The Green Industry's Resource Center

kgbacc · #1 08-23-2012, 08:24 AM

Have a Turf Tracer Hp with 17 hp Kawasaki. It has been running fine, but yesterday while the blades are engaged it started dropping rpms and then would kick back in to full rpms and run for 2-3 mins fine and then would drop rpms again. Without the blades engaged it runs and idles great. I added gas to it yesterday before I began mowing, wondering if there could possibly be moisture in the gas that would cause it to do this all of sudden. Thanks

kgbacc · #2 08-23-2012, 02:04 PM

Help me out guys.

The Lawn Ranger CT. · #3 08-23-2012, 07:49 PM

More than sure you have a coil going bad (samething has happened to me)
Happens more once the mower gets warmer...
~To check it, when the rpm drop, carefully put the coil wire off the sparkplugs one at a time, and replace ( use a good pair of pliers ) , if she dies out its the other coil thats bad~ if she keeps running, reconnect and pull the other one~Again do this while it's bogged down ( due to running on 1 cyl )

kgbacc · #4 08-23-2012, 09:22 PM

Thanks for the info, I will try that. If a coil is going bad, shouldn't it be hard to start. Will the coils go bad all of the sudden like that. How hard is it to replace coils, is it something I can do fairly easy or do I need a mechanic?

sjessen · #5 08-23-2012, 09:43 PM

Does the engine sputter? Did you run it out of gas? Reason I ask is there may have been dirt in the bottom of the tank that got passed the filter and is now in the carburetor. The next time it starts acting up you might try closing the choke a bit to see if it is starving for fuel.

kgbacc · #6 08-23-2012, 10:16 PM

The engine does not sputter or cut out, it's just like it will lose power for a few minutes and then it will kick back in to full rpms. I didn't run it out of gas, just filled it up before I started, mowed two yards, done it once on the last yard and then done 5-6 times while I was mowing my yard.

The Lawn Ranger CT. · #7 08-23-2012, 10:31 PM

Some will say when a coil goes...it goes~! but I've had my coils go sporadically~ And act up when they get warm or hot, some days would run great and others cutting out like crazy, and really act up if it would rain and get wet~Kawasaki had a problem with older coils and replaced them with a newer model number, because of the cutting out issue ( at least thats what I was told by my dealer)
As for changing the coils, its fairly easy, with pulling off the top cowling ( so you can get to them and turn the crank to gap them), only 2 bolts hold them on, and gapping can be done with a simple business card~

kgbacc · #8 08-24-2012, 12:47 PM

When replacing the coils, is the gapping process an exact measurement or is there a range that the coil has to be gapped within? Also, I forgot to mention this in the first post, but I had also added some Seafoam to the gas. Would that cause any issues, I was told it was a good additive?

The Lawn Ranger CT. · #9 08-24-2012, 07:47 PM

Seafoam is ok, I've used it a few times, and shouldnt cause any issues~
And the gapping on the coils,...when putting on the new one its simple, bolt the new one on and snug the 2 bolts hand tight, next place a business card between the new coil and fly-wheel and rotate the flywheel til the magnets line up with the new coil, loosen the bolts so the coil is drawn to the magnet and tighten the bolts down, remove the business card and repete for the other coil ( if replacing 2 of them) and your set...the thickness of the business card is the exact gap needed~

Think Green · #10 08-25-2012, 08:34 AM

Guys,
Remember that these carbs have welsh plugs on top of them.
At any time, dirt will collect inside and under that funny little concaved plate. Most do not know what i am talking about. This little issue has made shops more money for cleaning out and replacing the plate. You need to let your mechanic do it. After leaning them out, replace the spark plugs and fuel filter.