help troubleshooting

[marco8us]

My legend seems to be running fine while running full bore, then when put a load or when wand is locked down while cleaning I can here the motor cutting out quite often. What should I be looking at to try to fix this problem. Thanks for any advice.

Marco

 

[John Olson]

plug off the vac inlet completly and tell me what the Vac Gauge is reading. If it is above 13 then your vac relief is stuck and it is reading 17+ and it's killing your engine.

 

[marco8us]

checked vac guage and it toped out at 13-14. I changed fuel filter and spark plugs last night. Worked it today andit was still cutting out at times but never killed the motor. Still open for suggestions.

Thanks
Marco

 

[XTREME1]

probably a fuel filter or something in the fuel line. Change your filters and if you need to run it off a 5 gallon can for a bit to see. The new gas over the last couple years have been pulling some silicon seals and such and making a mess of the filters. Give that a try if not check you spark plugs and your distributer but change both fuel filters first

 

[marco8us]

I replaced the fuel filter going into the kohler, is there another filter i am not seeing or know about?

 

[floorguy]

before or after the pump

 

[marco8us]

After the pump

 

[floorguy]

no i meant is there another one...my briggs had a filter at the motor and then one before the pump

 

[marco8us]

That is my question, I changed the one after the pump and someone mentioned changing both fuel filters. I was wondering in fact that there was two filters. I wasn't aware of that.

 

[Jay D]

Have you cleaned your blower with soapy water lately, checked for obstructions or restrictions in the vacuum lines. its doing it under load check ALL the little things. Air filter?

 

[floorguy]

how did the plugs look?

 

[marco8us]

plugs were not all that bad but replaced anyways,not black or oily or anything like that. going to do compression check this week. Hope its not internal. You guys are full of great help. Just doin the process of ellimination on the things I can check before taking it in. Nearest service dept. is 2 1/2 hrs north.

 

[marco8us]

I have not cleaned blower with soapy water.

 

[marco8us]

How would one clean a blower?

 

[joey895]

Mine did that. It was very frustrating. It would run perfectly all day long WITHOUT a load on it. Within a minute or two under load it would start spitting and sputtering. It really stumped my small engine mechanic until he finally called the factory for help. It ended up being the coil.

 

[KevinD]

Marco, what size (model) engine is on the legend?
Is it a Kohler and how many hours?

 

[marco8us]

It is a 20 hp Kohler with 1400 hrs sounded like Joey had same problem.

 

[Shane T]

I think Joey's got the answer. If not the coil, check for a loose wire somewhere or low voltage. Is your charging system working well?

 

[marco8us]

Yep I agree with checking coil, charging fine. Not a real educated mechanic but can turn a wrench. Is a bad coil a big deal to change or check?

 

[joe harper]

marco...

When you "remove" the load ...Does the engine recover it's RPM'S..Immediatly..?


can you run the unit for approximately 20 mins...before the problem...?

 

[marco8us]

Ya know I do believe it recovers just fine. Today was the first time a ran it after I changed plugs and fuel filter. Started first job and told my son I think we have solved the problem, but dag gumit, after about ten min. there she goes and does it again.

 

[Amazing]

compression test it?

 

[Jay D]

My 30 hp had a low oil shut off on top on the carb that went bad, It bogged under load and when I took the wire off it ran great, could be that, maybe. Go to the lawn mower shop and :roll: pay them thats the best way.

 

[joey895]

Ya know I do believe it recovers just fine. Today was the first time a ran it after I changed plugs and fuel filter. Started first job and told my son I think we have solved the problem, but dag gumit, after about ten min. there she goes and does it again.

Yep, it took me a while before I realized it was only under load, I thought it was just when it got hot, so I would run it at my house for a long time to make sure everything was good and then go to the job and start it and it would seem to be fine but about half way through the first room it would start acting up. I believe the coil can be tested with an ohm meter before you buy one, mine was about $50 and took about 10 minutes to install if I remember correctly. Oh by the way mine is a kohler also.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

take off the air filter!....try running it like that and see if any differrence! If it doesnt bog down under load while air filter is off, then your air filter is dirty. If there is no difference either way....like everyone else is saying it could be a coil. If at a mechanic have them check the intake manifold gaskets/o-rings too. We had a 20 hp Kohler on a Blue Line (about 2200 hrs) that one of the coils (we replaced both as recommended) was shot as well as the intake manifold gaskets/o-rings. Mechanic thought that part of the problem was the 10% ethanol thats been added to our pump gasoline. The ethanol eats up seals, gaskets, and o-rings apparently.

 

[bob vawter]

DO NOT USE SOAPY WATER
soap is what yor trying to rinse out....use only clear water!

 

[joe harper]

DO NOT USE SOAPY WATER
soap is what yor trying to rinse out....use only clear water!

SoaP...only gets in GeNiE..bloWERs....

 

[joe harper]

If it is getting FIRE...and is getting FUEL...IT SHOULD RUN... !gotcha!

Before you start replacing parts...CHECK...That the ignition wires are TIGHT on
the KEY switch... :idea: Prochem's..are famous for VIBRATING the screws loose
on the switch... :roll: Thus causing you to lose the GROUND...!

 

[bob vawter]

DO NOT USE SOAPY WATER
soap is what yor trying to rinse out....use only clear water!

SoaP...only gets in GeNiE..bloWERs....

 

[marco8us]

Just called small engine repair shop and he told me over the phone that I was getting toward the end of its life expectancy with 1400 hrs on it, seems how it was in a van and being air cooled. I think that is BS! Then he told me for them to look at it that it needs to be takin out of van. I have heard good things about this guy and he just burst my bubble. He just didn't want deal with it bein in a van I bet. I have changed oil in this thing religously every 50 hrs.