20 hp Kohler wont stay running

[wildbill335]

Got an issue when I got to start my 1 year old kohler its starts great but wont stay started or if I get it gas it just dies. Here is what I know it is getiting gas. When i put it up for the winter I ran it out of fuel so carb should be fine. about 2 weeks ago i started it ran great for about an hour till i shut it down. Here is my thought i went to do somthing with engine accidently pulled so wiers off of the switch i put them back i beleive in the correct spot could this be my issue?

[tattooman]

Will it stay running with the choke on?

[wildbill335]

No it wont stay running with choke on as soon as i give it gas or choke it just dies if i try and start with choke it floods i have a fuel filter i cant believe last years gas would be doing this I ran it dry and used a stabilizer as soon as it dies i can get it to start right back up again


Of course I leave for a trip next week a trip in which is the only reason i purchased my argo

[blown84gt]

Stabilizer or not year old gas is no good, and even if you ran it out of gas the carb still has a bit in it. When you started it up it ran good until the new gas got stuff loosened up and now you have some passages and/or jets plugged up. Plan on cleaning the fuel system and going through the carb and use only non ethenol fuel when you refill it.

[wildbill335]

So do you suggest i should rebuild the carb and use new fuel?

[blown84gt]

Hard to really diagnose over the internet but from what you've said I think that's where I'd start, at least drain the tank and put in fresh fuel and filter.

[wildbill335]

ill try that tomorow thanks for the help ill keep you updated im sure its not that easy haha

[Toys4Me]

Try just giving the carb a decent cleaning. I was having a similar issue with my vanguard and it turned out to be buildup in the bowl and clogged the passages.

[wildbill335]

Try just giving the carb a decent cleaning. I was having a similar issue with my vanguard and it turned out to be buildup in the bowl and clogged the passages.

thanks for the advice thanks that's my first steep to clean the carb. its just odd to me that I used it once last year and had it running a few weeks ago and now its acting up

[amphibious drew]

The modern gas will slowly gel as well as deteriorate the fuel lines. All this causes tiny pieces of junk to flow through the carb. Some will blow through and burn off, but when a larger piece or several smaller pieces join forces running through it, it will clog some of the small ports. The suction from running it, may suck the junk through and seem make your machine appear to act normal again, and then more junk comes at it causing another clog. This can be an endless cycle until the cause of the problem is properly taken care of. Sometimes it's just some junk in the bowl and a quick cleaning and new fuel filter does the trick. Other times you need to take it a step further and clean the tank and replace the fuel lines. If the lines feel softer than a new one, I would go ahead and replace them. The blue clear line holds up better.

[Toys4Me]

Another practice I do is run 2 filters. One at the tank and another just before the carb. I still catch stuff just before the carb.

[wildbill335]

quick update today I rebuilt the carb which their is nothing to haha I also just bought a brand new tank and fuel line for the boat tried that on the Kohler same issue I do have a thought could I have a wire wrong or something be wrong with Fuel shut-off solenoid?

[wildbill335]

I have it narrowed down to either a bad switch that is shutting it self off or the Fuel shut-off solenoid

[ARGOJIM]

Wildbill335, the wire reversed thing was what I was thinking at the onset but when you wrote Argo in the second post I stepped back knowing the 20 wasn't stock. The battery and and acc. wires may be reversed.

[wildbill335]

It is an Argo I got my hands on a Kohler 20 hp for 200.00 brand new so I swooped it in That's kind of where I am at only issue is the switch I have does not have an ACC spot so now its just a headache