Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): engine stalling, wooden clothes pins, kawasaki motor

Question
Paul ,I have a 2003 Great Dane Chariot LX , 61" deck with the 25 hp Kawasaki motor with about 375 hours on it. The first owner didn't give it any care, on a ranch, and it was parked in the open. For the past two seasons I have owned it , it runs about an hour or two and then it will just stall out and die. I usually choked the engine and it would restart ,run in another twenty minute interval and dies again. It runs perfect,then dies just as if you turned off the key. I have cleaned the large gas cap breather hole and run it loose. Installed new spark plugs, new air filter, new fuel and oil filters and I even put four wooden clothes pins on the fuel
line,thinking it could be vapor locking.                                                   It mowed two acres before it died the first time ,last week. Today it started to die within  five minutes of mowing . I installed a new fuel and air filter, again, and it  cranked with full choke on and throttle full, ran  at a low speed and sputtered and died in a few seconds and the new fuel filter now looks bone dry . It acts like it is running out of gas each time it dies. Do you think it could be the pickup tube in the top of the tank packing up with trash or maybe the fuel pump?? Also, if I try to remove the pickup tube , the connection  looks plastic with a rubber gasket, does it pop out of the top of the plastic tank ??how do you remove it without breaking it?? Can you clean the fuel pump mounted on the side of the motor??I have not seen any trash in the previous fuel filters I removed. Thanks in advance for your help, Jarrell

Answer
Yes it could be a clogged pick up tube, but it's not. It is unbelievable that people are still having this problem.  You are suffering from dealer neglect.

This is exactly what you need to say and do!!!!

Go to your dealer and tell him you want an air cleaner for an EXTERNALLY VENTED CARB.  Trust me use these exact words.  When you get the air cleaner open it up and make sure it says EXTERNALLY VENTED on the top.  Tell him you want a pair of BPR2ES plugs and 18 inches of vent hose.

Replace the air filter and plugs.  Pull off the old vent hose and route it so it is well away from the engine.

FYI... the fuel filter will always look empty. It's an air pressure/ physics thing.

Remember, exact words. I WANT AN AIR FILTER FOR AN EXTERNALLY VENTED CARB!!!!!