Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Adjust a Carburetor on a Riding Mower
How to Adjust a Carburetor on a Riding Mower. Riding lawn mower engines need to be tuned and maintained in order for them to perform at peak level. Although riding lawn mower engines may be viewed as "just a lawn mower engine," riding mower engines are much larger and much more powerful than their push mower counterparts. Because of their increased...
Riding lawn mower engines need to be tuned and maintained in order for them to perform at peak level. Although riding lawn mower engines may be viewed as "just a lawn mower engine," riding mower engines are much larger and much more powerful than their push mower counterparts. Because of their increased complexity, they are a little more work to maintain. The biggest single issue facing carburetors is their low idle speed getting out of whack somehow. You will know when your low idle speed needs to be adjusted because your low idle speed either runs too high for the engines design, which wastes a lot of fuel; or the low idle speed runs too low and the engine will not idle without supervision. High speed mixtures are preset at the factory and typically cannot be changed. The low idle speed, however, can be adjusted by playing with the low idle fuel adjusting screw.
Things You'll Need
Electronic tachometer
Phillips screwdriver
Start the engine and allow the engine to warm up to its normal operating temperature (this may take 10 to 20 minutes). Shut the engine off.
Remove the air cleaner cover and the air filter to allow you access to the air cleaner base.
Locate the low idle fuel adjusting screw which is about where the air cleaner element sits and screw it into place (clockwise) until it slightly bottoms out. Be very careful when adjusting this screw as it is machined to tight tolerances and if it is forced, it may be damaged and will have to be replaced before the engine will run properly.
Turn the screw out (counterclockwise) 2 1/4 turns to achieve a preliminary setting. Start the engine and let it run at half-throttle for 5 to 10 minutes to let it warm up again.
Attach a tachometer to a spark plug wire. Turn the throttle control down to the idle or slow speed setting. Then adjust the low idle speed adjustment screw in or out so the low idle speed is at 1200 RPM (+/- 75 RPM) on the tachometer.
Tips & Warnings
Specific information for your engine is found in your engine's shop and maintenance manual and in the owner's manual. If you do not have access to the owner's manual for your riding lawn mower engine, many manuals can be found on the Internet and downloaded. Also, call the manufacturer of your riding lawn mower for more information if you cannot find a manual online.
These directions apply accurately only to the Kohler Courage SV710-740 and the Kohler Courage Pro SV 810-840 engines, which are found on select Cub Cadet brand and Ariens brand riding lawn mowers.
