"What should happed if this electronic module (JD# m133019) is disconnected on a normlly operting engine?

Are you referring to the ground wire that would be on a tab on the electronic coil? If so, the engine would run with the wire unplugged. If you are talking about the rectifier regulator it would also run with this unplugged but just not charge the battery. I'm not even sure this engine has the rec/reg.

Your engine probably has a main jet in the carb that is somewhat blocked. Can you add some choke and smooth the engine out?

Mike

Adding abit of choke does smooth out the engine, but only silghtly. I soak the carb in Seafoam, some junk initail was coming out of one large thru hole that enters the carb next to choke butterfly.

What ios the best way to clean the carb??

The module I'm speaking of is mounted right next to the fly wheel, and there are what appear to be metal pickups (or magnets) on the flywheel.

"What is the best way to clean the carb??"

Soaking should be a good start but you must find and clean the main jet. It will be up through the center of the carb where the backfire solenoid screws into the carb bowl. I use guitar strings or small orifice bits to clear the jet. If you get it cleared and gas is flowing into the bowl properly it should smooth this Kohler out. I'm going to tell you how to know if this engine is truly starving for fuel. With the air filter off hold a can of starting fluid a foot or so away and sort of fog it into the carb. If you can get just the right amount flowing into the carb the engine can actually be made to run correctly at least while you are spraying. If this works you know its starving for fuel.

"The module I'm speaking of is mounted right next to the fly wheel, and there are what appear to be metal pickups (or magnets) on the flywheel."

This has nothing to do with the hunting up and down that this engine is doing.

Mike

I continue to battle with the carburetor.
I can make it run smoothly if the choke is put in right position.
I was also able to make the engine run smoothly when carb is sprayed with just the right amount of starter fluid.

I removed the carb. Removed the bowl and float.
I soaked the carb in Seafaom carb cleaner, sprayed the main jet with carb cleaner from the bowl side. The spray was coming out inside the carb. (Jet not completely clogged) I also fed guitar wire down the jet. I could not make the wire turn 90 degrees and appear inside the carb thru the jet outlet.

I reinstalled the carb. Same problem as before.
I don't know what to do next.
Can the csrb be disassembled for cleaning?

One addtional note:
I'm also able to make the engine run smoothly when I hold the throotle linkage in place, and prevent the governor linkage from moving the throotle linkage.

Ok, you have good information here. You have things going on here that sort of don't make sense. I hate when that happens but it makes it all the better when you beat this problem on this Kohler.

"I continue to battle with the carburetor.
I can make it run smoothly if the choke is put in right position."

This points to one of two things......This engine is starving for fuel or sucking air somewhere throwing of the fuel mix. One of your comments above is "Adding a bit of choke does smooth out the engine, but only slightly." So you have made a bit of progress because adding choke is smoothing things out. The original cleaning must have cleared at least some blockage.

"I was also able to make the engine run smoothly when carb is sprayed with just the right amount of starter fluid."

This also points to the same two things I mention above.

"I removed the carb. Removed the bowl and float.
I soaked the carb in Seafaom carb cleaner, sprayed the main jet with carb cleaner from the bowl side. The spray was coming out inside the carb. (Jet not completely clogged) I also fed guitar wire down the jet. I could not make the wire turn 90 degrees and appear inside the carb thru the jet outlet."

I think you have covered the cleaning of this carb as well as could it can be done short of an ultra sound bath. I think this carb is a Walbro and I will have to look at one Wednesday at the shop to see how its vented etc. I don't think a blocked atmospheric vent could cause this but at this point we may have to consider that there may be a couple of small problems rather than one.

"Can the csrb be disassembled for cleaning?"

Its a one piece body carb so not really. As I said above I will have to look at one to see about welch plugs etc. if it has any. I should have done that today.

"I'm also able to make the engine run smoothly when I hold the throttle linkage in place, and prevent the governor linkage from moving the throttle linkage."

OK, this is where it doesn't make sense. IF the carb were starving the engine for fuel holding the throttle steady should cause the engine to slowly loose RPM's and eventually it should die or stumble along because the throttle being held wide open would mean too much air for the available fuel. The engine running smoothly while holding the linkage in place suggests that the air/fuel mix is as it should be at least at the RPM you are holding it. Are you holding it in place at an idle, in the middle or at high throttle? I would think that holding it at an idle it would be smooth. As you slowly raise the throttle with the linkage held steady at some point the engine should start to begin the hunting around as the air increases beyond the available fuel.

One last question....is the throttle shaft tight where the shaft comes out the top of the carb? This carb is known to get sloppy there.

Well, I hope these thoughts and questions point us toward some conclusions.

Mike

I will check the linkage.
I'm too confused with the throtle linkage.
I I keep the governor shaft that comes out from the block fixed (linkage can't moove) at full throotle, the engine will run smoothly. What controls the governor??

Thanks for all your help.
At elkast I'm leaning a few things.

What controls the governor??

As we go into the internals of the engines less and less every day some of the fine details would have to wait until I take a peek into another Command. Its a centrifugal weight RPM controlled gadget that controls the throttle based on a drop in RPM's as the engine encounters a load. Your problem is usually not caused by anything internal as far as the governor is concerned.

Mike

If I hold the throttle linkage (governor) at full throttle, the engine will run smoothly. I almost want to just duct tape it in place and call it a day.

With all the mice I had under my engine cover and near my flywheel is there any thing that would effect the governor because of a mice nest?

"If I hold the throttle linkage (governor) at full throttle, the engine will run smoothly. I almost want to just duct tape it in place and call it a day."

Valid thought but it will not work out well. Assuming your governor is functioning properly taping it in place would cause the engine to bog down when it hit a load. The RPM's would drop when you engage the blades and drop more when the blades hit the grass with no way for the engine to pull the RPM's back up.

From your original post....."The engine runs, but the throttle cycles between high and low throttle. (Governor??)
The throttle mechanism is moving on its own."

Is this still the case with this engine with no improvement? Does it cycle up and down at an idle as well as at full throttle? I wish I had that carb for about 5 minutes.....

Mike

It does cycle up and down even as I approach low idle.

edob - I have the same problem - same problem to start with on the mice eating the wire and making a home over the winter time - If the blades are engaged it runs fine - change in the way the engine sounds - sounds strong - but when the engine isn't under a load it cycles just as you described it above.

I cleaned the carb, jets, everything twice- Still with no change.

Again under a load the engine sounds great.

Any help would be great

Some Kohler Cv's have a different type of choke lever. Instead of the top plate fastened securely to the lever, they have a plate that pivots attached to a spring. The nub on the plastic plate sometimes goes away and this wizard thing lets the choke blow in the breeze, so to speak. It's worth the look. It is also worth a look to check for vacuum leaks at the base gasket. Which wires did the mouse eat?

I have just taken apart the carb, and I do see Wabro on it. I would LOVE to find a video hosted on-line (hint, hint...) of someone taking it off and cleaning it.

You know, a "how to clean and troubleshoot your carb" for the L110" video.

Any takers?

I am hesitant to soak it as the wire comes out the bottom. Can I just throw this in the soak too?

As a follow-up, my issue is:

I run the JD L110 for about 1hr, and it stutters--revs down then back up. Finally, it will shut off. The spark plug is fouled--black, completely covered. Fuel is present, just can't get a spark--or so I assume (I know, dangerous to assume...).

I changed the spark plug, and it runs for about 1hr. Then I am back to a non-running engine.

I assume (again, dangerous) that it is a carb issue.

I have changed plugs, filters (oil, gas, air), gas, oil, but not the blades ;)

If there are no takers on the video suggested above, I am going to make one IF my cleaning/meddling of/with the carb fixes my problem...

Unscrew your gas cap and see what happens. If the gas cap is not vening it can cause this problem.