lars el stupido
New member
This is going to be slightly long. I wanted anyone who went through all the searching I did to have an easier solution. There will be a summary at the end with some key words that I searched for over and over. I have been searching for troubleshooting options for my John Deere GT275 starting issues for sometime. I figured this would be a good place to post, to help others in a similar situation to myself.
I purchased this tractor at an auction. It ran but it was a pain to start.
This last winter the lawn mower would not start. It would chug, backfire and stall. So I went to TSC with the spark plug in hand to get a replacement. I also cleaned the carb with lucas and a toothbrush. NOTHING!
So I read up on many forums like this one and found that it could possibly be a timing issue. So I began what I thought would be a complicated task (Took 30 minutes with the correct tools and no practice) and checked the flywheel key. Sure enough it was almost sheered. Threw it back together with a new key ($1.32) and it was trying to run. It would run for five seconds or so, then backfire and stall itself out. About ready to drag it to the road, I read it could be an issue with the stator or ignition coil. The stator checked out weak, but working. Then I read that these particular Kawasakis are very particular about their spark plugs. Looked it up and I had the wrong replacement plug. Put the proper plug in and it fired right up! Hooray!
Except today (three days later because at this point my yard looked like a hay field) I went to mow my lawn, and nothing but a little white smoke would come out. Tried starting fluid, this and that. New plug (the last one being three days old.) Pulled out my multi-meter and tested the ignition coil. No resistance and a good circuit through the ground. But then, I tested the wire to the top of the spark plug, and got no signal. Wiggled the wire a little and got a little signal. Tested the wire all the way down. Corrosion in the plug grip to the wire was giving me a weak spark. Got mad. Hit it with a hammer, gently mind you, and now she fires right up again with the corrosion shaken off.
On a side note I now need to buy some feeler gauges to adjust the valves and get a little better performance out of this motor, but it runs like a champ!
Summary:
Cleaned carb, new spark plug, fuel filter, air filter
Replaced flywheel key
Tested and fixed ignition coil wire(temporarily)
GT275 backfires won't start Kawasaki fc540v ignition issues white smoke from exhaust John Deere backfires and stalls out Kawasaki 17 horsepower 17hp backfires
I purchased this tractor at an auction. It ran but it was a pain to start.
This last winter the lawn mower would not start. It would chug, backfire and stall. So I went to TSC with the spark plug in hand to get a replacement. I also cleaned the carb with lucas and a toothbrush. NOTHING!
So I read up on many forums like this one and found that it could possibly be a timing issue. So I began what I thought would be a complicated task (Took 30 minutes with the correct tools and no practice) and checked the flywheel key. Sure enough it was almost sheered. Threw it back together with a new key ($1.32) and it was trying to run. It would run for five seconds or so, then backfire and stall itself out. About ready to drag it to the road, I read it could be an issue with the stator or ignition coil. The stator checked out weak, but working. Then I read that these particular Kawasakis are very particular about their spark plugs. Looked it up and I had the wrong replacement plug. Put the proper plug in and it fired right up! Hooray!
Except today (three days later because at this point my yard looked like a hay field) I went to mow my lawn, and nothing but a little white smoke would come out. Tried starting fluid, this and that. New plug (the last one being three days old.) Pulled out my multi-meter and tested the ignition coil. No resistance and a good circuit through the ground. But then, I tested the wire to the top of the spark plug, and got no signal. Wiggled the wire a little and got a little signal. Tested the wire all the way down. Corrosion in the plug grip to the wire was giving me a weak spark. Got mad. Hit it with a hammer, gently mind you, and now she fires right up again with the corrosion shaken off.
On a side note I now need to buy some feeler gauges to adjust the valves and get a little better performance out of this motor, but it runs like a champ!
Summary:
Cleaned carb, new spark plug, fuel filter, air filter
Replaced flywheel key
Tested and fixed ignition coil wire(temporarily)
GT275 backfires won't start Kawasaki fc540v ignition issues white smoke from exhaust John Deere backfires and stalls out Kawasaki 17 horsepower 17hp backfires
