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It seems like a common problem – having seen a lot of people complain that their Kohler engine loses power under load. But, on a serious, what could be the cause of this issue, especially when you want to mow your lawn.
Several things can make your Kohler lawnmower to loose power under load. The power loss problem can be attributed to faulty components like spark plugs, bolts, nuts, as well as poor oil levels and dirty fuel lines.
When an engine is under-performing, there are several things to check out before drawing your conclusion. That is to say; troubleshooting is necessary to determine the exact reason why a Kohler engine tends to lose power under load before taking the lawnmower to a professional for repair.
Why Kohler Engine Loses Power Under Load
To get started, it is essential to emphasize that engines don’t just go bad; something must have gone wrong. It’s either the engine is overloaded, has a faulty component, or the wiring is bad.
Also, the fuel delivery system can hinder the performance of your Kohler engine. Most of the things you’d discover to be the cause of your Kohler engine’s loss of power can be fixed by you.
But you should engage a professional technician for complex ones so you can always mow your lawn in peace.
So, what are the reasons why your Kohler engine keeps losing power?
1. Bad Wiring
This happens to be the most typical issue with engine failures. Sometimes, you’d notice that your engine starts pretty fine with low noise, but once it’s loaded, it starts to draw.
Yes, this can result from bad wiring. There are quite many wires used to connect the engine to other parts of any machine. If these wires are tampered with, the machine might still kick but won’t supply enough power as needed.
Depending on your machine and the Kohler engine installed, how to check for wiring faults in a machine differs.
The most common place to check for wiring faults is the “starter” of your engine. If the wiring is intact, then you can troubleshoot further.
2. Faulty or Damaged Components
There are different components that support the engine to work; these components can go bad after a while due to several reasons.
If your Kohler engine’s spark plugs are bad, the engine would definitely not supply enough power as expected.
Most times, when spark plugs are the problem, the machine owners would pull out the plugs and wash them with petrol; yes, this works most times. But if it doesn’t work for you, maybe you should get new spark plugs.
Asides from the spark plugs, the fuel injectors, or other small components that (all) contribute to making the engine work could get faulty over time.
That said, when you’re done troubleshooting the spark plugs, check every other surrounding component.
3. Fuel Lines
Without enough fuel getting into the engine, it would definitely not perform at its best. An engine needs sufficient fuel to generate the required power for a machine to perform its duties perfectly.
For fuel to get into the engine, it has to be pumped and injected; the pumping is controlled by the fuel pump, and the injection is handled by the carburetors. Well, different Kohler engines are structured slightly differently.
Thus, when your Kohler engine is losing power under load, go straight to the fuel system and check if the fuel lines are open.
If you find any clog on the fuel lines, look out for the best way to remove the clog so that that fuel can flow seamlessly.
One of the significant things to check out here is the fuel filter. The fuel filter is always ignored, but it is one of the most important components that make up the fuel delivery system of any machine.
4. Excessive Pressure
It is not advisable to overload an engine (more than its capacity). Kohler engines can be installed in various equipment; so, whatever equipment you have (that comes with a Kohler engine), you should ensure that you don’t subject the engine to excessive pressure.
Initially, a new engine might try to handle excessive pressure and overloading, but over time, it would get weary and begin to fail; thus, you may start experiencing loss of power due to the heavy strain your equipment has left on the engine.
5. Other Possible Causes
Now, here are the few other reasons why your Kohler engine is performing poorly:
- The ignition coil is bad
- Blown head gasket
- A bad or faulty valve
When you have troubleshot the three issues mentioned above but the issue is still occurring, that’s when to check back for these three components mentioned above.
If the ignition coil is bad, it could cause the engine to lose power. On the other hand, a blown head gasket can cause a machine to exhibit several unusual signs, which loss of power is one of the signs.
Well, these are pretty much advanced tasks, and you shouldn’t try fixing them yourself (if probably you found out that one of them is the actual cause of the issue).
How To Revive a Failing Kohler Engine
Apparently, the best solution would be to look out for what is causing the loss of power and replace it.
If the issue is due to overload, then you need to reduce the volume of work your machine does or get a higher model with a sturdier engine.
Engine components such as spark plugs and carburetors are relatively affordable and easy to replace. You can buy them from various stores, online and offline.
Summary
So, your Kohler engine loses power under load? Apparently, this article has detailed the many causes of the issue and how you can handle each of them.
As a tip, and just as you’d do for your normal vehicles, home improvement equipment and machines also need to be serviced from time to time.
Create time to have a mechanic or a professional technician service your engine regularly. That way, the engine would last longer and always perform at its peak.
However, if the issue persists, you can reach out to Kohler (or the manufacturer of your equipment) and lodge a complaint. Finally, ensure to use the right fluids for your engine.
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