engine swap question/fuel related

[dwcopple]

I did an engine swap on a couple Craftsman riders. The Kohler I swapped in ran awesome on the old chassis. The old rider had an underseat tank and the Kohler has a fuel pump built into the engine. The new setup uses a gravity tank to that same Kohler. It will only start with starting fluid now. It stays running fine and does awesome once started but initial starts are impossible without gas/ether. Is that normal? Should I remove and block off/bypass the fuel pump and will it work as normal then? I don't get it. why would it matter?

 

[HerrStig]

Logic would suggest the fuel pump would prime better with a gravity tank. I would take a look at the carb float system.

 

[old1]

Just doesn't sound like a fuel pump or carb problem to me, unless the choke isn't working. Check to see if the choke is going COMPLETELY shut when trying to start. If that is ok, maybe the gas is OLD?? Sometimes gas will run fine once started, but be impossible to start.

 

[MrMowerMan]

I'm with Old1. Since I'm assuming nothing about the engine itself changed, the choke cable hookup is a likely culprit.