Hello,

Have a Beavertail 27HP Kohler LT. Been running great for several years. Yesterday went out and is was acting like it was missing a little. After hunt was over heading home, while running wide open, it just died. I hit the key and nothing. Tightened the batter cables and it fired up and ran with no problems. Once I got back to the ramp, I wanted to check the connections. While the engine was running, if I loosened the cables it would die.

Does it still need to be connected even after it is started? Is that normal behavior, or is it a sign of a charging problem or something else?

THANKS,
David

You probably have a fuel solenoid that needs power when the motor is running. You may have an oil sensor that needs power when the motor is running. You probably also have one of the cdi boxes on the motor that needs power.

So, yes, the motor still needs power after it's started. It was not setup to run without a battery.

Thanks for the input.

Yep. Fuel solenoid needs power

Can you bypass that fuel solenoid completely? What does it even do?

Never had to mess with one on the kohler, but if it's like any of the rest of them, it can be bypassed. Remove it, cut the plunger, and put it back in. Or remove it, and replace with a bolt.

It prevents fuel from moving through the carb when the key is off. It's to prevent a backfire when the motor is shut off at higher rpm's.

^what he said

It must not work on mine then because if I shut mine down at high rpm, 9 times out of 10 it will backfire.

It might not be perfect, but that is what it's for.