I have a JD LT 160 with a Kohler engine. After a standard replacement of oil, fuel filter and air filters last year it began quitting after applying the blades. As it was the end of the season, and being a procrastinator, I let it lie until this spring. Same power loss after applying the blades. Did the standard fuel change, fuel cap check, carb cleaning with no change. After reading this blog I found that the fuel filter was the type described in above messages that was made in Isreal. This fuel filter is from the John Deere kit purchased at a JD dealer. So I ordered the Kohler recommended part, made in India, and replaced the Israeli filter. Lo and behold, the tractor works as advertised. I will update to see if it lasts the summer.

IMO I would go the hole hog and just empty the gas tank and remove it. Clean it out and get me some new hoses, filter, and cut-off valve as mowie suggested, plumb it out and tie it with zip ties to prevent any chafing. Now you've got good fuel system to the carb.. I would also remove the carb. bowl and clean it out and spray down the inside of the carb. with carb. cleaner, but I tend to go overboard cause I am the fuel system oil changing nerd. This maybe too much for some if you never fooled around with carb. before. I would also check the air filter and dedust it about once a month in mowing season, I think the owners manual recommend about every 10 hours under normal conditions (NOT in a dusty envoirnment)But, again I am the air filter cleaner/fuel system maintainer/oil changing nerd! when filling it back up I would use some fuel additive like sea foam to clean the carb. as your mowing. Now as mowie suggested next year you will have an easy time replacing the filter and unless you are in extreme dusty conditions your tank and hoses should be in good shape for a few years. Providing hoses are not chafing or routed near a heat source!.

I had a hard time starting my GT 5000 and when it finally did start it would only run with the chock all the way out. Every time I pushed in the choke it died. The gas tank was full as I keep it full at all times when I'm done using it. Anyway, I siphoned the gas out of the tank and then ran the engine until it stopped. I then put in about a cup of gas and ran that out. I did this about three time and the engine began to run normal without the choke pulled out. I then put in a gallon of gas and drove it until it ran out. I then refilled the tank and it is running fine. My question is: Did I have a bad batch of gas? It was a couple of months old. Or do I need to change the fuel filter? I have a total of 22 hours running time on the engine since new with the original filter. its a 2005 model. Is it better to run the gas tank dry before storing the tractor for lets say 2 or three months or maybe longer? Thanks for any advice.

Ewalk, as usual, you're dead on. I've gotten into the bad habit of periodically siphoning (power) gas out of the genset or a small tractor which hasn't been run for a while and using it for whatever I'm currently doing. This allows me to keep "relatively" fresh gas in everything. Even with Stabil or equivalent, I don't trust the mystery fuel we have to buy. Everything else has an inline fuel filter after the tank except the genset. When I lift the mesh filter, I'm careful, but afraid I may get some crud in the gas and hence into the fuel circuit. So, I'm looking for a recomendation for an inline filter to put on the genset. I could simply pick up something at TSC and it would be better than nothing, but thought I'd ask and see if anyone else has done this. Early spring is when we have ice storms and extensive power outages and the genset has to be ready to rock and roll. As a result, when it's time to start mowing, there's 5 gallons of gas sitting in the genset which I don't want to sit there for a year and can use to cut grass, etc. 'guess for the folks in Hurricane areas, the same scenario would be when they go into "winter" and hurricane season is past. Thanks, Ev