Carb issues

[sb47]

I have 2 identical counyline 40ton log splitters Both ahve identical motors on them For the past 4 yeatrs both have akways started on the first pull. Last month one of them became hard to start and once started it woluld act like it was running out of fuel. So I put a spark tester on it the see if the coil was gettinhg hot and going bad, But no issues with spark. My next move was to pull the carb and takn and fuel line thinking I had put some bad gas in it. It would start but after only 2 or 3 min it would again act like it was running out of fuel. My next move was to check the float to see if it was water logged. that checked out good so then I checked the float needle valve and it looked fine. Took some carb cleaner and soaked the carb then blew everything out to make sure there was clean of varnish or debris. Still same issue. Swapped carbs from one machine to the other and it ran fine on the old splitter. swapped them back and same issue. Runs for a min the shuts off like a fuel issue. I finally got the new one working again and Im letting it run without a load for about and hour. Then I;m gonna go split with it ti see if it acts up again. Been therogh that carb at leat 6 or 7 times a;ll with the same result If it ascts up again I'm ordering a whole new carb. Must just be a bad carb even though it has worked fine for 4 years, Nothing but efree fuel ran through both. Talk about frustration.
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[sean donato]

Just buy a new carb. They are all of $20.00. I don't poddle with them on small 4 strokes anymore.

 

[Aknutter]

Might want to check the fuel pump.

 

[sean donato]

Typically gravity fed on a splitter engine. No fuel pump. There are passages you can't physically get at in some carbs. Ultrasonic cleaners work good for that. But at the end of the day, they are too cheap to mess with. The most advice I could give is if there's a screen in the tank thays getting clogged. Beyond that, it's carb time.

 

[sb47]

Typically gravity fed on a splitter engine. No fuel pump. There are passages you can't physically get at in some carbs. Ultrasonic cleaners work good for that. But at the end of the day, they are too cheap to mess with. The most advice I could give is if there's a screen in the tank thays getting clogged. Beyond that, it's carb time.

The tank screen was one of the first things I checked, Looked brand new.

 

[sb47]

The tank screen was one of the first things I checked, Looked brand new.

I'm gonna order a new carb so if there is a next time I will just swap it out. I have had carb issue on other motors and most times a good cleaning gets them back running. I was hoping this would be one of those cases but not so. this time. My water pump on my pond had a aint nest in it, i'm just gonna order a new oen for that motor. not going to bother with that one.

 

[Aknutter]

Typically gravity fed on a splitter engine.

, Sometimes overlooked though

 

[Okie]

What is the engine model and type?
What is the carb make and model?

If you can swap carbs and the problem follows the bad carb and several cleaning no good, time for another carb. (sometimes a heated USonic will break the stuff down)
The blockage is in the emulsion tube, H jet area most likely.

I have fair luck with clone carbs, BUT sometimes if a clone don't operate correctly I can for myself use the clone parts to repair the carb being replaced. I let customers get their own carbs and tell them to get OEM. If they get a clone and it's bad, it's their fault and problem.

But, I had a problem similar to that awhile back. Engine had been running good. Let it set for about 2 mo's and would not start. Float needle in carb stuck closed.
Few days later would starve for gas. I pulled the fuel filter and blowed back through the filter with 10psi air and caught the blow back in a white paper towel, looked like dust/dirt on the white towel but was gummy/glue. Engine running ok, then sure enough carb needle stuck closed again.

Long story short some old gummy/glue stuff is coming loose in the bottom of the gas tank.
I've always tried to run non ethanol but seems some had at one time dried out in the tank and is now being broken down/softened by the fresh gas???????????
I suspect few more months of not operating the carb and it would have dried in the passages of the carb.

 

[ericm979]

I'm not sure from your description if the problem followed the carb or stayed with the splitter. If it stayed with the splitter, check the vent in the gas cap. If it's clogged you'll see exactly the symptoms you describe. When air can't flow into the tank to replace the fuel thats used, fuel flow slows down and the engine runs poorly or not at all.

One test is to run it until the symptoms appear then crack the cap open and see if they go away.

 

[Mad Professor]

If the carb has a drain plug on the float bowl, or you can take out the main jet like a plug, turn on petcock and see how much flow you get into a quart jar, or if it stops/slows down. If flow is slow work back to line into the carb.

 

[sb47]

Had it running perfectly for 4 yours yesterday, when out to start it up theis morning and nodda. Had spark and float bowl was full. After about 50 pulls I moved that splitter out of the way ond put my old splitter in it's place. She started rite up and ran all day.
It's a Kohler comand pro 429cc 14 HP ch444 YTL 016-933.....SPLOLSP400...12009039 are all the numbers I could find except the SR# witch is not important.
I really thik my issue is with the fuel bowl gasket It's like a flat o ring gasket. I think it is swollen and has a nick in it allowing it to suck air. But even with an 1/8 gap missing it ran fine yesterday. Could be the manifold and intake gasket look a bit ruff.
Oils is full but it doesn't mean the oil sensor is good.

 

[Okie]

Here is a link to a service manual for the Kohler 440. (not sure if it matches your exact engine but you can take you engine data and maybe find such at this site)
Also at this site you can download the owners manual.
If none of these 4 links do not work for you to download the Service and owners manual just to to Kohler.com and look for Kohler CH245-440. All 4 of the links below is suppose to get the same results for a Service manual.
If it does not go direct to the service manual, look carefully SCROLL DOWN the page for
SERVICE MANUAL DOWNLOAD, PDF

I had to use microsoft edge browser to get to the links. google chrome was iffy???

https://kohlerpower.com/en/engines/product/command-pro-ch440

https://resources.kohler.com/power/...1.1625893692.1654167777-1563693137.1654167777
https://resources.kohler.com/power/...1.1625893692.1654167777-1563693137.1654167777
See pg 22, troubleshooting. (this is close enough for general troubleshooting)
Pg 29 is a exploded view of some Kohler command carbs.

The upper bowl gasket on that carb will not keep the engine from starting.
It just keeps the bowl from sloshing fuel out when the engine is running or from overflowing if the float needle sticks open..

G and H is area of concern on that carb when won't run at high rpms under load.

Did you try squirting some gas into the carb throat when cranking?

 

[sb47]

Well I walked by the splitter and decided to give it a pull to see what whould happen and she started rite up with no issues. I did notice it starts easier if the throttle is almost wide open. Once it starts I can idle it back down and it runs fine. So now I'm thinking it's a choke issue. Even though the choke seems to open and close normally just like the other splitter. Could it be it needs an idle screw adjustment?
I find it odd it starts fine one day and not the next. all adjustments being the same on each splitter.
after it starts and I throttle it down it seems to want to stall or shut down particularly under a load.
I may try removing the idler screw all the way out and spray some carb cleaner in it and blow it out with compressed air. Maybe there is some trash or varnish/scum in the idler screw needle/seat.

 

[sean donato]

Just a heads up the float bowl is vented to atmosphere. Well vented to the filter side if the carb. Thats how air gets in to allow fuel to be "pushed" up into the jets, so other then that bowl gasket leaking a little and possibly letting dirt in it shouldn't really effect how it runs.