Kohler Courage 20HP Won't Start - Won't Stay Running Off Choke Dies Out Or Has No Power Riding Mower

New subscriber here, but I've been working on small engines most of my life, 54 here, and I have some great stories. Resently I had a customer, he has a craftsman 4in1 vac briggs quantum, I go out once a year right around now to get the machine running for him, I show up, and get it running, I would have to do a carb ultrasonic cleaning, drain the gas out of his tank, reassembly, use my new gas, and it would run like new. Well come to find out what the problem was, turns out he had a huge 5 gallon container of gas, but it was 6 year old gas, that he had collected from his push mowers and tractor over the years, and he would put it in the machine, and it wouldn't run, he's yelling at me saying my work is shotty, and come back, and fix it for free, well after the 3rd time, I tell him it's his gas, it's so old, it is no longer any good, to which he says malarkey, the gas is fine, I leave, and it won't start again, after a few days I get in contact with his wife, I tell her to get rid of the gas in the big 5 gallon tank, I explained why, so she does, and fills it up with good fresh gas, I go over for the last time this year, I clean the carb, and drain the tank, this time he pours the fresh gas from his 5 gal container, it starts, and runs perfectly, to which he says, see I told you the gas was fine, you just did something wrong, I look over at his wife, and we share a wink, cause we know the truth. It just goes to show, you have to swallow your pride sometimes to get the customer happy..... LMAO

Video was very helpful. Mower is currently running only when choke is on. I see that I can buy a new carburetor, air filter and fuel filter for @ $40. I have ran it without the air filter over it.. opps! I am guessing I have a dirty or clogged area. Replacing everything seems like a good fix, am I right? problem just started happening and I mowed for 35 min .. but I think I should try to remedy the problem. I am not a great small engine guy, but your video shows that its probably in my wheelhouse. Thanks again!

Moisture problems are a lot worse now because of the ethanol in gas because alcohol draws moisture in the fuel worse than the leaded gas and I try to put my gas can in a shaded area where the can doesn't heat up and build pressure then cool off and draw moisture in when pressure goes down when CAC cools down also I noticed that the air filter doesn't have the foam pre filter up top where air is forced into air filter box from flywheel cover which prolongs air filter life

Thanks!

I am watching your video on a cub cadet 20 hp Kohler that was ultimately a bad fuel issue water. I have the same mower and having a serious issue with running performance. I noticed a very small fuel leak coming from the back side of the carburetor where I couldn't see. Now I noticed when you removed the carb off the mounting studs that the stud on the right side was loose and I was hoping you were going to mention something about that. But you simply just went on your way replacing carb and securing down with no problem. Well that's my problem, I can't get that right side mounting stud to stay put. I can't stabilize it. I can literally push that bolt straight back into motor with no resistance. Was my small fuel leak because of that I am not sure. But where I felt the majority of fuel was on back side of carb, ( motor side) up top high up on carburetor. So I need to find out how to stabilize that right side mounting stud. The gasket on back side of carb looks just fine but maybe I should replace anyway. You mentioned if you are going to replace that gasket that you should replace the gasket on the other side of block. I was told that block, which in a diagram calls it heat deflector shield, is not removeable. Well that's not true becuase I see they sell that kit. How do I remove that block to replace gasket on other side. It looks like that Right side mounting bolt has a hex head that fits into a recessed spot on that block. But that mounting stud is very loose. Please help I cannot afford these issues.

Thanks. Very hepful.

I was hoping you were going to show how to take the carb apart and clean it. The swivel pin that holds the float on mine is flared so I can't pull it out to clean.

NEVER Trust fuel supplied by the customer!!!

My ltx1054 has similar issues. I noticed the fuel pump vaccum hose to the valve cover was cracked and leaking fuel. I took the valve cover off and gas poured out. I replaced the fuel pump and vacuum hose, but im wondering if this could be a faulty carburetor causing it to leak fuel? I havent hooked uo the fuel line yet, scared to get more fuel in the engine

I was hoping you'd have shown the tube going up into the venturi. I just did one of these engines. The "original " carb had a 3/16 straight hole going up, i measured with a drill bit. OEM carb was no longer available so i replaced with a high quality chineesium one. Anyway, it it, there was what i call a transfer tube going up, making the hole considerably smaller. Many briggs, honda and tecumseh have the removable transfer tube style that i clean when doing the carburetor. I theorize that someone either removed or broke this one, but since i don't have another oem to compare it to, i was just wondering if that 3/16 was normal or was i right in thinking something was missing? This mower had many issues with loose, missing or broken pieces so nothing surprises me

boy those cub timed mandrel decks are the worst~! hate them!!

Can you go out and check how many many turns until the jet is completely tight so I can set my jetting to it because somebody messed with mine and I can't get it right

That’s what I think is wrong with mine how much try that thank you

The nut on that stud on the right pulls the stud out of the engine and feels like it is threaded into plastic. Any ideas?

I had mine run it run good smooth living drove around started the blame died now I just want to crank crank crank crank doing the same thing won’t start

does this use a fuel pump

Does this mower have a fuel pump?

Hi. Yesterday I was attempting to start a SV600 engine that had not run for ages. It's at a charitable org and I wanted to see if I could fix it. I did get it started after making sure the fuel lines were clear. However, the fuel leaked out of the carb whether it was running or not. Just kept dripping. Tomorrow I'm taking the carb bowl apart. Do you think it's an electrical problem or maybe the float is stuck? Getting it running can save the charity money. Thanks.

My throttle were the spring connects is hitting heat deflector why

Don’t start or run a lawnmower if there’s a gas or oil leak, take it to a mechanic or call