Working on a 17.5 HP kawasaki engine on a JD lawn tractor. It starts OK and runs OK, tends to bog down in thick grass more than it should. If I shut it down it will not restart until it has rested/cooled for 3-4 hours. It turns over fine and I get raw fuel vapor coming out of the exhaust, suspect a weak ignition coil. After cooling for a few hours it will start, sometimes with a backfire sometimes not. Any one have another thought?

Hi,
Is it a two piece or one piece ignition. A two piece system will have a silver rectagular unit attached to the right side and have a white wire going to it. This called an igniter and times the spark.
I tend to agree that it is ignition. Often a two piece system will have one piece go out and it will ruin the other part. The good news on some models is that some models have the same flywheel for both styles of ignition. It is serial number dependent, so will need to post the 13 character alphanumeric serial number for me to look it up.
Peace,
Clarke

What model John Deere is ?

Thanks Clarke, I am helping my neighbor and can't get to the unit until tomorrrow so I'll be back then.

DG , we were typing at the same time. I'll have the info tomorrow, thanks

Code: FC420v - DS00
E/N0: FC420v65200
Engine: FC420v

The motor also struggles when the blade is first engaged as well as in taller grass.

Thanks
Tom

Code: FC420v - DS00
E/N0: FC420v65200
Engine: FC420v

The motor also struggles when the blade is first engaged as well as in taller grass.

I will post the tractor model tomorrow.

Thanks
Tom

Clarke and DG, tmzrwsk is my neighbor and I asked him if he'd like to log on to AMHD. I'll let him provide the info from hereon out but will keeeping reading the thread. TX

As Clarke said earlier it sounds like the igniter could be bad.
21119A 21119-2161 IGNITER

Hi,
I came up with the fact that this is a 14HP engine on a 170 or 175. The following are Deere part #'s - AM132770 Igniter, AM101065 Coil and Am104558 Flywheel.
Kawasaki has two part #'s for the igniter - 21119-2101 and 21119-2161. The coil is 21121-2070 and flywheel 21193-2072.
No substitute for a one piece ignition with the igniter built into the coil appears to be available for this model.
Peace,
Clarke