Mower dies after running for 20-30 minutes

jeepinmatt

Old, fat, and grumpy.
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Mar 24, 2005
Location
Stanley, NC
Been having an issue with my zero turn, its a Ferris with the Kawasaki FX1000V with a carb. I only run ethanol free 89 or 91 octane in it. Air filter is clean and it has fresh spark plugs in it.

When I drug it out of hiberation a couple weeks ago, it was hard to start, but I figured that was just from sitting for a few months and having to suck fuel through the lines. It was never "fast" to crank, but 10-20 seconds of turning over after a long hiatus would get it going. So get it going and I'd been cutting for about a half hour, and it started running rough like it was about to die. I pulled the choke and it smoothed out and kept running for another minute or so then died. Wouldn't recrank until I let it cool off a couple hours. Found a crack in the suction line that goes from the block to the fuel pump, replaced that piece, and every other fuel and vent line while I was at it. Next few times I cut grass, it started faster and easier than it ever has, and ran without issue. Then this past weekend, I go to crank it, and it hits almost instantly, but then dies, and then is a pain in the ass to start. Finally use some starting fluid and it cranks up, and after running on starting fluid a couple seconds, it starts running on gas. Fine, I go about my business, get 20-30 minutes into cutting and it starts running rough again after it gets good and hot. I choke it, make it over to the garage, and cut it off, let it cool down for a few hours. Go back to it, dang thing won't start without starting fluid again. Get to cutting, make it 15-20 minutes, and it cuts off again. Sprayed cool water on the ignition coil, tried to crank, still nothing. Seems like a fuel supply issue since it has enough spark to easily crank/run on starting fluid. Do the plastic fuel pumps heat soak and not pump good? Anybody got any suggestions on what to check next. I cleaned the carb after the first incident, but it looked really good with no gumming and just the faintest green/yellow residue on the bottom of the bowl.
 
I've been chasing an intermittent start and run on mine for the last couple of years. It really seemed like it was fuel or spark related. Turns out it was the hydro drive safety switch making intermittent contact. Yours sounds a little different though.
 
Been having an issue with my zero turn, its a Ferris with the Kawasaki FX1000V with a carb. I only run ethanol free 89 or 91 octane in it. Air filter is clean and it has fresh spark plugs in it.

When I drug it out of hiberation a couple weeks ago, it was hard to start, but I figured that was just from sitting for a few months and having to suck fuel through the lines. It was never "fast" to crank, but 10-20 seconds of turning over after a long hiatus would get it going. So get it going and I'd been cutting for about a half hour, and it started running rough like it was about to die. I pulled the choke and it smoothed out and kept running for another minute or so then died. Wouldn't recrank until I let it cool off a couple hours. Found a crack in the suction line that goes from the block to the fuel pump, replaced that piece, and every other fuel and vent line while I was at it. Next few times I cut grass, it started faster and easier than it ever has, and ran without issue. Then this past weekend, I go to crank it, and it hits almost instantly, but then dies, and then is a pain in the ass to start. Finally use some starting fluid and it cranks up, and after running on starting fluid a couple seconds, it starts running on gas. Fine, I go about my business, get 20-30 minutes into cutting and it starts running rough again after it gets good and hot. I choke it, make it over to the garage, and cut it off, let it cool down for a few hours. Go back to it, dang thing won't start without starting fluid again. Get to cutting, make it 15-20 minutes, and it cuts off again. Sprayed cool water on the ignition coil, tried to crank, still nothing. Seems like a fuel supply issue since it has enough spark to easily crank/run on starting fluid. Do the plastic fuel pumps heat soak and not pump good? Anybody got any suggestions on what to check next. I cleaned the carb after the first incident, but it looked really good with no gumming and just the faintest green/yellow residue on the bottom of the bowl.
Does you gas cap vent properly? Mine had that issue and I cleaned the hole and it helped it.
 
Does you gas cap vent properly? Mine had that issue and I cleaned the hole and it helped it.
As far as I know, I will check that, but...
I just left a review on Amazon for the fuel gauges I bought a couple months ago, titled it "Squirty weephole" because if the tank is full, fuel squirts out the weepholes and covers the tanks.
Gage.jpg


Which should eliminate any venting issues from the gas caps. But maybe when there is vacuum, it gets sucked down and doesn't vent. Also, it has 2 tanks and does it on either tank, so I don't think that's the issue, but I'll definitely check that out.
 
will it run if you gravity fuel to the carb?
 
fuel pump weak?
also the fuel shutoff pin on carb. i have had them close after running a while.
Fuel pump pumps fuel when you turn it over. I do wonder if it has somehow gotten weak though. Maybe theres an internal leak it in and its leaking down which makes it hard to start, and when it gets hot its not supplying like it should.
 
fuel pump weak?
also the fuel shutoff pin on carb. i have had them close after running a while.

I second the fuel solenoid on the carb. It primarily serves as an anti-backfire device when the unit is shut down, but can get weak over time. Place a finger on it when you turn the ignition on and you should feel and hear an instant click. If it feels dull or slow, it could be gummed up or failing.

For your question on the fuel pumps, I've never seen them get weak, they just quit or fill the crankcase with gasoline.
 
Pulled our ZT out a few months back... brand new Kawasaki carb last year and wouldn't fire
Fought the wiring for fuel shutoff solenoid... found a sticking handle control safety switch.
The next issue was it'd run, but not well... found the inside of the (20 y/o factory) fuel lines were fubar
Once fuel supply was good (100% new lines/fuel filter), it would randomly shutoff... found a fleck of fuel line(?) intermittently clogging the fuel inlet
Got it running great, mowed for 5-6 hours until the hydro drive belt broke 150' up the side of 45* hill (my scariest 10 seconds this century)

2 weeks later after swapping the belt, it fired normally, ran as good as ever until about 3.5 hours in (literally my *last* 500' of roadside) and wouldn't re-start... diagnosed RH tank was bone f'n dry, switched to LH tank and battery died after 3 tiny attempts... which led to new battery, would run fine on RH tank, but sucking air on the LH circuit = in-tank nylon "dip tube" has a tiny split

All that to say, they will put a Mike Tyson-class ass whipping on you _despite_ simplicity 🤓
 
Pulled our ZT out a few months back... brand new Kawasaki carb last year and wouldn't fire
Fought the wiring for fuel shutoff solenoid... found a sticking handle control safety switch.
The next issue was it'd run, but not well... found the inside of the (20 y/o factory) fuel lines were fubar
Once fuel supply was good (100% new lines/fuel filter), it would randomly shutoff... found a fleck of fuel line(?) intermittently clogging the fuel inlet
Got it running great, mowed for 5-6 hours until the hydro drive belt broke 150' up the side of 45* hill (my scariest 10 seconds this century)

2 weeks later after swapping the belt, it fired normally, ran as good as ever until about 3.5 hours in (literally my *last* 500' of roadside) and wouldn't re-start... diagnosed RH tank was bone f'n dry, switched to LH tank and battery died after 3 tiny attempts... which led to new battery, would run fine on RH tank, but sucking air on the LH circuit = in-tank nylon "dip tube" has a tiny split

All that to say, they will put a Mike Tyson-class ass whipping on you _despite_ simplicity 🤓
Thatnks for taking the time to write all that out. Those little details are the kinds of things you don't think of when you're just standing there mad at the damn thing.
 
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