This tractor had only been on FB 33 minutes when I saw it and called the guy. He got it free from his granddad and bought a different type of mower. I went to get it and it is a paradox of issues. The MCS cart and cloth are almost new but the rear fender of the tractor is pretty scratched up. It didn't run when he got it so he put a new carb on it and a new battery. It wouldn't idle when I bought it but when I got it home I fixed that with the idle adjustment screw on the new carb. It struggles to run the 54-inch deck and drive the mower too so I checked the tranny oil. None in sight at the reservoir. I'll fill it up tomorrow and hope that cures it. He put an auto battery in it with 500 cranking amps! The cutting height adjustment knob does not work but I have fixed several of them and it is no big deal. The PowerFlo unit is almost new with no wear on the bottom and all of the plastic is in good shape. Of course, the seat is toast but I got a new one with the X530 I just bought. It has the diff lock so it is either an '04 or '05. I paid $750 and feel like I did pretty good.
I picked up a GX 345 with MC 519 today
inspectorudy
41 - 60 of 83 Posts
I hear that. The front of that engine is packed like a sardine can.
If you happen to have the intake elbow off, you can look at the butterfly down the bore of the carb.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
I was thinking that if I did not fully rotate the governor shaft counterclockwise, I might gain a little more WOT authority from the governor. What do you think?
Joined
·
1,687 Posts
yep, thats what we were talking about yesterday, just make sure that the arm doesnt hit any when it goes to open the throttle, i.e, make sure before you bolt all that crap into place, that the arm swings clear of everything, and that the throttle butterfly can open and close all the way. also, be ready to shut it down when you first start it, if you go too far it WILL try and run a way on you and rev way too high. best way to do that is to have the air cleaner off and a clean towel handy to stuff in the air intake to choke it out asap, since the gx has the time delay module that lets it run for a moment before shutting down with the key, so if you get a runaway, key off, stuff clean towel in intake to choke it off to prevent further over-revving.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
One thing I have noticed is that there is play in the governor arm when the engine is off. I looked at my X390 and it has free play there too. I was wondering what keeps the governor arm up against the throttle plate if there is free play at idle. I tried it out and it is much better but not totally fixed yet. Very hard starting it for some reason.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
I learned that there is one proper way to put the governor spring on. I had it on where the ends came forward through the two holes and the long end was hitting the choke arm as it approached WOT. I flipped it around and tomorrow I will let off a little on the governor arm setting. I'll check the valves then too. Will let you know. I cannot figure out what is supposed to hold the governor arm tight against the throttle plate. It does not fit up against the adjusting screw unless I push it thee. I guess once it starts it tightens up. I was wondering if that would have anything to do with the hard starting. I cannot add any gas and only use the choke to start it. Once it runs it is fine after that, even a restart is easy.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
Would it be because it is too lean?
Joined
·
1,687 Posts
when you start it, are you applying at least half throttle? the governor arm should be pulling the butterfly open all the way (when the engine isnt running) by about half throttle. add choke, and it should fire up in around 6-8 revolutions when cold. as for the arm being slack, it should be at idle, as the internal counterweights are not pushing the poppet down to apply pressure to close the throttle. think old fashioned steam engine with the flying balls, same concept, just internally instead of externally.
this gear has a little top hat shaped poppet that sits in between the flyweights. faster the motor turns, the more the flyweights pull out, pushing on the poppet, which in turn applies pressure against the governor spring on the outside of the engine, causing it to balance out at a certain spring pressure on the governor, which is what sets the rpm.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
I appreciate the governor explanation and I figured it was like the old steam engine govs. I usually push the throttle up at least 1/4 way but if I do it with this one it won't start. The only way it will start is to leave the throttle alone and add choke. Then it starts but runs very slowly below idle and then I can add gas but slowly. Then it is fine from then on. I set the air screw at 1 5/8 turns out from all in/off and that's where it is now. Any recommendations?
Joined
·
1,687 Posts
depending on the weather, the carb could be jetted a bit rich, you could try a full throttle start with no choke, also verify that the choke is closing ALL the way, if its not all the way closed, and the carb is jetted properly, it will be a hard cold start.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
I checked the choke visually before putting the plastic intake tube back on and it closes completely. I can make it a little leaner with the air screw if that will help. I've never had a Kawa that was hard to start so it's got to be something simple.
Joined
·
1,687 Posts
If the choke closes all the way, i am thinking its either valve adjustment, or see about the condition of the intake gaskets. You can spray carb cleaner (or brake cleaner) around where the carb meets the intake, as well as where the intake meets the heads, with the engine running, and see if the rpm picks up or drops off when it gets sprayed, indicating an air leak which could cause a lean condition and hard starting. That could also explain a lack of power up hills.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
I tried it again yesterday after resetting the governor shaft and it made no difference. It makes it up the hill but not at the same speed or engine rpm as the bottom. I checked in the fuel tank and found some pieces of black stuff that I think might be old fuel hose. I believe the governor is working ok but the fuel flow may be the culprit. As soon as I get to the top of the hill the rpm goes right back up to the set speed. I am going to replace the hoses, pump and carb because the ones on there now were a hack job by someone who didn't know much about it. He is the one who stretched the spring and had cut the fuel solenoid probe off. I'll update this when I get it all done. Thanks for the help bogieboy!
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
OK, here's an update on this monster. I took it out today and tied a string to the governor arm that I could pull from the seat. I went to the steepest hill in my yard and pushed the rpm up to full high idle and started up the hill. It started to slow down as usual so I started pulling the governor arm string. Nothing! No difference so that told me that there is no rpm available even manually pulling the governor arm. That triggered a thought that Bogieboy had mentioned before but being the messiest job that I know of I put it off hoping for a simpler solution. I pulled the valve covers off and checked the valves. They were way off, both too tight and too loose, so I adjusted them to .010 inches.
Then I took it out and it went up the hill with absolutely NO loss of rpm! It did put out some white smoke abruptly after a few runs up the hill so I went and rechecked the valves. A couple of them had tightened a little so I reset them. No smoke and it runs like a powerhouse! I am thinking that I might have a valve guide issue on one valve. Any advice on replacing it? Although the last couple of runs there was no white smoke except on startup which is pretty normal for a Kawa, I do not want to sell it if there is a valve problem. I finished the 54-inch deck and it looks great. Next is the MCS cart which is in very good shape with almost no rust. The canvas top is even in good shape which as most of you know can get pretty ratty over time. The little plexiglass window is still nice and clear and the cart is very nice. BTW, does anyone out there who owns a GX345 need a new carb at a good discount?
Then I took it out and it went up the hill with absolutely NO loss of rpm! It did put out some white smoke abruptly after a few runs up the hill so I went and rechecked the valves. A couple of them had tightened a little so I reset them. No smoke and it runs like a powerhouse! I am thinking that I might have a valve guide issue on one valve. Any advice on replacing it? Although the last couple of runs there was no white smoke except on startup which is pretty normal for a Kawa, I do not want to sell it if there is a valve problem. I finished the 54-inch deck and it looks great. Next is the MCS cart which is in very good shape with almost no rust. The canvas top is even in good shape which as most of you know can get pretty ratty over time. The little plexiglass window is still nice and clear and the cart is very nice. BTW, does anyone out there who owns a GX345 need a new carb at a good discount?
Good news on getting beyond the carb/governor but I'm curious why you think it's a valve guide? You just don't see any postings on Kawaski valve guide issues or even head issues on the FD611V. Briggs, yes, but not the Kawasaki's.
My guess is that the PO may have adjusted the valves incorrectly prior to selling it. I can also see how if the valves were set too tight, they would allow carbon build up on the seats, once you set them correctly, they would need a subsequent adjustment as the carbon is pounded off the seats. Maybe an email/call to the PO can help solve the mystery.
Aside from that, I'd put some hours on it to see if you really have an issue.
My guess is that the PO may have adjusted the valves incorrectly prior to selling it. I can also see how if the valves were set too tight, they would allow carbon build up on the seats, once you set them correctly, they would need a subsequent adjustment as the carbon is pounded off the seats. Maybe an email/call to the PO can help solve the mystery.
Aside from that, I'd put some hours on it to see if you really have an issue.
Joined
·
4,263 Posts
I believe you are right about the PO setting the valves way off. When I went to check them they were not even in the ballpark of the correct setting. I set them twice on each side cold to make sure they were not changing because of heat. I had to fine tune them but got them to .010 inch on both sides. It not only pulls up steep hills with no loss of power but runs the 54-inch deck as if wasn't there. On all of my past GX's I have had to run the rpm way up to engage the deck but not with this one. The 54-inch deck is a big drag but with the engine at half throttle, it engages without a protest. Here is the CL ad for her. https://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/grd/d/tyrone-john-deere-gx345-and-mcs-519/7209923535.html
I know there are a few on this forum who think all I do is shine them up and then flip them. They are wrong. I have spent hours on this tractor getting her to be the best. She was covered in dirt and didn't have a shiny part on her when I bought her. The engine would not run except with no deck or not load. Now she is a stallion that performs like a GX should.
I know there are a few on this forum who think all I do is shine them up and then flip them. They are wrong. I have spent hours on this tractor getting her to be the best. She was covered in dirt and didn't have a shiny part on her when I bought her. The engine would not run except with no deck or not load. Now she is a stallion that performs like a GX should.
41 - 60 of 83 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
