Surging Husqvarna garden tractor

/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #1  

Boondox

Elite Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2000
Messages
3,887
Location
Craftsbury Common, Vermont
Tractor
Deere 4044R cab, Kubota KX-121-3S
My Husky GTH2248 with the two cylinder Kawasaki engine just started surging at mid to full throttle…but only when the mower is not engaged. The moment I engage the mower deck the RPMs increase and it runs perfectly. Disengage the mower and the surging returns

Any ideas?

Pete
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #2  
carb is dirty. guessing you dont use ethanol free gas.

put some seafoam mix in your gas and power foam your intake while its running. usually works.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor
  • Thread Starter
#3  
carb is dirty. guessing you dont use ethanol free gas.

Thanks. Actually ethanol-free is all I use in my bikes and small engines. Will try the Seafoam. Any idea why it runs fine while the mower s running..?
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #4  
Yeah, surging is typically fuel related. It's basically running out of gas. It can be a dirty carb or filter. Check to see if there's a fuel filter. Change that too.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #5  
Start with the easy stuff first. Take out and blow out the air filter with compressed air. Blow from the inside to the outside of the filter. If that doesn't fix it, then try a new fuel filter. I would do both of those things before I started taking the carb apart (or off the engine). Also wouldn't hurt to check the spark plugs and oil level.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #6  
I'd try some Seafoam. Haven't had to take a carb apart since using it.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #7  
Purchase carb cleaner add to gas may take couple refills but it does work. (y)
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks guys. Replaced the fuel filter. Air filter and foam wrap were previously checked and very clean. Added Seafoam to the ethanol-free premium gas. Shot half a can of carb cleaner into the intake with filter removed. Seems to run marginally better so will run it some more to run some more Seafoam through the system. Hopefully that will do the trick as reaching the carb on this baby is a pain!
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #9  
Seafoam did fix my clogged idle jet in my mower for about 1/2 tank of fuel..then the issue came right back. I have yet to really fix any issues with seafoam. This is my full 2nd can with at best marginal results. It's far more expensive than 1/2 a can of carb cleaner and 20min of my time.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #10  
Seafoam did fix my clogged idle jet in my mower for about 1/2 tank of fuel..then the issue came right back. I have yet to really fix any issues with seafoam. This is my full 2nd can with at best marginal results. It's far more expensive than 1/2 a can of carb cleaner and 20min of my time.
Well now you will have to actually do some work. Take the carb off, completely disassemble it, clean each part with carb cleaner and then reassemble. Then bolt it back on.

If you have limited experience with carbs, take photos as you are disassembling it so you know how it goes back together.

Richard
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #11  
Well now you will have to actually do some work. Take the carb off, completely disassemble it, clean each part with carb cleaner and then reassemble. Then bolt it back on.

If you have limited experience with carbs, take photos as you are disassembling it so you know how it goes back together.

Richard
I actually have quite a bit of experience with carbs but keep hearing "seafoam...SEAFOAM" so much so that I got a second bottle yet it really hasn't fixed any thing. I really cant say anything very good about the product.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #12  
I actually have quite a bit of experience with carbs but keep hearing "seafoam...SEAFOAM" so much so that I got a second bottle yet it really hasn't fixed any thing. I really cant say anything very good about the product.
Years ago the stuff did wonders for cleaning carbs and decarboning 2 stroke engines, but due to EPA stuff the formula was changed and is not unless.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #13  
I actually have quite a bit of experience with carbs but keep hearing "seafoam...SEAFOAM" so much so that I got a second bottle yet it really hasn't fixed any thing. I really cant say anything very good about the product.
I recently discovered that running a tank of straight Coleman fuel does wonders, it's really nothing more then unadulterated gasoline without all the added crap. My 4 stroke weed eater starts on the first pull every time now after almost 10 years of ownership and the same with the pressure washer.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #14  
carb is dirty. guessing you dont use ethanol free gas.

put some seafoam mix in your gas and power foam your intake while its running. usually works.
Yup happened to mine-I put seafoam in the carb and in the fuel, ran it for a bit and it cleared up. Make sure your putting ethanol additives and storing it right in the winter. I even added a fuel shutoff so that when I store in the winter I hadd fuel additives and shut the fule off letting the carb run dry. Been doing that for 10 years (its a 2006) and had no carb issues since.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #15  
I recently discovered that running a tank of straight Coleman fuel does wonders, it's really nothing more then unadulterated gasoline without all the added crap. My 4 stroke weed eater starts on the first pull every time now after almost 10 years of ownership and the same with the pressure washer.
WOW are you saying that the Coleman camp stove fuel is nothing but gas ?
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #16  
WOW are you saying that the Coleman camp stove fuel is nothing but gas ?
Well years ago it was commonplace to use what was referred to as "white gas" as camp fuel which was nothing more then unleaded from Amoco. Either way this is my third season using it and my trimmer never started this easy. Too expensive for bigger stuff but $8.95 a gallon a year for the trimmer that starts is worthwhile and I ran a tank thru the chainsaw.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #17  
White gas is absolutely NOT gasoline.

Not even close.

Where do you guys get this stuff?
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #18  
Where do you guys get this stuff?
I got it twice,once from "I Herd" and again from "Tha Said". The two most quoted authorities on every subject discussed here.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor #19  
White gas is absolutely NOT gasoline.

Not even close.

Where do you guys get this stuff?
That's what they called the unleaded gas from Amoco in NJ in the early 60's and Dad labeled the gas can, not a clue otherwise.

Just googled it and it said it's the fuel used in camp stoves ect.
 
/ Surging Husqvarna garden tractor
  • Thread Starter
#20  
UPDATE: Figuring I had nothing to lose, I refilled the near empty tank with ethanol-free 91 octane mixed with four ounces of Seafoam. I then mowed pretty much every level patch of ground on my property, using half a tank of gas in the process. Runs absolutely smooth now with no surging whatsoever
 
 
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