Intek down on power

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jkasch

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I have an eleven year, old 23hp Intek powered Craftsman lawn tractor that starts in an instant, uses no oil, and doesn't smoke. It runs perfectly except for when it's under load and mowing. The engine slows and sounds like it might be running out of gas but doesn't die.

So far, I have checked the valve adjustment (it was perfect), replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, and spark plugs (they looked like it's been running rich, but they weren't fouled). Blades are sharp.

Any ideas on what might be the cause and what to try next? Thanks for any advice.
 
Is the engine running at the recommended governed rpms? You might run some Techron fuel system cleaner in the gas because you may have a gummed up carburetor. Use about TWO oz in the 2 gallon fuel tank. I had to do that with my 20HP B&S twin engine. Ed
 
I ran some Gumout Complete through several tanks, but haven't disassembled the carb to clean it yet.

It seems to be running at all rpm's properly, except under load.

I'll have to check the plug wires.

Thanks for the replies.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
How old is the gasoline?

If it is from last year, drain it and fill with new.


It was from last season, but treated with Stabil.
 
No weird spark plugs in there? Easy start or whatnot. Not good.

Manual choke or auto?

Don't adjust valves too tight.

Don't use plugs with enamel on the terminals unless the boot has enamel scrapers on the jack.

Head torqued? I guess this is an OHV not flathead.
 
Originally Posted By: jkasch
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
How old is the gasoline?

If it is from last year, drain it and fill with new.


It was from last season, but treated with Stabil.


Give it the wif test. Open the lid of the gas tank and smell it from a few feet away. If it does not smell like gas, it probably has gone bad.
 
I had a push mower that used to start a run fine and then after a while it would start to lose power and eventually die. Sometimes it could be restarted others I had to let it sit. It turned out the float bowl in the carb had junk that would clog the works and then settle back out allowing the mower to run again. After I took the bowl down and cleaned it out with carb cleaner and cleaned the carb it ran like a champ again. I also added an inline fuel filter since it didn't originally come with one.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
No weird spark plugs in there? Easy start or whatnot. Not good.

Manual choke or auto?

Don't adjust valves too tight.

Don't use plugs with enamel on the terminals unless the boot has enamel scrapers on the jack.

Head torqued? I guess this is an OHV not flathead.


RC12YC plugs. Original type.

Manual Choke

Valve adjustment was exactly in the center of spec.

I haven't checked head torque. It is OHV.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
Originally Posted By: jkasch
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
How old is the gasoline?

If it is from last year, drain it and fill with new.


It was from last season, but treated with Stabil.


Give it the wif test. Open the lid of the gas tank and smell it from a few feet away. If it does not smell like gas, it probably has gone bad.


It smells fine and all my other OPE runs fine on it.
 
BTW, the gas tank of the mower is vented to atmosphere, and if the gasoline was stored in the mowers tank since last season the venting probably has allowed the most volatile (lite) molecules to evaporate away. I would trust gasoline stored with Sta-Bil in a non-vented gas tank, but gas stored in a vented tank even with Sta-Bil can still go bad.
 
Originally Posted By: DerbyDave
I had a push mower that used to start a run fine and then after a while it would start to lose power and eventually die. Sometimes it could be restarted others I had to let it sit. It turned out the float bowl in the carb had junk that would clog the works and then settle back out allowing the mower to run again. After I took the bowl down and cleaned it out with carb cleaner and cleaned the carb it ran like a champ again. I also added an inline fuel filter since it didn't originally come with one.


That might be my next step. It's just that the thing runs like a champ indefinitely as long as it's not cutting grass. (Even with the blades spinning)
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
BTW, the gas tank of the mower is vented to atmosphere, and if the gasoline was stored in the mowers tank since last season the venting probably has allowed the most volatile (lite) molecules to evaporate away. I would trust gasoline stored with Sta-Bil in a non-vented gas tank, but gas stored in a vented tank even with Sta-Bil can still go bad.


Thanks, but the gas was drained and run out of the carb before putting it away.
 
Check your spark. You should be getting a snappy 1" spark from the wire. If you're not, then it's probably the coil. If you are, then it's probably fuel/carb related.
 
I'd say carburetor. I've seen this problem before. The little holes in the emulsion tube get clogged inside the carb. It will run fine with no load, but once under load the carb won't supply enough fuel and it will die out.

If the plugs are original, you might want to replace those as well. A clogged air filter might also create a similar situation. Wouldn't hurt to test compression either.
 
Open the carb and clean it... will take 10 minutes including reassembly

Also check the spring which control the throttle under load, usually some type of spring connected to a plastic fun that catches air off the flywheel and increases throttle under load
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
I'd say carburetor. I've seen this problem before. The little holes in the emulsion tube get clogged inside the carb. It will run fine with no load, but once under load the carb won't supply enough fuel and it will die out.

If the plugs are original, you might want to replace those as well. A clogged air filter might also create a similar situation. Wouldn't hurt to test compression either.


Thanks. Getting into the carb is next. The plugs are brand new.
 
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
Open the carb and clean it... will take 10 minutes including reassembly

Also check the spring which control the throttle under load, usually some type of spring connected to a plastic fun that catches air off the flywheel and increases throttle under load


What are the odds of not tearing a gasket? I've pulled single barrel carbs apart for cleaning, but this one looks a bit more complicated.

Rebuild kits are about $55 for this carb. New ones run $120.

Thanks
 
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