Kohler hard to start when hot

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Thread: Kohler hard to start when hot

  1. #1

    Kohler hard to start when hot

    Kohler 26hp starts great when cold. Then becomes hard to start when it is at running temp. It takes a little longer to fire causing fuel to also load up then blowing black smoke when engine turns over. Could this be valves? Or simple adjustment?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,460
    A little more info would help. What year? What model? Carbureted or injected. It sounds like a carb one that's perking fuel into I take after shut down. Maybe high float or float valve leaking. Remove aircleaner to see directly down the throat after shut down and watch for fuel build up on throttle plate.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    NJ 08533
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    5,055
    Quote Originally Posted by msafi65 View Post
    A little more info would help. What year? What model? Carbureted or injected. It sounds like a carb one that's perking fuel into I take after shut down. Maybe high float or float valve leaking. Remove aircleaner to see directly down the throat after shut down and watch for fuel build up on throttle plate.
    My thoughts too, another thought of solenoid not fully shutting off or accelerator pump sticking slightly. if it's carb.ed.


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Pickering, Ontario
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    633
    If it's a carburated motor, does it have an aftermarket electric fuel pump? I've seen this happen with some low pressure fuel pumps that put out 5psi or more. After shut off the residual pressure left in the fuel line was sufficient enough to overcome the float needle, bleeding fuel into the intake for a few minutes until the line pressure drops to below what the float can stop. Look at the throttle plate as msafi65 suggested.

  5. #5
    It is carbureted. The year of engine I'm not sure about. It does have a new carb. It's only hard to start when it's been running for about 20min and beyond. Once it cools down wether it's a couple of hrs or over night than it starts right up very smoothly with no throttle. When it's hot it takes some throttle and a little bit of finess.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Garner, NC
    Posts
    865
    Sounds like your Kohler is an old model one (if they ever made older 26hp Kohlers), the Commands have hydraulic lifters and self adjust (unless there is gunk inside the lifters, preventing the inner spring to work,, and the problem would appear when motor is cold and hot). If this is so,,,, your valves need adjusting probably! Does it back fire also? If it does, this is what is happening: with your valves being too tight (Valves open sooner and stay open longer), the motor will start and possibly run fine when cold,,,, but when the motor warms up, and the metal expands, the valves may stay open completely, making it hard to start or even hard to stay running. This issue would appear on a B&Stratton before a Kohler!

    My opinion would, of course, be on the worst end of the stick. I would start with CARB like ArgoJim , Canadian Zuk and msafi65 stated. Also, this could be vapor lock issue,, fuel in carb evaporating, or something similar!
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  7. #7
    Thanks for the reply Adreneline junkie! It doesn't backfire and idles fine. It's just very hard to start when it's hot. It seems to have gotten worst over time. As I try to restart the motor it also seems to be getting flooded due to not starting up imediatly. I rode it today and it took me several minutes to restart when it was hot. I think I'm going to try the valves.

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