[Smoochy570]

Have John Deere 185 hydro with single cylinder Kawasaki engine. When idle engine down when cut key off it backfires and drops pushrod. Is there a way to correct this or is engine just gone? When it's running it runs great!

 

[petesponies]

I'm not sure if the Kawasaki engine has this, but possibly it does as well . . . there is a carburetor fuel solenoid that shuts of the fuel flow in teh carb as soon as the key is turned off. Also . dropping a pushrod . . . is the valve clearance adjusted correctly?

 

[TempletonJDguy]

Are you bringing it down to an idle before shutting it off? If not engine will load up with unburnt fuel and rotating force of massive flywheel and increased compression from liquid gas in cylinder creates backspin of engine.

 

[Smoochy570]

Are you bringing it down to an idle before shutting it off? If not engine will load up with unburnt fuel and rotating force of massive flywheel and increased compression from liquid gas in cylinder creates backspin of engine.

At idle is where it's the worst!

 

[TempletonJDguy]

You may have a sheared woodruff key on the crank. Many other things may come into play here. Very hard to diagnose over the internet though but I’d start with popping the flywheel and checking the key.