Kohler 301 problem after it heats up??
 

Hi All, Im coming to the experts again with a question. I have an easy starting, perfectly running motor, for 10-15 minutes. Then it coughs & sputters & stalls out. It continues to do so until I let it cool. I can still easily rotate the motor by hand, even immediately after it stalls. - The gas & tank is clean, I even swapped out the carb with a known good one; still the same problem. I purchased this 122 from someone, so I dont know the history behind it.
Any thoughts?

Brian

:bigthink:

It could be a lot of things, but it sounds like it has something to do with heat. You may want to check the Timing.

Im reading the service manual now on how to do that... I didn't realize that heat could have anything to do with timing.

Check the Coil. Sounds like it is going bad on you.

Here is the coil link and how to trouble shoot it:
http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11

Just like in a car, if the timing is out then your cylinder isn't firing correctly and could be causing an increase in heat.

Here is a link on setting your timing. Probably wouldn't hurt a thing just to check it.
http://mgonitzke.net16.net/tools/static_timing.pdf

You have to determine is it's a fuel or spark problem. Also common for an exhaust valve starting to seize.

Thanks for the info, DX3, I can't get that link to open on setting the timing, does it live somewhere else? I hope it's not the exhaust valve seizing.....
BP

Coil or condenser will do that when they heat up.

I think DX3 hit the nail on the head with the coil. My 125 had the exact same symptoms last summer. It would run 15-20 minutes start skipping and sputtering and eventually just die. I replaced the coil and runs like a champ now.

Yeah, the link is on a members website. It came up for me. Its a PDF file. If you look into the Tractor Tech Library that we have, there is also another link for how to do the timing. But I honestly think you have a coil issue. If you replace the coil, I would do the whole setup and replace the points and condenser all at the same time and be fresh.

agreed with the above statement. good luck :beerchug:

Thanks all for your help! The timing was off a little, so I fixed that, I put on new points and condenser. The coil reads 4.8 ohms at the terminals and 7800 ohms at the tower. That seems to be in spec according to the chart, no? I will replace it anyway. I'll let you know how I make out!

Thanks again!
BP

Good luck! :beerchug:

Your problem sounds like the classic starting to fail coil issue. Might be timing but without knowing how far off a "little" was its hard to say. Did you take your coil resistance measurements with everything cold or did you take them immediately after the tractor got hot and shut off? If done cold they don't provide any information in this case since you know the tractor initially starts and runs well.

I am more of a motorcycle guy so maybe these tractor coils are different but in my experience it is very hard to test a coil, in fact most motorcycle service manuals suggest replacing a suspected bad coil with a known good one for diagnostic testing. Easy to do on a twin cylinder 2 coil system but not so much on a single ;). I have been told although I don't know if it is true or not that even a high end multimeter doesn't have sufficent impedence to detect the fault in a bad coil even when the coil is hot & not working properly. I have personally experienced this both with Honda CB350 & Yamaha RD coils.

Let us know what you find.

Well, it looks like y'all were right! I replace the coil and condenser, and she stays running! Thanks a lot!

BP

That's great to hear!:beerchug:

Glad you got it fixed!