:x My "97 425 has been acting up this year and most of last year. The symptoms are these, but they are all sporadic:
1.) With throttle set 2/3rds and choke closed, it sometimes cranks for 5-10 seconds before she'll start. then when it does start, it will run kinda rough, sometimes sputter and maybe backfire. This thing used to start instantaneously, I could open the choke right away, and it would run smooth.
2.) After being completely warmed up, it will occasionally start to sputter when mowing and lose power, sometimes backfiring. I'll have to disengage the deck, and play with the throttle to keep it alive. Sometimes it will die, but I can always get it to start and complete the mowing.
I am religious about maintenance, the plugs are good and the air filter clean. Fuel filter is new. Valves set correctly. I have always added STA-BIL to my gas. This year I am adding marine STA-BIL because of the 10% ethanol we have been forced to put up with in our gas. I'm thinking this is probably a carb issue. Tractor has about 670 hrs. on it.
Whadda ya think? Is there a decent carb rebuild kit made for these with the correct parts needed? I just rebuilt my V4 motorcycle's carbs so I'm thinking this would be a relative breeze, to clean and rebuild the carb on this. OR, should I be looking for a problem somewhere else?
1.) With throttle set 2/3rds and choke closed, it sometimes cranks for 5-10 seconds before she'll start. then when it does start, it will run kinda rough, sometimes sputter and maybe backfire. This thing used to start instantaneously, I could open the choke right away, and it would run smooth.
2.) After being completely warmed up, it will occasionally start to sputter when mowing and lose power, sometimes backfiring. I'll have to disengage the deck, and play with the throttle to keep it alive. Sometimes it will die, but I can always get it to start and complete the mowing.
I am religious about maintenance, the plugs are good and the air filter clean. Fuel filter is new. Valves set correctly. I have always added STA-BIL to my gas. This year I am adding marine STA-BIL because of the 10% ethanol we have been forced to put up with in our gas. I'm thinking this is probably a carb issue. Tractor has about 670 hrs. on it.
Whadda ya think? Is there a decent carb rebuild kit made for these with the correct parts needed? I just rebuilt my V4 motorcycle's carbs so I'm thinking this would be a relative breeze, to clean and rebuild the carb on this. OR, should I be looking for a problem somewhere else?