different design compared to other ZTR's.
Good Luck,
Mowman

[eggy]

I have a 25 hp kohler also, the key to mine at least is to let it cool down, we load the mower bring it down to idle , close the gate ...then shut the mower down its kinda like cooling down your body after a nice run....same idea... :cool:

[Randy Scott]

You should never move the mower when it is not full throttle. The motor needs to be wide open to make certain the hydro oil is flowing and the pumps have full power. That's what I have been told and it makes sense. It is such a strain on the pumps at lower idle, you can just here how it sounds and feels at low RPM and you need to keep the RPM up. I don't know about all the backfiring, I have the 26 EFI and it doesn't backfire.
When I got my LAZER I had a little trouble getting used to starting it and the first job I did I was about to call my dealer from the jobsite because I couldn't get it started. You need to make sure the levers are open ALL the way or it will click and act like the battery or starter isn't right. All it takes is a fraction of an inch and the thing won't start. Also, if you kill it by getting off the seat without the brake on or the blades still moving and you stand up(dumb anyways) it takes a little to get it started. You have to let it sit and hit the key a couple times to reset some safety device in the system. As simple as it is, it starts great once you get the routine down. Took me a couple days to remember to set the break and so on before getting off the seat. This is my first ZTR so I guess it was all new to me. good luck with yours.

[Evan528]

I used to shut off my 25 kohlor at idle and it backfired 90% of the time. I took the advice of several on here and started shutting it off at 1/2- 3/4 throttle..... hasnt backfired since!

[The_Outlaw]

I have the 20HP Kohler on my Grasshopper, when I was testing it, I shut it off at idle and it backfired. My dealer told me to shut it off at full throttle to avoid the backfire. I've been doing that, and haven't had a single backfire since.

[steveair]

hello,

We have a 14 kohler at work on a bobcat 36" and that always backfires unless you allow it to cool down. Never have had a problem since I started letting it idle for a minute or so after running.

Also have a 22hp kohler on my toro dingo, and it is the same way. Let it run at idle for a minute to cool down, and no backfire problems.

steveair

[Ssouth]

I have both Kohler and Kaw. Haven't had many probs. with the Kohler 26 EFI backfiring but the 19 Kaw. was awful at first. I posted about this last spring and the advice I was given has worked ever since then. First let the motor idle at low RPM's for 1-2min. then increase the throttle and cut the motor off imediatley. I believe I was told the reason it backfired is because of the extra fuel in the carb. So just allow it to cool off at idle then rev the 1/3 throttle and shut down. Works like a charm for me.

[slabpile]

i had a toro wb and a walker but had to idle before turn it down. Koler rep told me at a show the problem has something to do with the large muffler on thos engines. not a problem on the 26 efi. if a costomer comes out to talk just shut it off with out turning it down you wont have a prob. I just got my z master(with a 26 efi) and try to get use to all the stinking safty swithches on it. i agree with randy, make sure all those are in.

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

Originally posted by John DiMartino
The kohler 25 always backfires,if its a command pro,shut it off at wide open throttle,if its a command,let it idle for 30 seconds,and it should shut down quietly.The starter not engaging-Id demand a new one,its already getting corrosion,and dirty contacts inside.The hydros,cant help you with,check out another one if you can.

Sorry Guys, just going through the archives, and found this message. I'm an ASE certified "master" mechanic (at least that's what my certification says. lol) Anyway, shutting down a screaming engine is not something I would do to ANY engine. Let it idle for a few seconds than kill it. My 3 Lazers ALL spit, sputter, backfire like most other Kohlers. After a few seconds at idle, turn the key to "off"......immediately move your lever down to the "full steam ahead position". I NEVER have a backfiew, or reverse running if I do this. Hope this helps!

Scott

[Jason_S]

I have 2 17 hp Kawi's that ALWAYS backfire! What I have found to work is slowly wind the throttle to idle, let it run 5-10 seconds and then shutdown. I haven't had a pop using this method yet!

[Scag48]

I have an 18 HP Kohler Magnum on my Groundsmaster and it's only backfired 3 times. Twice because it was under load and 1 'cuz I don't know why. The starter problem. My starter had gotten dirt on it and wouldn't work as well so my dad took of last night to go fix it. He said it was dirty and sprayed solvant on it and them got it all clean. Says it starts very good now. We knew it was about to go when I started last Friday when it took a while to kick over and by the end of the day, it wouldn't even run the silenoid into the whirring thingy. LOL. If yours isn't working when the machine is new, take it back and make them fix it. Who wants to spend upwards of $6,000-$7,000 or even $8,000 for a defective machine. They'll fix it.

[SLS]

I have a Kawasaki 23 h.p. on my Lazer Z that would backfire every time it was shut down at full throttle. Funny thing is that it would wait 10 to 15 seconds before doing it...scared the crap out of me. :)

Then I read in my owners manual to let it idle 1 minute before switching it off...I followed these directions and it has not backfired since.

"If at first you don't succeed...read the directions!" :D

[Vibe Ray]

The trick is to cool down for 1 minute @ half throttle and kill it @ half throttle as well......shhh, don't tell anyone!!!

My .02¢