JD LT-160 won't start

rgood · Oct 18, 2008

Guys, I have an LT-160 that won't start - This happened to me a while back and I thought it might be stale gas so I topped it off with fresh gas - Ended up pulling the spark plug, spraying WD-40 in it and it fired off - The next time I went to use it, it worked fine. The last 2 times I had to get out my Wally $100 special and mow the hard way.

The JD cranks like crazy - Fired a couple times but doesn't start.

It only has 70 hours on it - I put a new fuel filter on it a couple months ago - The only thing I can think of is maybe it needs a new spark plug.

What do you think? Thanks!

BATTY54 · Oct 18, 2008

There is a problem with the L series fuel cap. I have fixed a few after talking to our local dealer. You need to remove the fuel cap and disassemble the innards. Pull the inner seal out carefully then wash out the hole in the cap and baffel. You will be surprised what a little dust and dirt will cause. This may not be your problem but it won't hurt, a coworker had his cap plug up a 30 hours.

rgood · Oct 18, 2008

Thanks - I tried that and it fired one time and that's all I got.

The cap is supposed to provide some venting or something???

BATTY54 · Oct 19, 2008

Yes it is supposed to be a vented cap. The design catches the dirt and plugs the vent holes inside, not just the little hole you can see on top. Usually they will die as you are running, but my sisters machine would not start either. Someone cleaned the hole on the top of the cap but that only lasted a few hours and same problem again. I carefully pried out the inner seal and there is abaffel type of arrangment under it that was loaded with gunk. washed it all out with gas and perfect.

I also had to repair the brake switch as the brakes wear the pedal will go down farther. It will pop the safety switch out of it's mount and the engine will not turnover. A simple brake adjustment cured that problem.

BATTY54 · Oct 19, 2008

Just had another thought, do the LT series have seperate throttle and choke levers? If the do or not check the choke plate to see if it is stuck or the cable popped off. I worked on a snowblower last year that gas washed the cylinder, I had to give it a little oil down the plug hole so it would have enough compression to fire up.

rgood · Oct 19, 2008

Thanks, the choke is working properly - It's correct I can verify spark by having someone else crank the mower, while I hold the plug and plug wire a short distance from the block?

If I buy a starting fluid, what do I look for in a product - Just go to autozone?

Or should I stick with WD-40.

On that cap, maybe I didn't clean it properly - you talk about inner seal - I saw a rubber seal that helps the cap seat - the inner circular part did not seem to come off for me - So, I just flushed it with water - ensuring water could come out of the cap hole.

BATTY54 · Oct 19, 2008

I have a L130 and work on two L120's and a L118 they have a removable inner part and a baffel between them, thats where the dirt collects. Not sure if the LT series are different. Starting fluid is generic any brand seems to work for me. I do use WD-40 o 2 stroke engines though I like the added lube.

FastPauly · Oct 19, 2008

If it were a fuel cap vent problem...it should start with the cap loose.

Looking at a picture of the Kohler engine in the LT-160, it appears that it has some form of mechanical fuel pump on the side of the engine block....possibly something is wrong with it?

rgood · Jan 1, 2009

Guys, I'm still working on this - Engine turns good - New gas - Good spark - fuel pump works - The carb seems to be flooding no matter where I put the throttle - Throttle linkage works OK - Any ideas ??

FastPauly · Jan 1, 2009

Sounds like you have verified the BIG THREE......Air, Fuel and Spark. There is a fourth one that can be easily overlooked....that being Exhaust. The big three are useless if a internal combustion engine can't exhale. Have you checked the muffler for possible nesting of mice or the plugging off of the spark arrester holes by those pesky mud dauber wasp? I would like to have a nickel for every weed wacker that is thrown out each year because of a plugged exhaust..........be worth taking a look at.