Hard Start After Setting.

[Propflux01]

I have a snapper 36” zero turn with a Kawasaki 600v 18.5 hp engine. I have an issue that Ive had pretty much since new. Not that much of a problem , but more of a nuisance. when I go to start it after sitting a week it takes about 20 seconds of continuous ranking before it fires off. I can come out the next day and within 3 seconds it’s up and running. Just when it sits for a week it’s hard to start. I’ve narrowed it down to starving of fuel, but not sure where. It has a tank, vent line, vacuum operated fuel pump. I thought maybe the line was draining back into the tank somehow, so I installed a one way check valve in line. No effect on it. There is no gas in the cylinders, none in the oil, level doesn’t rise and there is practically no hint of gas smell in the oil, which to me rules out some kind of carb overflow. Other than that, it runs perfect, uses no oil, and has all the power. Anyone have anything like this, with their kawa powered mowers?

 

[fantastic]

This happens to some of my equipment too & it's simply takes a few more seconds to get the fuel up the carb. Once you've started it the fuel is pressurized & ready to re fire quicker. In order to help you with this condition make sure you keep your battery on a trickle charger & replace every 3-4 years or so.

 

[Propflux01]

This happens to some of my equipment too & it's simply takes a few more seconds to get the fuel up the carb. Once you've started it the fuel is pressurized & ready to re fire quicker. In order to help you with this condition make sure you keep your battery on a trickle charger & replace every 3-4 years or so.

My question is why is the carb bowl/and or lines draining to begin with?

 

[eljefino]

Carb bowl may have a vent that's evaporating what's inside.

 

[Propflux01]

Carb bowl may have a vent that's evaporating what's inside.

Wouldn't it smell like gas all the time though?

 

[fantastic]

My question is why is the carb bowl/and or lines draining to begin with?

Your fuel pressure within the lines bleeds off after sitting. Understand that the fuel vacuum is from the motor running & when it's shut down it will remove the vacuum.

Wouldn't it smell like gas all the time though?

If the fuel in the bowl evaporates it may not smell continuously. Gas can evaporate very rapidly even in a sitting carb.. I've seen it happen quickly.

All of that equals little to no fuel left in the lines for restarting so you need to crank longer. Electronic Fuel injections would probably help with this issue but there isn't a whole lot of options for small engines w/FI.

 

[Propflux01]

Cool, thanx for the explanation. I assume this is common then.

 

[fantastic]

Cool, thanx for the explanation. I assume this is common then.

Absolutely, Some small engines are better than others. Don't sweat it...it's the nature of the beast. Cold engines require lots of fuel on top of lack of vacuum will cause a delay.

 

[meep]

While you say you've already narrowed it to fuel, my neighbor told me he had to replace kawi coils every few years on his. they'd crank and crank as it would get older and it would eventually catch. When it stopped catching he'd get new coils and it would work well for a couple of years. Said the oem are far better than the aftermarket, but the oem would still fail earlier than anything he'd known before. I troubleshooted this with him one spring and yes, in that instance, it was weak coils. ?

 

[Astro_Guy]

You've received a lot of good advice here. What I would add is to not crank it continuously for 20 seconds. Crank it for five at most, then count to ten and crank it again. It might still take 20 seconds, but it probably won't. Your battery will thank you.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

A little dab will do ya.