312-8 running but not well

[JCD 60]

I hauled my 312-8 up to the new place in Virginia last month about 30 days ago or so.

 

I went up and needed to mow the lawn and when I went to start the tractor is it was a bit reluctant to start, once I did get it started it was not really running, more or less just pop, pause, pop, pause until it died.

 

I gave it while to rest and it started again with the same pop, pause until it died once again.

 

The next time it started and ran better but was still pop, pause but shorter pauses,  I tried backing it out of the building and it died on me.

 

Finally it ran but not as well as it did before I took it to Virginia, I started mowing and got about 30ft and it died.

 

It took 2 more tries to get it back in the building where it died and I had to head back home.

 

Any ideas as to what I should look at when I get back up?  I checked the gas tank, it had gas but had sat for about 30 days, I used stabil.

 

Battery didn't seem weak, throttle and choke cables move.

 

I had no problems when I put it in the building when I took it up to Virginia it ran fine.

 

Thanks  for any ideas,  Jim

[953 nut 58,295]

Basic once over should include making sure the fuel shut-off at the tank is not shut off, check the air filter, a new Champion H-10 spark plug, check for fuel being pumped to the carburetor, add some seafoam or other gas treatment to the tank. Start the engine with the air cleaner off and, rev it up and give a couple of squirts of carb cleaner into the air intake.

[wallfish 17,581]

19 minutes ago, JCD said:

I had no problems when I put it in the building when I took it up to Virginia it ran fine.

My vote is condensation water is in the fuel system and particularly in the carb bowl.

[ineedanother 1,519]

Agreed that it's likely a fuel issue but if it's a k301 and hasn't been in a good environment over the winter, run a $bill through the points gap a few times to get rid of any corrosion.

[kpinnc 13,909]

4 hours ago, wallfish said:

My vote is condensation water is in the fuel system and particularly in the carb bowl.

 

 

First thing I check when a Kohler has sat for a while is to dump the sediment bowl. Seems more often than not they get a bit of condensation in them during these southern spring days. Of course it takes a little bit to fill the bowl back up. An inline primer bulb can be helpful. 

[Fordiesel69 269]

do you have a k series k301 or the magnum M12.

[squonk 42,803]

Water in gas or Fluffy started to eat your coil wire under the shroud. 

[JCD 60]

23 hours ago, Fordiesel69 said:

do you have a k series k301 or the magnum M12.

magnum