Craftsman 14 HP Kohler engine won't start

Hi everyone,

I'm new here. Great site. Lots of useful info. On to my problem.

I have a Craftsman riding mower with a 14 HP Kohler engine. I'm at work and don't have access to the model numbers, if they are needed, I can get them this afternoon. Anyway, last time I mowed the yard, everything worked fine. My 12 year old son goes to mow the grass and he fills it up with gas, adds oil, tries to start it and it won't start. The starter turns the motor, but it won't fire up.

I tried it, it started and ran for like 3 seconds or so, then dies and won't start again. I played around with it for about 30 minutes or so and got that same result a couple times. It would fire, but only run for a few seconds and then die and not do anything. I removed the spark plug (brand new) and checked for spark and there was, at least at the time I checked it. Is it possible that the ignition control module (i think that's what it's called) is only working sporadically?

All I've done so far is change the spark plug and the fuel filter and had no luck. Should the fuel filter be full of fuel? There is only a very small amount of fuel visible inside the filter. I thought there should be more.

I thought I would ask here where I should start before I start buying parts. I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump, ignition control module, or the carb.

Is the fuel pump electric? I hear a click when I turn the key to the "on" postion. It sounds like it is coming from the front part of the engine and I'm assuming that it is the fuel pump turning on. Does that sound right? If not, what could that be? And how can I test to see if the fuel pump is operating correctly?

Anyone have any ideas for me? I'd really appreciate any help or suggestions.

Thanks,
John

 

Did your son shut the fuel valve off if it has one?

 

It does not have one that I know of.

 

If you have spark then the ignition should be good for now. Make sure you getting fuel flow all the way to the carb. Follow the line from the tank to the filter, disconnect the line and check for flow, both too and through the filter. I am pretty sure you do not have an electric fuel pump, if you have one, its more likely cam driven or diaghram.
If you have a fuel pump, you can disconnect the line from the carb, and briefly crank the engine over and see if you get fuel.
If you are getting fuel to the carb, try putting about a TBS of gas in the carb and starting it. If it will start normaly you may have some blockage in the carb.
Was it by chance ran out of gas?

If you can post at least the Craftsman model # would be big help.

 

Do you have jugs of anything other than gasoline around your garage that your son may have put in the fuel tank? Such as kerosene? Did he possibly overfill the oil? If so, the excess could have polluted the carburetor.
To answer your questions, in order. 1- It is possible, but unlikely, that the ignition coil is intermittent. 2- The fuel filter should be about 75% full. 3- Without the model numbers it is near impossible to know if your fuel pump is electric, but it is unlikely. More likely to be a pulse type working off the crankcase vacuum. 4- The click you hear is most likely the fuel solenoid which is atached to the carburetor, whereby when the key is turned off fuel is stopped from entering the main jet. Check the "fuel" type first and then the oil level and post back with these answers.

 

Thank you all for replying,

I'm going to try to answer each of your points and a few things I think should be thrown in, but first I got the model number of the tractor and the engine. The tractor model is 917.255451 and the engine is Kohler CV14S.

The oil level is correct and doesn't smell like gas. It does leak oil because there is a crack in the dipstick tube that I haven't gotten around to replacing yet.

The fuel filter was not full. Not even close. When I pulled the fuel lines to check the flow, i let the filter fill up before i reconnected the other hose.

The gas is fresh. It was bought the same day it was put in.

There is no fuel valve on this tractor that I am aware of.

I removed the fuel line from what I am assuming is the fuel pump. It is mounted on the side of the engine, just above where the oil dipstick goes into what I'm guessing is the oil pan. I actually disconnected the line at every break in the line. Before the filter, after the filter and at the pump. Fuel flowed thru at each. I was not able to get the line off at the carb. I didn't want to force it and put myself in worse shape than I am now.

I did try spraying a little starting fluid into the carb and it fired and ran until it burned it all. I also did the same thing with a little gas. It did the same. It ran until what I put in was gone then died.

I'm no small engine expert, but I think that the only things left that could be causing this is the fuel pump or a blockage in the line between the pump and the carb. Make sense?

Thanks for your help.

John

 

Remove the carburetor bowl and you may see water drain out before the gas does. Clean out any trash in the bowl, and clean the antibackfire solenoid if equipped. It is the thing with the wires on it that holds the carb bowl on. If you don't have one, there will just be a screw.

 

Just wanted to post an update on what I did to fix this. I took the carb apart. Everything that would come off, I took off. I thouroughly cleaned everything, put it back together, turned the key and she fired right up. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

Glad we could help!

 

Ref:Kohler cv14s repair

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I have had very similar problems that you were having. I've cleaned the carb and replaced the fuel lines & filter with a see through type. After the engine runs for awhile, the filter empties of fuel and of course the engine stops. I've tried many times to find what is obstructing the fuel flow with no luck. You said you cleaned the carb, is it still running fine?

 

If the filter empties, then you have a blockage from the tank to the filter. Possibly a fuel line collapsing internally.