New Carburetor

[EddieWalker]

I have a 2010 Scag Wildcat zero turn mower with a 26hp Kawasaki engine that I bought brand new. Last year it started running poorly and I assumed it was a fuel issue. I changed the filters without any success, and sort of just got by with it losing power or just stalling out on me, then starting and running again until I finished mowing.

This year it's been a lot worse. I watched too many YouTube videos on how to fix it, that all seemed to make it better, but not really. New fuel lines, new filter, new fuel pump, cleaned the tank and even removing the carburetor and cleaning out every opening with carb cleaner. Everything I did made it better, but it still didn't have any power and struggled to mow the grass.

My wife kept telling me to take it to the shop and have the "experts" fix it. I don't want to deal with putting it on a trailer, hauling it there when they are open and when I should be at work, or paying them whatever they charge to fix it, and then having to haul it back home again. I have several clients that have done this, and it's become a yearly $600 expense.

Out of nowhere, I wondered what a new carburetor would cost for it. Kawasaki and Scag want $478 for a genuine Kawasaki Carburetor. Do they actually make them? On Amazon, I found them for under $100. I gambled on one with 5 stars and some positive reviews. That's how I buy everything on Amazon.

The difference is night and day!!!! It has power, it runs smooth, it even seems to cut better!!!

I'm kicking myself for not doing this sooner. I just assumed a new carb was being ridiculous and super expensive. I spent too many Saturdays' working on it and wasting my time. If you're struggling like I was to get it to run right, this might be a simple and affordable solution.

 

[Quaffer]

Sometimes a new carb is the only way. Nice job and nice result!

I removed, thoroughly cleaned, and replaced a carb on a near-new motorhome generator twice. But it still didn't run right. Finally bit the bullet and bought a new carb from Cummins/Onan. Come to find out, the batch of carbs manufactured had a defect-- a rubber part would disintegrate internally, clog things up, and it was in a place not accessible.

When I walked into the Cummins shop and described what was happening, the first thing the guy asked was: "Is this from a 2021 year motor home?"

 

[gstrom99]

I have a 2010 Scag Wildcat zero turn mower with a 26hp Kawasaki engine that I bought brand new. Last year it started running poorly and I assumed it was a fuel issue. I changed the filters without any success, and sort of just got by with it losing power or just stalling out on me, then starting and running again until I finished mowing.

This year it's been a lot worse. I watched too many YouTube videos on how to fix it, that all seemed to make it better, but not really. New fuel lines, new filter, new fuel pump, cleaned the tank and even removing the carburetor and cleaning out every opening with carb cleaner. Everything I did made it better, but it still didn't have any power and struggled to mow the grass.

My wife kept telling me to take it to the shop and have the "experts" fix it. I don't want to deal with putting it on a trailer, hauling it there when they are open and when I should be at work, or paying them whatever they charge to fix it, and then having to haul it back home again. I have several clients that have done this, and it's become a yearly $600 expense.

Out of nowhere, I wondered what a new carburetor would cost for it. Kawasaki and Scag want $478 for a genuine Kawasaki Carburetor. Do they actually make them? On Amazon, I found them for under $100. I gambled on one with 5 stars and some positive reviews. That's how I buy everything on Amazon.

The difference is night and day!!!! It has power, it runs smooth, it even seems to cut better!!!

I'm kicking myself for not doing this sooner. I just assumed a new carb was being ridiculous and super expensive. I spent too many Saturdays' working on it and wasting my time. If you're struggling like I was to get it to run right, this might be a simple and affordable solution.

There's a couple of jets, hidden under two brass plugs that get gunked up on these (otherwise great) Kaw motors. Pull the plugs, clean the jets, replace the plugs and it's good to go. New carb was/is the easy way.

 

[EddieWalker]

I looked at those plugs, but I didn't trust myself not to make things worse. For less than $100, I have an engine that's running like brand new after owning it for 15 years.

 

[flyerdan]

Now you've got the old carb to experiment on, if something goes awry it won't be a big deal. Most small engine carb issues I've run across are from a partially plugged main jet (in the housing that the bowl securing bolt screws into), and cleaning it out with a tip cleaner sorts it.

 

[CalG]

I looked at those plugs, but I didn't trust myself not to make things worse. For less than $100, I have an engine that's running like brand new after owning it for 15 years.

Is it not significant how readily we justify the expense of replacement when the knowledge (information?) comes just a bit late.

I would much rather read something to the effect of. "I pulled the brass plugs, but messed them up and had to fabricate replacements out of beer bottle caps. The cleaned jets restored the previous engine performance I thought was gone for good".

 

[BleedingOrange]

Over the years, I have bought many replacement carbs. So cheap, and work great like Eddie mentioned. If I ever get really bored, and want something to do, I could fiddle with the old ones to fix them up for a spare, but I doubt I will ever get that bored, to actually do it. Why do the plugs even need to be on there ?

 

[2manyrocks]

Many of the carb kits I've looked at were so close in price to buying an entire new carb that I really didn't want to mess with trying to clean the carb.

 

[rontaki]

Compressed air is your friend when cleaning carburetor jets. I also have an old Water-Pik to help clean small passages.

 

[Snobdds]

I invested in an ultrasonic cleaner. I have put in carbs that I never thought would run again. Varnish build up due to ethanol is what was killing my carbs.

Savings one carb pays for the ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve had replacement carbs not work well. I know one on a Lawn Boy tan terrible until I switched a jet with the original.

 

[EddieWalker]

Update on the carburetor for my Scag zero turn. It's worked great until it wasn't. I was actually enjoying mowing again. It fired right up, and had tons of power.

Amazon.com: Goodfind68 New Carburetor with Gaskets Compatible With Kawasaki FD731V FD730VAS FD731VAS Replace # 15003-2972 15003-2974 15004-2063 : Automotive

Buy Goodfind68 New Carburetor with Gaskets Compatible With Kawasaki FD731V FD730VAS FD731VAS Replace # 15003-2972 15003-2974 15004-2063: Carburetors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Then things started getting weird again. It wouldn't start after running it for an hour or two. Battery is 4 years old and kept on a trickly charger, so I'm thinking it's at the end of it's life. I just want to make it through mowing season and I'll buy a new one in the Spring.

But then it started missing while mowing after just an hour. So I parked it and tried to figure out why. Eventually it was happening even sooner, and I couldn't get it to start. It felt like I was running on one cylinder.

I took the cover over the carb off that connects to the air cleaner and it was soaked with gasoline. I'm thinking that the needle is stuck and I'm flooding the engine. I took the carb apart, moved the float up and down a bunch of times, and watched the needle go in and out without any issues. I put it back together and it fired right up. I mowed for a few hours, and it worked perfectly. Tons of power, very smooth and like brand new again.

So now I know what to look for and how to fix it. Sort of. I'm not sure if it's a bad carb, or I'm getting something in my fuel, past my brand-new fuel filter. If it happens again, I'm leaning towards buying a different carburetor.

 

[ultrarunner]

Carb replacement is number one for the mower shops here… the fuel we have plays havoc with pot metal carbs…

I’ve had to do several myself and picked up some good equipment for free that a carb change cured…

There is some talk the ethanol mandate might go away… it would be wonderful for small engine owners because ethanol free is only available at $30 a gallon from stores where I am…

 

[EddieWalker]

It's probably only been a year or so since I started buying ethanol free gas from the gas station for my small engines. I'm sure that the original issues with the carburetor on my zero turn is from the gas I used to use.

Right now, regular gas is $2.52 and Ethanol Free gas is $3.23 at the gas station that I usually go to. There are half a dozen locations in my area that have it. I've noticed more power and easier starting with it, especially in my generators and log splitter.

 

[ultrarunner]

I filled up with Ethanol Free in Carson City Nevada and recorded the highest mpg ever but as I was going down the Sierra to sea level. I can’t know how much improved mpg resulted from ethanol free?

I do know carbs were worked on or replaced when they wore out from years of use and now they never wear out as corrosion takes them out.

Maybe this is the plan…?

 

[oldnslo]

Update on the carburetor for my Scag zero turn. It's worked great until it wasn't. I was actually enjoying mowing again. It fired right up, and had tons of power.

Amazon.com: Goodfind68 New Carburetor with Gaskets Compatible With Kawasaki FD731V FD730VAS FD731VAS Replace # 15003-2972 15003-2974 15004-2063 : Automotive

Buy Goodfind68 New Carburetor with Gaskets Compatible With Kawasaki FD731V FD730VAS FD731VAS Replace # 15003-2972 15003-2974 15004-2063: Carburetors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Then things started getting weird again. It wouldn't start after running it for an hour or two. Battery is 4 years old and kept on a trickly charger, so I'm thinking it's at the end of it's life. I just want to make it through mowing season and I'll buy a new one in the Spring.

But then it started missing while mowing after just an hour. So I parked it and tried to figure out why. Eventually it was happening even sooner, and I couldn't get it to start. It felt like I was running on one cylinder.

I took the cover over the carb off that connects to the air cleaner and it was soaked with gasoline. I'm thinking that the needle is stuck and I'm flooding the engine. I took the carb apart, moved the float up and down a bunch of times, and watched the needle go in and out without any issues. I put it back together and it fired right up. I mowed for a few hours, and it worked perfectly. Tons of power, very smooth and like brand new again.

So now I know what to look for and how to fix it. Sort of. I'm not sure if it's a bad carb, or I'm getting something in my fuel, past my brand-new fuel filter. If it happens again, I'm leaning towards buying a different carburetor.

Eddy,
If you take the carb apart again look closely at the float pivot points and where the or how the needle connects to the float. It is not common but there can be small burrs on the carb casting catching on the float or sharp edge in the pilot bore for the needle that when moved just right cause it to bind.

What type of filter is on this machine? Simple screen meant for gravity feed systems or slightly better filter meant for fuel pump systems?

Haven’t read the whole post but presume you checked valve clearances. Reason for asking is that I would expect a flooding carb to affect both cylinders unless the is a double barrel carb like used on some Kawasaki engines.

Either way random problems are a pain to fix.

 

[EddieWalker]

The fuel filter is an inline paper type of filter. I also drained the tank and then added a little gas back to it and sloshed it around several times to get anything that might of been in it. I never saw anything, but I wanted to eliminate it as an issue. I have two fuel tanks, but when I replaced the fuel lines, I only ran it from the tank I always fill up. The other tank is capped off and empty.

If it happens again, I could look for burs or something catching the needle or the float. It went in and out really easy, so it's not going to be easy to find if that's it.

I haven't messed with the valves. Once it started up and ran with the carb back in place, I figured everything else was fine.

 

[oldnslo]

Do you have a compression tester? Sometimes if valves are the problem you will notice a change in compression from cold engine to hot engine. Non invasive test that might provide some info.

Agree on it started an ran so why look for other problems or worded another way, don’t fix what isn’t broke…

Wish you the best on getting that random issue resolved.

 

[anomad]

The fuel filter is an inline paper type of filter. I also drained the tank and then added a little gas back to it and sloshed it around several times to get anything that might of been in it. I never saw anything, but I wanted to eliminate it as an issue. I have two fuel tanks, but when I replaced the fuel lines, I only ran it from the tank I always fill up. The other tank is capped off and empty.

If it happens again, I could look for burs or something catching the needle or the float. It went in and out really easy, so it's not going to be easy to find if that's it.

I haven't messed with the valves. Once it started up and ran with the carb back in place, I figured everything else was fine.

I went through a similar experience with my old Wright. Put a cheap amazon carb on it (it was a kit with all the fuel stuff). Ran great for one session. The float failed while parked and it pee'd all the gas out. Replaced the aftermarket float with the original and was back in business for a while.

 

[WinterDeere]

I invested in an ultrasonic cleaner. I have put in carbs that I never thought would run again. Varnish build up due to ethanol is what was killing my carbs.

More often on 2-stroke carburetors, it’s hardening of the rubber diaphragm that meters fuel, caused by ethanol. Soaking it in 2-stroke oil or even non-ethanol fuel usually gets it pliable and working again.

Savings one carb pays for the ultrasonic cleaner.

I wonder if the chemical in your ultrasonic has the same rejuvenating effect on rubber, as non-ethanol fuel?