I got a 27hp pro drive that is always hard to start. It always turns over, but you have to crank on it a few seconds, let off and do it again and it'll start. My last MM would start on the first turn every time, regardless of temperature. Also, when I shut it off, it sometimes takes a while to actually die. It just stutters a couple of seconds before it dies. Any ideas?

put a fuel/water separator on it or if u have one already on it change the filter

Have seen many posts over the years on hard starting 25-27 kohlers. Must be inhearent to the design.