Cub Cadet with Kawasaki Engine Runs Rough - How to Fix

Step by Step!
Today we'll be working on a Cub Cadet LTX 1142 KW riding lawn mower that has a Kawasaki FR600V engine.
My customer said when he starts the engine, it runs rough and blows black smoke out of the muffler.
These engines have a very common issue that occur, which is the choke lever on the carburetor gets stuck into the engaged position.
They do not disengage properly when you press the choke knob under the steering wheel to disengage the choke, mostly due to dirt and debris creating resistance around the choke lever.
In the past, I have found that degreasing, washing/cleaning the area with a hose, and lubricating the choke lever, works 9/10 times to solve this issue.
However, in the event that the choke lever still gets stuck, you can remove the choke rod to sand it down and lubricate it internally.
Today, I will show you how to do both methods, including the way that ‪@TarylFixesAll‬ does it, as shown here in his video: • Kawasaki Running Badly...
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[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

I currently have an Ariens, John Deere, Cub Cadet and a Craftsman lawn tractor thrown away by a local mower shop all fixed by myself with zero dollars spent other than a service. Lack of maintenance and or running over a stick were the problems. Thanks to people like yourself making videos I'm able to fix equipment and help people get something I stand behind for way less than buying big box store cheaply made junk. Thanks

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Awesome to hear, and thanks for watching!

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

@@EliminatorPerformance Of course. Quality channels are rare but one found me today.

[@tk.6889]

Great video getting right to the issue without someone giving you a tour of their garage and telling you their life's story.....Had to replace the fuel filter and pump as well and now runs like new..Thank you!

[@Tommyr]

Excellent. You, Taryl and Dony73 are my favorite small engine pros. Rock on!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Tommy!

[@waynestefinashen239]

A nice compliment thanks Tommyr

[@TexasEx97]

Thank you for showing how to access and clean the carburetor. This worked for me. Was just about to give up and take in for repair before I saw this video. Saved me alot of time and money!

[@samueljaramillo4221]

I know nothing about engine repair,but I find myself intrigued and interested in your explanation on how to repair the engine. 👍🏻

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoy learning!

[@waynestefinashen239]

Well put together video with the perfect easy fix for the customer likely 99% of the time. Most equipment coming in never has the cooling fins cleared of debris, the engine cover has never been off. Explaining this important issue of keeping the engine clean would also make a good video. Thanks for the steak really enjoyed it, best i ever had son.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes good tips, thanks for watching!

[@davidruiz5383]

Amazing Instructor; continuation of watching your videos will teach me how to fix my cub cadet tractor. Again thank you for your teaching. Thanks and God Bless.

[@kivetts04dmax]

Thank you! My fr750v is doing the same thing, this video saved me a lot of headaches and is an easy fix I appreciate it!!

[@KINGCLEVE23]

Thanks! I was literally looking at new mowers and this fixed mine with the flip of a switch! 🎉

[@MajorGRecording]

I have the same motor on a Husqvarna and have the same problem. I watched the Taryl Fixes All video that you mentioned also. Seems like a common point of failure on the Kawasaki carburetor. I think it's past time for an air filter change on that Cub Cadet. Thanks for the video!

[@watermanone7567]

Very nice video. I have had several YT3000 and YT4000 Craftsman riding mowers that came from the factory with the choke cables out of adjustment. Simply re-adjusted the cable so the chokes would close on a cold start and not more issues. Problem was not enough choke on a cold start and would cause long crank times. Thanks for the video.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@waynestefinashen239]

Waterman your not the only one that has experienced this problem as you have shown in your comment it is a common issue. Thanks for commenting.

[@walterbeaver6365]

Excellent and complete instructions. Thankyou Sir.

[@Turningwrenches85]

Excellent video explaining the choke and how it sticks because of the dirt and debris and how to fix it enjoy the videos as always

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@waiting4aliens]

A class act credits others, as you did Taryl.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes I always give credit where credit is due! Thanks for watching!

[@ChubbyButcher]

ANOTHER BEAUTY VIDEO .. LEARNING EVERY VIDEO FROM YOU CHEERS

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching CB!

[@donvoll2580]

Good day Jake Interesting video, I guess everything gets dirty. Thanks

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@waynestefinashen239]

Even we need a daily wash down Don

[@Ridgerunner49]

Enjoyed the video very much also count how many times you use the phrase like I said

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Haha I'll try to cut back, thanks for watching!

[@Adayinthelifeof-AG]

Thanks, I removed the hood and sprayed cables and link with Krown Rust prevention.

[@waynestefinashen239]

In the old days we would spray ignition cables and distributor cap with WD40 to stop arching and grounding out

[@markfeigh2237]

Thanks so much. I had no idea it would be so simple. Fixed it in no time and finished the yard.

[@stevevoyer827]

Great video question for you can you put a flywheel on crooked what’s the results

[@mikem5475]

How?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Usually they have a tapered shaft so they go on nice and easy. I would bet there would be lots of vibration. Thanks for watching!

[@waynestefinashen239]

Normally the taper is a self locking taper of the standard 1/8 inch per foot and provided you started the nut on the threads by hand or did not damage it when removing the flywheel it can only go on properly. If the threads were damaged and you stripped them when putting the nut on then it is possible that it is not properly installed and may crack as it can if over torqued. There would be a lot of vibration for sure!

[@stevevoyer827]

Thanks for your great insight will readdress what I’ve done

[@philliphall5198]

Very very common in dry west Texas

[@motorcoachtech7615]

Another good info video. Does Spray Nine compare with Simple Green Pro? Have a good week. Rick

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I like the spray nine, use it for everything. I've found it cuts through grease better than the simple green. Not sure about the pro stuff though. Thanks for watching!

[@philliphall5198]

Cool stuff. Thank You’ll

[@TeamTnA44]

I bought a used ltx 1042 kw . Runs great but engine surges untill it's ran for a few minutes . Any suggestions? Also I have to check battery . Sometimes barely cranks engine over. Other than that great mower and engine . Thanks

[@waynestefinashen239]

Some do surge for a short period of time until they warm up if it continues to hunt then the low idle pilot jet may be partially plugged. As far as the cranking over, if the battery is good and has say 350 CCA and the engine only turns one revolution then stops on the compression stroke the automatic compression relief on the camshaft may be broken. This is very common on the B&S engines so much so that parts are not expected to be in stock until December 2022 or January 2023 so many are breaking. And do not use aftermarket they may only last a day or a week.

[@DisgustedGenXr]

I have been through everything on the surging engine on my mower. I put in a brand new carburetor, new fuel pump, new fuel filter, adjusted the valves, new air filter, new intake manifold gaskets, new carb gaskets gapped the plugs….. going crazy. FR600V 20HP

[@chris_twdfannegan7014]

Only video that showed the choke hole and which one it went in.

[@ullomrobert]

I've got a LTX1042 KW Cub Cadet w/ this same engine. I'm having trouble w/ it starting or a few seconds to minutes, sometimes even 30 mins and then all of a sudden it slowly stalls and dies. I saw you do a vapor lock video on a fuel cap, but this system has some sort of vent system on the fuel tank... i've already replaced the carb and fuel pump on this mower... vapor lock is about the only other thing i can think of that could cause the above symptoms. Do you have any video's that would address my question or a FR600v to make a video on addressing this? Thanks!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Sorry I do not, but Kawasakis do have electrical issues. You should check the coil for heat soak (once it gets hot it produces less spark) or the spark plug cap could be bad, I've replaced them a couple times. Other than that, maybe it's debris in the fuel tank clogging the line?

[@bms2550]

Wow… Great DIY video!!! {{{THANKS}}}

[@peilu7095]

i have Generac XP8000E. wont start. cleaned carburetor and changed new gas. any help is appreciated.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

James Condon on KZbin has excellent generator videos, check him out!

[@waynestefinashen239]

Have you checked for spark and compression?

[@Big_Johns]

Nice video and demonstration Jake, very cool of you to give Taryl the shout-out you did. So where's your hand model, did you give him and his hands a day off for Father's Day? 🙂

[@EliminatorPerformance]

He had the weekend off. I cooked him a big $60 Tomahawk steak lol it was delicious, thanks for watching!

[@Big_Johns]

Very nice Jake, I bet he really enjoyed that.

[@waynestefinashen239]

@@Big_Johns Remember the live stream comment "i got a vintage tomahawk"? Just for information if we see someone else has done a video like ours we always make note of it in the video. In many cases we may not have seen a similar video but here is a question "who do you shout out on a carb cleaning eh?"

[@Big_Johns]

Yes I was wondering about the tomahawk comment but didn’t want to ask. 🤣 LoL, there’s 1 or 2 carb videos out there for sure.

[@philliphall5198]

Welch plugs leaking or missing

[@TeamTnA44]

No black smoke on mine . Just surges. Any ideas?

[@TeamTnA44]

New gas with stabil..

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Clogged pilot jet

[@Smalltechguy]

If owners would clean their equipment once in awhile, things like this wouldn't happen. I see bad mowers come into my shop every time, but I can't start on any of them unless I spend 2 hours cleaning it first to find out the issues.

[@ChubbyButcher]

You said it... total neglect..

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes definitely an issue, that's why I said you can just clean them and 9/10 times they'll work again, seeing as how they worked like that from the factory. But if left long enough, without proper cleaning (the one in Taryls video was way dirtier than this one) then it probably works it's way in there, and thus needs to be disassembled.

[@Smalltechguy]

@@EliminatorPerformance I've not seen that video yet. I watched Slippers plow tractor getting a new ignition after Jr fried it...lol

[@Smalltechguy]

So have you got any Stihl trimmer videos out there? I'm stumped right now thinking it might be a valve adjustment being that a new carb is doing the exact same thing as the old had. Won't idle or throttle up

[@waynestefinashen239]

@@Smalltechguy Basically we have stopped working on 2 stroke trimmers, chainsaws etc. since the cost of repairs and the time needed to repair and tune them is beyond economical for our customers. We will make carb adjustments and simple tune ups on running 2 stroke equipment ie: air filters, fuel lines, spark plug etc. but that is about it. Way more profitable to spend this amount of time on push mowers or riding mowers.

[@Pete.Ty1]

👍👍👍

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Pete!

[@DisgustedGenXr]

Without watching sounds like your choke is stuck. As far as the headlight just unplug the wires

[@CSHayes]

If people would just clean/wash their lawn equipment once per season then things like this wouldn't happen. I like to clean my equipment several times per season.

[@waynestefinashen239]

You know what you are doing, a clean mower will always require less maintenance and keep running much longer. Thanks for your input.

[@stonefox9124]

🤨 4hrs posted while I'm dealing with this issue, I'll crap a brick if this is the fix just in time....

[@waynestefinashen239]

Hope this video helped you fix your machine! If not drop another comment with the issue and maybe we can help you out.

[@sweetlou5902]

Premium price but cheaping out on parts and materials! How about briggs plastic cams! What a laugh when vintage is better .

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes, we don't usually replace cams and tear into engines because most of our customers don't want to spend the money. It's a replaceable world now. Thanks for watching!

[@philliphall5198]

Plastic crank gears. There all junk now, America is paying a very high price for being stupid and letting government employees run things Blind leading the blind

[@mikeadler434]

👍👍