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DESPERATE for HELP Hustler/Kawasaki wont stay running.

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ricktrips

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
FH680V 23HP Kawasaki will not stay running. Hustler fast track mower, 1200 hours. I start the day out and may mow 2 passes or 5 yards but eventually it just shuts itself down. When running it runs at full strength and gives no indication that anything is wrong, then it just decides it's done and I can restart and it may run 2 passes or 2 yards but it will do it again. You can play with the choke and it will run but constantly wants to die, choke it and it will run for 2-3 seconds, then open it up and it will run for about 2 seconds, repeat. It really seems to do it worse on any type of hill greater than 10-15 degrees. I WANT TO START SHOOTING AND NOT STOP TILL I FEEL BETTER.

Replaced one of the coil packs, other seems fine
Replaced both plugs
Replaced fuel filter
Replaced both inner and outer air filters
Changed oil once (I didn't have a filter with me)
Changed oil and filter.
Cleaned all fins around engine to ensure cooling properly
Checked all airways to make sure they were clear of obstructions.
Swapped fuel tanks to make sure one tank wasn't bad.
Opened fuel tank cap to make sure it wasn't a venting issue.
Choke arm broke so I have to manually flip the choke open and closed.

I don't have a #$%@ clue at this point and need some help. I'm about broke, can't afford to fix anything, if I don't fix it I can't work, if I don't work I can't make any money, if I don't make any money I can't afford to fix anything......
 
#6 ·
Make sure your fuel cap is venting properly and open the drain on the bottom of the carb for a few seconds to see if there's trash in it.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
Sorry everybody, forgot to come back and thank you all. It ended up needing the carb rebuilt. Apparently I had put DEATHanol in it and forgot to add the fuel stabilizer one too many times and the it trashed everything rubber in the carb.
 
#8 ·
I've got a similar issue except mine is brand new....only has 11 hrs on it. The first time it happened I had been running for exactly one hour and it shut down. It was in my backyard so I just left it (this happened at 5pm on a Friday so I was just going to wait until Monday morning to call the dealer). Went back on Sunday and just thought I'd give it a shot...cranked right up. Cut my yard again a few days later and it did it again after about 30 minutes....waited a few minutes and it cranked right back up and ran fine. The next time it happened I had been cutting about 20 minutes and it did it again. I let it sit a couple minutes, crank it and it would try to run then almost die, I would pull the choke and it would straighten out for about 3-4 seconds, try to die again, pull the choke, runs for 3-4 seconds, repeat. Then all of the sudden it is as if nothing ever happened. I changed the fuel filter just to eliminate that. Seems to be okay but I'm not convinced that it won't happen. Any suggestions besides taking it to the shop. I know it's under warranty but if it could be something simple I would just assume fix it myself rather than going through the pain of taking it in.
 
#9 ·
C130FE said:
I've got a similar issue except mine is brand new....only has 11 hrs on it. The first time it happened I had been running for exactly one hour and it shut down. It was in my backyard so I just left it (this happened at 5pm on a Friday so I was just going to wait until Monday morning to call the dealer). Went back on Sunday and just thought I'd give it a shot...cranked right up. Cut my yard again a few days later and it did it again after about 30 minutes....waited a few minutes and it cranked right back up and ran fine. The next time it happened I had been cutting about 20 minutes and it did it again. I let it sit a couple minutes, crank it and it would try to run then almost die, I would pull the choke and it would straighten out for about 3-4 seconds, try to die again, pull the choke, runs for 3-4 seconds, repeat. Then all of the sudden it is as if nothing ever happened. I changed the fuel filter just to eliminate that. Seems to be okay but I'm not convinced that it won't happen. Any suggestions besides taking it to the shop. I know it's under warranty but if it could be something simple I would just assume fix it myself rather than going through the pain of taking it in.
Click to expand...
Take it to the shop since it is under warranty. I bought a X-one when they first hit the market. Brand New it was great..but within the first day I started experiencing the shut off or it being real sluggish at times.
Took it to the dealer made as hell. A couple of hours later it was running smooth as could be. The problem believed it or not was a small piece of metal in the fuel line from the factory.
The dealer tried to tell me that sometimes gas stations have horrible gas and they have crud in their fuel and to use a better source, the problem was that I had not yet put fuel in it as he filled up both tanks for me prior to leaving with my purchase :walking:
 
#10 ·
Well it looks like the fuel filter may have fixed it. I changed it a few days ago, ran it for about 20 minutes, cut today and put 8/10's on the meter...no problems. This all started with only 10.3 hours on the mower so I didn't initially think the fuel filter could possibly be clogged. I've been buying non-ethanol from a place that only has it in the "pump out back"....I guess I will need to find another source.
 
#11 ·
C130FE said:
Well it looks like the fuel filter may have fixed it. I changed it a few days ago, ran it for about 20 minutes, cut today and put 8/10's on the meter...no problems. This all started with only 10.3 hours on the mower so I didn't initially think the fuel filter could possibly be clogged. I've been buying non-ethanol from a place that only has it in the "pump out back"....I guess I will need to find another source.
Click to expand...
I doubt ethanol is causing you problems unless the percentage is out of wack. I would be more afraid of buying from pump out back.
 
#12 ·
ed2hess said:
I doubt ethanol is causing you problems unless the percentage is out of wack. I would be more afraid of buying from pump out back.
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Agreed. I don't think ethanol would cause this problem. I was just trying use non-ethanol to prevent long term problems down the road and suspect that I may have gotten some bad gas since it appears the fuel filter clogged so soon. I had some gas left in a can from that place and I poured it into a glass jar today and looked at it. It appears good and clean. I mixed up a gallon of two stroke with it, put it in my saw and had no problems so I don't know......:confused:
 
#13 ·
C130FE said:
Agreed. I don't think ethanol would cause this problem. I was just trying use non-ethanol to prevent long term problems down the road and suspect that I may have gotten some bad gas since it appears the fuel filter clogged so soon. I had some gas left in a can from that place and I poured it into a glass jar today and looked at it. It appears good and clean. I mixed up a gallon of two stroke with it, put it in my saw and had no problems so I don't know......:confused:
Click to expand...
could have been a defective filter.
 
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