help z465 Kawasaki carburetor problem.

[yelbike]

I've had this problem for a while now. I use my mower and seems to run fine. But after being stored for the week the engine will hydraulically lock. Starter will not even turn the engine over. Its a 2008. Why does my intake fill up with fuel?

 

[beenthere]

Not sure what the pic is showing, but sounds like your fuel shut-off solenoid is not working. Just a thought.

What do you do to get it "unlocked" ??

 

[yelbike]

The picture is a close up picture of fuel in the bottom of the intake.
To unlock, I pull a plug out, crank, reinsert, than it starts.

 

[Fawken]

Not sure what the pic is showing, but sounds like your fuel shut-off solenoid is not working. Just a thought.

What do you do to get it "unlocked" ??

To me it looks like the air filter housing for a twin cylinder engine- sans the filter and casing. You haven't been running without a filter (I hope). Not sure about the fuel issue, but your compression release cam may be stuck or broken.

 

[yelbike]

To me it looks like the air filter housing for a twin cylinder engine- sans the filter and casing. You haven't been running without a filter (I hope). Not sure about the fuel issue, but your compression release cam may be stuck or broken.

I am using the double filter. The problem is the lock, not unlocking. It lock because there's too much fuel in the carb. I check the needle and seat. Both look fine.

 

[beenthere]

I may be missing something, but too much fuel in the carb doesn't "lock" the engine up. Too much in a cylinder will lock it. And also may run down into the crankcase oil and overfill that as well. Removing a plug and blowing the excess out of the cylinder as you claim how you unlock the engine confirms this.

Now to find out why the engine cylinder fills with fuel... still thinking the fuel solenoid fails to shut the fuel off.

You mention storing it for a week brings on the locked engine. Will shorter periods of time between running the engine lock it, or not?

What have you done to check out the fuel solenoid?

 

[RandyT]

First lets get one thing straight. The fuel solenoid on the carb has absolutely nothing to do with the carb overflowing and filling the cylinder full of gas, and hydrolocking the engine, and most likely has now contaminated the oil with gas. Your problem is either the float valve isn't sealing even though it looks fine. or on some carbs there is an external carb vent that may have a hose connected to it. If that hose/vent gets clogged, it will cause a siphoning effect and will act like a stuck float valve.

The solenoid on the carb is called an afterfire solenoid. It one and only purpose is to help prevent the bang when you turn off the key.

 

[beenthere]

Thanks for setting that straight there RANDYT

 

[yelbike]

First lets get one thing straight. The fuel solenoid on the carb has absolutely nothing to do with the carb overflowing and filling the cylinder full of gas, and hydrolocking the engine, and most likely has now contaminated the oil with gas. Your problem is either the float valve isn't sealing even though it looks fine. or on some carbs there is an external carb vent that may have a hose connected to it. If that hose/vent gets clogged, it will cause a siphoning effect and will act like a stuck float valve.

The solenoid on the carb is called an afterfire solenoid. It one and only purpose is to help prevent the bang when you turn off the key.

Thanks. If I remember correctly, I checked fuel solenoid last year and it tested OK. BTW that little bugger is expensive.

So on to this vent tube on the carburetor. How do I find or identify it?

 

[RandyT]

If you have an external vent it will look like either a short pipe with a raised area toward the end, of may have a short piece of tubing attached to it handing straight down in most cases next to the carb.

Now there are several carbs with internal vents and those you don't normally have to worry about. Unless there is a gasket installed incorrectly and blocks off the vent. Would be the gasket between the carb and the air filter mounting elbow.