M-18 running issues
 

So i noticed today after mowing for 20 mins my 1872 starts loosing power. Turn the deck off and its surging and spitting. Ive rebuilt the Walbro carb. Cleaned the lines and tank and put a fuel filter on it. It did great last Friday mowing but now it runs like crap until it sits there running for a bit it runs like normal. Any ideas? Never really had a magnum motor before

It sounds like it is starving for fuel. Try pulling the choke when it does that, and if it helps, then I would look @ removing the carb and looking for chit in the bowl, especially the main jet circuit. If it is a non adjustable type of carb, most replace them with the adjustable type.
Also look for water in your fuel. You could have fuel pump on it's way out or chit in the valves inside it also.
--------just some things to check.

It is not unheard of to get a bit of fuel hose in the fuel system when removing/installing/ working on the fuel system.
Let us know what you find.

I would clean everthing again and replace the fuel lines. After that sounds like it could be the pump.

Im gonna yank the carb off clean it again. Everyone said go with a carter style carb like on a single cylinder Kohler. It runs great no load but load it and it acts stupid. Really hope if it is the fuel pump it can be rebuilt or cheaper than what I've seen so far.

Electric ones are $50 at Napa.
Put in three now and like them.

You can get aftermarket fuel pumps on eBay for under $40.

Stens pumps are good. Installed them with good results. So are Prime Line pumps.


I personally prefer not to go electric, but that is an option. But Terry is correct also. Those will work well too.



I agree that it sounds like it's starving for fuel.... but I'm not convinced it is the fuel pump. How does it run when the fuel tank is full? Does that help it?

it runs fine full or close to empty. i did take the carb back apart and soak it for an hour in cleaner. i did find some trash that came from the pump after flushing it...i got it back together just didnt get time to fire it up. what i did find in it was some kind of fuzz or something wasnt sure....time to download the manual for the motor and find the settings for it and from there

It is not much money to change the lines, just a little hassle. I would still do that.

So ive replaced the lines. Rebuilt the carb again. Rebuilt the fuel pump using all genuine Kohler parts it runs better but it seems like the governor is not right. Any idea how its adjusted?