Kholer k181 sputter

[1968Commando 163]

Hey yall, my Kholer k181 is sputtering when I give it throttle, the plug is clean, has good spark the condenser was new about 5 months ago before I rebuilt the motor and up until 3 days ago it ran good, anyways when I throttle it up it sputters and misses like really bad and I don’t know what else to attack because I have hit everything I’ve thought of 

[wallfish 18,072]

Most common cause would be carb adjustment or other carb issues like an improper float height setting.

Initial carb valve settings are just that, initially set to get it running. Then adjust them to achieve best performance.

There are instructions in the Kohler engine manual

[1968Commando 163]

48 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Most common cause would be carb adjustment or other carb issues like an improper float height setting.

Initial carb valve settings are just that, initially set to get it running. Then adjust them to achieve best performance.

There are instructions in the Kohler engine manual

Well, this is all of a sudden like I went to run it one day and it’s doing it, could it be my condenser took a crap or is taking one? If so can I test them?

[pfrederi 18,638]

Dirt moved to a new position in the Carb....

 

Disconnect the condenser see if it runs better

Edited June 22 by pfrederi

[1968Commando 163]

14 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Dirt moved to a new position in the Carb....

 

Disconnect the condenser see if it runs better

Ok thank you, will do 

[1968Commando 163]

17 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Dirt moved to a new position in the Carb....

 

Disconnect the condenser see if it runs better

Well shoot, it actually runs worse without it connected what the heck????!!?!!

[wallfish 18,072]

2 minutes ago, 1968Commando said:

Well shoot, it actually runs worse without it connected what the heck????!!?!!

It won't be able to rev up to higher RPMs without a condenser.

But now you know it's not the condenser because it changed when you disconnected it so it's working.

Edited June 22 by wallfish

[1968Commando 163]

Just now, wallfish said:

It won't be able to rev up to higher RPMs without a condenser.

But now you know it's not the condenser because it changed when you disconnected it.

Well darn, I was hoping it was my condenser because now I don’t know were to look I cleaned the carb a month ago when I rebuilt  it 

[1968Commando 163]

6 minutes ago, wallfish said:

It won't be able to rev up to higher RPMs without a condenser.

But now you know it's not the condenser because it changed when you disconnected it so it's working.

I’m really thinking it’s the condenser because replaced it a few months back and it sounded pretty much the same before I did that 

[wallfish 18,072]

A bad condenser can cause bad sputtering when trying to throttle up. Bad gas can cause that too. But it still idles fine.

Does it actually run at higher RPM but just sputtering on it's way up when you throttle it up?  (Which is what I got from your first post)

Or, it won't throttle up at all and continues to cough and sputter all the time but it idles fine?

[1968Commando 163]

3 minutes ago, wallfish said:

A bad condenser can cause bad sputtering when trying to throttle up. Bad gas can cause that too. But it still idles fine.

Does it actually run at higher RPM but just sputtering on it's way up when you throttle it up?  (Which is what I got from your first post)

Or, it won't throttle up at all and continues to cough and sputter all the time but it idles fine?

It will throttle up, but won’t run smooth at higher rpm more noticeable when mowing but that’s probably because it isn’t producing power

 

[wallfish 18,072]

1 minute ago, 1968Commando said:

It will throttle up, but won’t run smooth at higher rpm more noticeable when mowing but that’s probably because it isn’t producing power

 

Turn the top carb adjustment one way or the other while it's running at higher RPM. If it gets worse, turn it the other way.

Go 1/4 turn increments at a time.

If it's a chinese carb it could be anything. I've had a couple that continually flooded after the engine was running but fine at idle.

[1968Commando 163]

4 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Turn the top carb adjustment one way or the other while it's running at higher RPM. If it gets worse, turn it the other way.

Go 1/4 turn increments at a time.

If it's a chinese carb it could be anything. I've had a couple that continually flooded after the engine was running but fine at idle.

Ok thank you, yes this is the original carb rebuilt with a I save tractors rebuilt kit

[lynnmor 7,802]

Is the temperature a lot higher now?  Did you try a new spark plug?

[1968Commando 163]

34 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Is the temperature a lot higher now?  Did you try a new spark plug?

Oh well actually yes it is a lot hotter now it’s 98 degrees I probably set this carb up when it was only 70 degrees if that 

[ebinmaine 72,444]

7 hours ago, 1968Commando said:

Ok thank you, yes this is the original carb rebuilt

 

Be cautious assuming that a recently rebuilt carb is fine. 

Absolutely could be dirty again.  

 

 

 

7 hours ago, 1968Commando said:

with a I save tractors rebuilt kit

 

^^^^^

That could also be the problem. 

I stopped using ANY aftermarket carb rebuild kits years ago. 

Original Kohler kits are low money and better quality.  

 

 

 

[1968Commando 163]

19 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Be cautious assuming that a recently rebuilt carb is fine. 

Absolutely could be dirty again.  

 

 

 

 

^^^^^

That could also be the problem. 

I stopped using ANY aftermarket carb rebuild kits years ago. 

Original Kohler kits are low money and better quality.  

 

 

 

Ok thank you 

[1968Commando 163]

Just now, 1968Commando said:

Ok thank you 

Can I buy a rebuild kit from a Kholer dealer or is it too old?

[oliver2-44 10,691]

You local Kohler Dealer may not stock one anymore but should be able to order you one. They are also available on evilly or the jungle site. 

[ebinmaine 72,444]

36 minutes ago, 1968Commando said:

Can I buy a rebuild kit from a Kholer dealer or is it too old?

 

Just now, oliver2-44 said:

You local Kohler Dealer may not stock one anymore but should be able to order you one. They are also available on evilly or the jungle site. 

 

 

https://billsplaceshop.com/products/new-genuine-oem-kohler-part-25-757-01-s-carburetor-kit-for-k91-k301-k321-k482?_pos=1&_sid=a50b74525&_ss=r

 

 

 

 

[sqrlgtr 705]

This is probably not news to any one on here but went through the same thing a while back, dirty carb, and the fuel lines were rotting from the inside out. They were just a couple years old and looked good from the outside. Took carb off, clean, put back on and would Run fine for a day or two then same ol $h!t. Didn't think about the fuel lines being bad because they hadn't been on there long.... May not be whats going on but sumin to think about. I have had condenser go bad before also. Could you swap condenser from a known good runner and try before you get to deep into it?

[Wheelhorse#1 1,829]

I had a fuel pump go out like that, it would sputter a bit then run fine .

It would be intermittent ,drove me nuts and then one day it finally quit altogether.

Yanked the supply line  to the carb and quickly verified it was the pump.