Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Kawasaki Carb. issue, john deere dealer, john deere mower

Question
Kawasaki FB460V 4 cycle 12.5 hp engine for a 36" walk-behind commercial
John Deere Mower.   (Approx. 22 years old)

Cleaned engine up, new oil, filter, air filter, spark plug, new fuel.  Easy start,
although once running, it surges and then drops back.  I assume carb.
adjusting?  Or could I need to replace carb. gaskets near the intake manifold?  

If this is not a simple fix-  Can I remove my whole carb. and just bring it to a
repair shop without the 400lb. mower?  (I don't have a trailer to move it)

Answer
It sounds to me like you may have a slight  obstruction in your main nozzle of the carb or the carb main jet.

You can take the carb to the dealer and have them clean it for you, put a repair kit etc into it.  The downside of this is that they will not be able to "test" it once the repair is done.  I have repaired many carbs for customers this way, but like i said, I am unable to test it for proper performance.

I would say that by the time you pay the labor and parts costs you may be money ahead to purchase new carb-gaskets and install them.  Check prices with both Kawasaki and a John Deere dealer as sometimes there are major pricing differences.  You will need the engine model and serial numbers for a Kawasaki dealer and of course the John Deere Model and SN for the John Deere dealer.