Toro 12.5 hp kawasaki

[Lawnstar]

I'm having trouble starting my 12.5 kawasaki. No electric start, just a pull rope. The mower is 18 months old and up until about a month ago it was starting fine.

The problem is trying to get it started for the first time of the day.
I have to pull on it 15 to 20 times. Sometimes its like its flooded. Other times it seems like its not choking and I have to use starting fluid and it still takes 15 pulls very fast to get it running, if i'm not completely out of breath.

I have replaced the spark plug, fuel filter, drained the fuel tank and let it dry out thinking it might have moisture in it. Took the bowl off the carburetor. Could water get lodged in the carburetor
and remain there even after running the mower for several hours?
I have added water drier or heat to the fuel. I'm at my rows end.

Never again will I buy another large mower without an electric start. Any thoughts? Thanks

[Fish]

Remove the air filter and see if you can see if the choke flap is
closing all of the way. It may just need a simple adjustment.
It is adjusted by loosening the cable clamp and moving it.
Fish

[65hoss]

I had the same problem last year with my 12.5 kawi. I was in the JD dealership for some tractor parts and asked the mech about it. He told me that kawi chokes were bad about not closing all the way. He told me to pust the control all the way and then check the rod to see if there was still some play in it where the choke was closing more. It was. He told me to slightly bend the rod out at the V to make it close all the way. I did it and the problem solved. Although, with temps getting lower, the oil gets thicker and its still is hard to pull. I will pull it a few times and let it sit for a min. or two and the usually after 2 more pulls it cranks.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

[Scott182]

Is the choke closing completley. I would not recomend bending any linckage it is completly ajustable. IF it is closed and you still are having a problem I would recomend a dealer doing a leak down test. How many hour are on this unit.

[Lawnstar]

Scott, the choke is closing completely. I can see the butterfly
opening and closing. The mower has about 475 hours on it.
I put the mow in the shop last week. I have not heard anything
yet.

[Lawnstar]

I picked my mower up today. The problem was
the intake valve not seating. They had to install
a new head gasket, valve cover gasket, and intake
valve. Thank goodness it was all covered under warranty.
Now it cranks on the first pull now.:)