Brian, you are a life saver! I’m fixing mine tomorrow she’s doing the exact same thing! Thank you thank you for sharing! Sucking air.. Common issue when age shrinks a rubber seal in a carb plunger, great catch and solution! Cheers mate-
Mine is a 2155hd under 300hrs 15hp kohler command. It's surging at high idle and idle. The choke being pulled can help a little but it's still not right. I figured it's starving for fuel. However the guy who serviced it put too much oil in the crankcase and I noticed that and drained it and it ran great for about 3 hours started this Michigan and now you can watch it search with the idle arm you know up and down up and down or in and out whatever but it's the command 15 horse in the the fuel pumps on the opposite side of the engine and the carburetors on the you know obviously the other side and I was wondering if these are the same model carburetors I've been reading about needle adjustment but I'm not sure that would be the answer I have cleaned it just got to clean filter there's no leaks there's no vacuum leaks of it were the king craze was to overfilled it's been taken care of and and only thing I can think of is that fuel pump or a dirty carburetor or bad gas but this is interesting if my carburetor has one of these solenoids please advise thank you for a great video too
Yours is a single cylinder and has a side draft carburetor. I've not worked on one, and so don't know if it has the fuel shut-off solenoid. However, if it does, it may have the same issue where the internal seals shrink along with a corroded solenoid needle. Before modifying the solenoid interface, I suggest a complete disassembly and clean of all the fuel channels/galleys (you will need an o-ring/gasket kit). If it has a solenoid, remove it and the brass seat and make sure there is no corrosion. Ethanol gas will wreck a carburetor if left for 6 mos or more. Keep in mind, George Bush administration phased in ethanol gas in the early 2000's, so it probably had it and set awhile before you bought the tractor.
Agreed, acidic (white vinegar) or caustic solutions (CLR or lye) are great for dissolving corrosion caused by ethanol gas. However, neither will fix an air leak through fuel solenoid. Only two ways to fix this problem: 1. New solenoid (OE only or problem will soon return) 2. Eliminate solenoid (problem never returns)
Brian, you are a life saver! I’m fixing mine tomorrow she’s doing the exact same thing!
Thank you thank you for sharing! Sucking air.. Common issue when age shrinks a rubber seal in a carb plunger, great catch and solution! Cheers mate-
Be sure to also clean the carb and add new o-rings on the brass insert along with a new top gasket. Should run great!
Thanks for sharing this information with Us 😊
Glad to help!
Thanks Brian, where do you buy the brass 8/32nd set screw?
I bought a box from McMaster Carr, but you might be able to get a single from Ace Hardware.
Mine is a 2155hd under 300hrs 15hp kohler command. It's surging at high idle and idle. The choke being pulled can help a little but it's still not right. I figured it's starving for fuel. However the guy who serviced it put too much oil in the crankcase and I noticed that and drained it and it ran great for about 3 hours started this Michigan and now you can watch it search with the idle arm you know up and down up and down or in and out whatever but it's the command 15 horse in the the fuel pumps on the opposite side of the engine and the carburetors on the you know obviously the other side and I was wondering if these are the same model carburetors I've been reading about needle adjustment but I'm not sure that would be the answer I have cleaned it just got to clean filter there's no leaks there's no vacuum leaks of it were the king craze was to overfilled it's been taken care of and and only thing I can think of is that fuel pump or a dirty carburetor or bad gas but this is interesting if my carburetor has one of these solenoids please advise thank you for a great video too
Yours is a single cylinder and has a side draft carburetor. I've not worked on one, and so don't know if it has the fuel shut-off solenoid. However, if it does, it may have the same issue where the internal seals shrink along with a corroded solenoid needle.
Before modifying the solenoid interface, I suggest a complete disassembly and clean of all the fuel channels/galleys (you will need an o-ring/gasket kit). If it has a solenoid, remove it and the brass seat and make sure there is no corrosion. Ethanol gas will wreck a carburetor if left for 6 mos or more.
Keep in mind, George Bush administration phased in ethanol gas in the early 2000's, so it probably had it and set awhile before you bought the tractor.
Sonic cleaner are great but acid cleaner is what I do on all surging carbs period
It’s a fix
Agreed, acidic (white vinegar) or caustic solutions (CLR or lye) are great for dissolving corrosion caused by ethanol gas. However, neither will fix an air leak through fuel solenoid.
Only two ways to fix this problem:
1. New solenoid (OE only or problem will soon return)
2. Eliminate solenoid (problem never returns)