# Anyone having problems with a GT245 Kawasaki?



## bontai Joe

I've been seeing some engine related problems on other forums on the Deere GT245 Kawasaki. Anyone here having problems, issues?


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## Lab Guy

what kind of problems are you hearing about?


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## bontai Joe

Here is a copy from another forum. It doesn't seem like it is just one machine.


Carol:
We bought a brand spanking new GT 245 On April 14 this year. After 17.5 hours running (May), it started running rough, lost power, and blew black smoke. The dealer came out and got it, but "found" that the plugs were fouled, that there was gas fouled oil, and that the filter was dirty (my husband had just cleaned the filter). They also adjusted the factory choke. They chalked it up to "bad gas" and told us to let them know if it happens again.
After 3 hours of mowing...it happened again. This time it had to wait until today for my husband was out of town. Sure enough, the plugs were fouled. Their shop notes say now that they changed the plugs, cleaned the carboureter, had found dirt in the gas, and it runs just fine. They suggest we are not "running it at full throttle with pto engaged, causing the gas to incompletely burn." 

How do we get our money back or get them to fix the problem? We're not going to play this game of we're not babying the thing enough. We played that game with a craftsman chainsaw until we took it back for a quality Stihl. 




Dave:
Carol - You should run at full throttle. Otherwise, you will run the risk of fouling the plugs and the oil. Also, how old is the gas you are running? If it's more than 30 days old, especially if the temps are damp or hot, the fuel can begin to go stale. This causes some problems with combustion. You might want to consider using fuel stabilizer if that's the case.
Since you are long past the 30 return policy for John Deere, getting your money back is not likely. - Dave 

carol:
Hi...
We are running at full throttle...

My husband went down in person and they are getting a new carbeurator. The mechanic thinks this will just be a recurring problem otherwise. The gas was fresh as well.



bontai Joe:
I hope the carb replacement solves your tractor's problem. I know it can be very frustrating to have invested a significant amount of money into a tractor that isn't working correctly, but keep after the dealer to make it work right, it is still under warantee. And once fixed, hopefully this experience will fade away after 10 to 20 years of trouble free operation. I have a truck with 231,000 miles on it that I had lots of problems with the first 5 months I had it, but once fixed has become one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned. I guess I'm saying hang in there a little while longer. 

Coppoc:
Hello, very interested in your story. Sounds identical to mine down to the date purchased and hours at which problems developed. I purchased the GX335. It has a 20 hp Kawasaki engine. Is that what your tractor has? My dealer has done the carborator replacement. It began the same symptoms, running rich, belching black smoke, no power, etc after about 5 hours of operation after replacement. Did your symptoms develop slowly? My dealer says he may put in a new engine. My confidence is low that this will fix the problem. Guess they could do this about every 15 hours of operation. Keep me posted. 

Coppoc Oh yeah, forgot to mention. The dealer gave me a loner. Same exact mower, GX335. I think it is starting the same thing. Almost 21 hours on it.


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## Chipmaker

From whatever I have read on Kawasaki motors they are pretty darn bullet proof. I have the 20 hp Kaw in my GX335, and if you let it idle or run it slow insteadof wide open as its suipposed to be run it will make some black smoke. I normally run it low speed until it gets warmed up a bit, and mine now has close to 100 hours on it (new late last September IIRC) and its really been trouble free except for the mower deck belt guards which are pityfull, but that engine and other Kawasaki are pretty darn durable. I would say all the problems that poster is encountering is from their own ignorance in use and fuels they use..


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## KevinJD325

Not a single problem with our Kawa. It's a 2000 18HP on a JD325 with over 200 hrs. on it. I did once hear that the Kawa's might be hard to start when store outdoors in the winter. I can't speak for that problem since we keep ours in a garage that rarely gets below 40 degrees.

Kevin


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## treed

Well, I have a 1985 JD 112L with a 12.5 hp Kawasaki engine, which starts right up each and every time in the summer. In the winter, well, that's another thing. It doesn't like cold weather. So maybe Kevin is on to something. Or not.

I can say that the Kawasaki engine in my 112L runs great, sounds great, even for a single cylinder. Love that engine.


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## Lab Guy

Just a thought as I read through this thread...

Does the GT 245 in question have the same engine in it as my new GX 345???

Or are they different?

Just curious-

Drew


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## JohnDeereLVR9

Does anyone have problems with GT 235 tractors


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## bontai Joe

The person that inspired me to ask the question here has found out that the GT245 Kawasaki motor has some problems in a limited number of tractors. She has had 2 new carbs and a coil pack replaced and has found another owner that also had their carb rejetted. Before the repair, these would run so rich that the plugs would foul black to the point of not running in about 4 hours. The machines in question are still under warantee and have had multiple trips to the dealer to get fixed. In total I have read about 3 GT245s so far, which is a totally unscientific sample of an unknown size group.


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## bontai Joe

Ok, I've gotten an update on this GT245 with 20 HP Kawasaki. It seems that there are dealer bulitens on this engine, but this poor lady's dealer can't seem to fix it. After several attempts and apparently much discussion, he is taking the tractor back and replacing it. Any other problems or solutions out there? Here is a link to the thread:

http://www.ssbtractor.com/wwwboard/view_all.cgi?bd=jd&msg=6249


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## REJ2

DrewGX345, your 20hp Kaw. is liquid cooled, the engine in the GT245 is air cooled, so there at least somewhat different. REJ2.


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## Lab Guy

REJ2-

Yeah actually the two engines are quite a bit different it appears. My father-in-law just got a new GX 255 with the air cooled 20 hp Kawa. Nice machine, but after looking at the engine and surrounding set up it seems like a whole different animal compared to the 345 I have. It is a great machine though, I run it every time I am there helping him cut his 10 acres. Somehow, he always winds up on the 72" TurfTiger (Scag) though....hmmm wonder why?

Thanks-
Drew


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## wskrow

*john deere rough start*



bontai Joe said:


> Here is a copy from another forum. It doesn't seem like it is just one machine.
> 
> 
> Carol:
> We bought a brand spanking new GT 245 On April 14 this year. After 17.5 hours running (May), it started running rough, lost power, and blew black smoke. The dealer came out and got it, but "found" that the plugs were fouled, that there was gas fouled oil, and that the filter was dirty (my husband had just cleaned the filter). They also adjusted the factory choke. They chalked it up to "bad gas" and told us to let them know if it happens again.
> After 3 hours of mowing...it happened again. This time it had to wait until today for my husband was out of town. Sure enough, the plugs were fouled. Their shop notes say now that they changed the plugs, cleaned the carboureter, had found dirt in the gas, and it runs just fine. They suggest we are not "running it at full throttle with pto engaged, causing the gas to incompletely burn."
> 
> How do we get our money back or get them to fix the problem? We're not going to play this game of we're not babying the thing enough. We played that game with a craftsman chainsaw until we took it back for a quality Stihl.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dave:
> Carol - You should run at full throttle. Otherwise, you will run the risk of fouling the plugs and the oil. Also, how old is the gas you are running? If it's more than 30 days old, especially if the temps are damp or hot, the fuel can begin to go stale. This causes some problems with combustion. You might want to consider using fuel stabilizer if that's the case.
> Since you are long past the 30 return policy for John Deere, getting your money back is not likely. - Dave
> 
> carol:
> Hi...
> We are running at full throttle...
> 
> My husband went down in person and they are getting a new carbeurator. The mechanic thinks this will just be a recurring problem otherwise. The gas was fresh as well.
> 
> 
> 
> bontai Joe:
> I hope the carb replacement solves your tractor's problem. I know it can be very frustrating to have invested a significant amount of money into a tractor that isn't working correctly, but keep after the dealer to make it work right, it is still under warantee. And once fixed, hopefully this experience will fade away after 10 to 20 years of trouble free operation. I have a truck with 231,000 miles on it that I had lots of problems with the first 5 months I had it, but once fixed has become one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned. I guess I'm saying hang in there a little while longer.
> 
> Coppoc:
> Hello, very interested in your story. Sounds identical to mine down to the date purchased and hours at which problems developed. I purchased the GX335. It has a 20 hp Kawasaki engine. Is that what your tractor has? My dealer has done the carborator replacement. It began the same symptoms, running rich, belching black smoke, no power, etc after about 5 hours of operation after replacement. Did your symptoms develop slowly? My dealer says he may put in a new engine. My confidence is low that this will fix the problem. Guess they could do this about every 15 hours of operation. Keep me posted.
> 
> Coppoc Oh yeah, forgot to mention. The dealer gave me a loner. Same exact mower, GX335. I think it is starting the same thing. Almost 21 hours on it.


Did anyone check and clean the pickups on the flywheel?
there the raised metal tabs used to set the spark timing .
With the key off take a piece of sandpaper and scuff the top raised surface and try starting the mower.


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## jhngardner367

Don't use the Nippon-Denso or NGK plugs,either. Iuse Champion,or e-3s,and theywork better!


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