GT3235 wont stay running. need help asap

chip6990 · #1 09-15-2011, 09:26 PM

Hello all, I'm new to the forums and new to owning a CC. When it runs, I absolutely love it. It's a '05 GT3235 w/a Kohler Command 25hp twin cylinder. I am at my wits end with this mower. I bout it to mow 3 of my neighbors yards, I have used it 4 times, and now it won't run longer than 5 sec. It has cost me more $ than i have made with it. I will try and explain best I can all I have done as far as troubleshooting. Carb has been cleaned twice, new fuel filter and plugs, fuel pump works. Venting the gas cap didn't help. I checked the fuel silenoid attached to the carb, I hook my test light to pos. Side of batt and it activates freely, swap to neg post and check the wire that feeds the fuel silenoid, its getting power in the start position. it will run as long as the choke is wide open, but if you go to 3/4 choke, it dies, while running with the choke on, engage blades, and it dies. I can start it with the choke off, it will run with my hand cupped over the carb, remove my hand, it dies.
I noticed there was some fuel on the intake just below the carb, would a bad gasket cause the issue? I have had 2 CC dealers tell me 2 different "guaranteed" fixes. one dealer swears the fuel silenoid is bad. the other tells me 1 of the 2 diodes that actuate the fuel silenoid is bad (was told that I have to remove the motor to replace the engine harness to replace the diodes, $30 part & $200 labor). they also told me #1 diode feeds power to the fuel silenoid to start the engine, once running, the diodes swap and #2 feeds power to keep it running till the key is switched off. can I temporarily hook 12V from batt to the fuel
silenoid to see if it will run w/o the choke? guys I am about to crush this mower if I fool with it much longer. any ideas or tests I might have missed?

_DX3_ · #2 09-15-2011, 10:00 PM

Obviously it sounds like a starvation for fuel. My 2185 did the same thing once it got worse. The fuel solenoid was bad. I bought a whole new carb, but I think some guys in here can help with just bypassing the plunger inside the carb. Keep checking back, I am sure they will give some good advice. I know it is aggravating at first but once you get it going you will really be happy.

_DX3_ · #3 09-15-2011, 10:02 PM

Look this over too:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6723158_trou...-solenoid.html

Most importantly: Welcome to OCC.

jsoluna · #4 09-15-2011, 10:17 PM

First off, sounds like a lean condition for sure. But why? Given what you've said, I'd suspect that you may have bad intake gaskets, or carb gasket. Have you tried isolating an engine vacuum leak using a propane torch?

And is it the vacuum operated fuel pump or mechanical?

Oak · #5 09-16-2011, 09:52 AM

Did you pull the carb apart and clean it? The diodes are there so one circuit doesn't back feed the other. The start circuit goes through the pto switch, brake switch and then energizes the fuel solenoid. Once it's running the fuel solenoid is powered through the seat switch unless the brake is locked on (pto must be off). With all the crappy gas today I think your problem is the fuel solenoid or other passages in the carb. I would pull it apart and clean it good with cleaner and use compressed air to blow it clean. I had the same problem with my Kubota. The solenoid is a plunger that shuts the fuel off to the carb and kills the engine. If you are choking it to keep it running then it's not getting enough fuel. Good luck and keep us posted.

chip6990 · #6 09-16-2011, 06:21 PM

I have drove myself crazy chasing all these wires on the diagram. I have used my test light to check every power source with the switch on or off . 1 of my fuses and relays has no power with the switch on or off . the green wire leading from the key switch goes to both the relay and fuse as well the fuel sensor. The red wire from the relay goes to the solenoid. there is no power with the switch on or off on the green wire at the key switch. I am lost at what else to check.

chip6990 · #7 09-16-2011, 06:25 PM

Also, the fuel silenoid has no power with the switch on the run position, but it does in the start position.

Matt G. · #8 09-16-2011, 07:20 PM

Well, there's your problem...it's something between the fuel solenoid and the battery. Hopefully someone will post a wiring diagram so you can figure out what in the wiring is causing the problem.

Oak · #9 09-16-2011, 08:46 PM

Green is ground. The red/white at the switch is the battery, in the run position you should have 12vdc on the red leaving the switch. That wire feeds power to the reverse, pto and seat switch. The seat switch is red in and red/black out. Do you have power on the red/black wire on the seat switch with the ignition in the run position and you sitting in the seat? The brake switch is wired in paralell with the seat switch so you can lock the brake down and have the pto off and get power on the same red/black wire. I have an awesome pdf manual that has every cub schematic there is. PM me your email and I will send it to you. Good luck

chip6990 · #10 09-16-2011, 08:54 PM

I have the pdf file schematic. What has me stumped is look at all the green wires on your schematic, all lead to 1 fuse and 1 relay, that ends back up at the fuel sensor or fuel silenoid.