[FishBut]

Howdy folks, newbie here. Not finding any answers on various sites, so hoping I can get some advice here. Any is appreciated.

I have a walk-behind mower with a 14 HP Kawasaki FC420V engine. It is about 10 years old, but no commercial use (only cuts my 3/4 acre yard). Has always performed well with no problems till now, though it has begun some white smoke during the last couple of seasons (usually only at initial start-up). Now the motor sputters, and sometimes cuts off, when running under a load. Seems worse when the motor is hot. Particularly when mowing along and hit a heavy patch of grass....it will sputter and die if I don't disengage the blades.

Anybody have an idea on a solution or things to look for? If its time to replace, that's fine but if I can squeeze another year or two out of her then I would like to. I am at square one here, as I have done nothing but a compression test so far (approx 80 psi). Thanks.

 

[T-Trim]

well what is it???

 

[FishBut]

Dirty air filter!!! Runs like a champ now, though she still smokes quite a bit.

 

[bugman]

sounds to me if it still smokes you either have too much oil in it or the wiper is worn out. if the oil doesn't discolor quickly i say use it.

 

[scrench]

might be the crankcase breather or like bugman said over full on oil ,or might need new oil filter compression test so far (approx 80 psi). hard to go by when they have compression releases on the cams .. some times if you can crank them backwards you can get a closer reading also might do a wet dry test might tell you if its the rings or valve seals ,sounds like seals to me just my 2 cents

 

[bugman]

yeah could be the breather some wear out and just spray oil through the carb. if its that thats an easy one. you can check while the filters off and its running or by checking the breather out yourself with a feeler gauge on it. if it was black smoke it would be gas. whites oil i'd check it out. like i say if its on startup might be the engines sitting at the wrong angle when sitting or its too full.