Piece of junk Kohler

[MLS]

Can someone tell me what is wrong with this @$#% motor? It will start and begin to run fine but all the sudden it dies. Its as if I just turned off the key. By the way it is one of the dreaded 25hp Kohlers. It is mounted on a 61&quot; Kees z max. I ahve changed the plugs and the fuel filter. Also I have &quot;jumped&quot; all the safety switches. Sometimes the thing will start and run fine for a couple of hours and the BAM there it goes. Other times it will only run for a couple of seconds. The dealer thinks that it is the fuel pump but I disconnected the fuel line and started the thing and it filled a 20 oz. bottle full of fuel fairly quickly. By the way while it was filling the bottle the motor ran fine (until the fuel ran out of the line). It is still under warranty but this dealer takes forever and if it is something simple then I can fix it myself. Thanks in advance for the replies. Also thanks to Chuck and Eric for providing a place such as this for all of us to share knowledge.<p><br>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;Edited by: MLS<br><p><font size="1">Edited by: MLS

[Eric ELM]

MLS: The Thanks goes to Chuck. I just help him out with this forum.<br>I've got a 22 HP Kohler that has had this symtom. It was like I had shut the key off. If I would wiggle the connector to the key switch, it would run again. I cleaned up the connectors and put electrical grease on the prongs and it's been fine ever since. Give that a try, it may fix it.<p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://pages.prodigy.net/eric.erickson/&quot;&gt;Eric@ELM&lt;/a&gt;<p><p><font size="1">Edited by: Eric ELM

[Richard Martin]

You might also want to check and see if there is any moisture inside the carb bowl(s).

[fdew]

Looking at the manual, your engine requires 2 things (electrical) to operate. First it needs 12 volts on a violet wire to a 5 wire connector coming from the engine. Second it needs to not have a ground on a white wire to the same connector. (This is the kill switch wire from the key, safetys, ETC. If it were me, I would hot wire direct from the battery + to the violet wire I would disconnect the white wire and try it. (Also check that the battery is well grounded) If hot wiring fixes it then the trouble is in the mower wiring if not then it is in the engine. I am betting on a bad connection some where.<p>Frank

[MOW ED]

Form a guy who had and sold a Kohler 25 hp form 1998 I can tell you to check a few things in this order.<br>1. Who can you sell it to.<br>2. Intake manifold gasket defects.<br>3. Ignition coil problems x 2.<br>4. Defective piston rings.<p>If all else fails really consider #1. I did and bought a new 26EFI and I love mowing life again. More questions - e mail me. Good Luck.

[Eric ELM]

Mowed: How do you like that 26 EFI? I saw one and it looks like it has lots of wiring on it compared to any other gas engines. What kind of hourly gas usage are you using? Aprox. how much more was this over the air cooled? All these questions. LOL<br><p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://pages.prodigy.net/eric.erickson/&quot;&gt;Eric@ELM&lt;/a&gt;<br>

[Finecut]

Eric,<p>Saw a tag on a Toro 26hp yesterday and they say only $300 more for EFI and I believe it was a gas saving per hour of .03 gallons per hour. They also showed $1.30 per gallon as the basis to show you you can save your extra $300 in gas savings. Much more to be saved at todays prices for gas!

[Eric ELM]

Thanks for the Info Finecut. MLS, did you figure out the problem yet? Just wondering what it was.<p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://pages.prodigy.net/eric.erickson/&quot;&gt;Eric@ELM&lt;/a&gt;<br>

[MLS]

Well the saga continues but I think that I have figured it out. This morning I took a small tank off of an old push mower (Stone would be proud) and hooked it to the gas line that runs into the carb therefore bypassing the fuel pump. I held the tank and my brother drove us around our shop for about ten minutes. It ran fine so I filled up this makeshift tank and loaded the mower on the trailer and headed to the first yrad of the day. It was a three acre job and I used the mower on about half of it. It ran fine and I probably could have finished with it but it was killing me to drive with one hand and hold the tank with the other. This afternoon I changed all the fuel lines from the fuel pump back and drained all the gas from the tanks and hooked all the lines back up. I then started the mower and it started the same old stuff again so I feel positive that it is the fuel pump. If anyone can read my ramblings and come up with another idea then please post it. Thanks again

[MOW ED]

The 26EFI is great. The 26 has the computer brain box hidden inside but it isn't that much more wiring. The thing starts on two turnovers EVERY time. No choke. Eric it still is an air cooled engine - basically the 25 shell with more torque and useable HP. Kohler also put the cleanout kit on the front so it is easier to clean inside without having to take the whole thing apart. I wish I would have had this one in my last Walker. Gas consumption is much better also as I can mow about 6 hours on a tank where the 25 carb would dry it up in less than 4 hours.<br>Someday I will have a Chopper too. <br><p><font size="1">Edited by: MOW ED

[tru cut]

check the gas cap vent to make it is breathing. i had a snowblower have the same problems turned out to be the vent in the cap <p>----------<br>Todd <br>

[DLC]

I HAD ALMOST SAME PROBLEM AND IF YOUR BATTERY GETS BELOW 9 VOLTS WHILE ITS RUNNING IT WILL SHUT OFF. I DONT KNOW WHY BUT A FRIEND TOLD ME THIS AND I CHANGED BATTERY AND ITS RUNNING FINE

[MLS]

Eric you indeed a genius. It turns out that it was indeed the ignition switch. Robbed one off an old yazoo in the fence row and wa-la no more problems. I guess it goes to show that I should always check the simple things first.

[Eric ELM]

MLS, glad I could help you. It wasn't even my brand of mower. :) Put some electrical grease on the connectors to prevent them from corroding up and that helps a lot. It makes me feel good to help guys out in a jam. <p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://pages.prodigy.net/eric.erickson/&quot;&gt;Eric@ELM&lt;/a&gt;<br>

[fdew]

You have a old yazoo in the fence row? Sounds like fun. Where do you live? What other old stuff is sitting unused out there?<br>No, not to make money, just to play with.<p>Frank