John Deere GT245 20hp vtwin

I started working on a GT245 mower. The mower was not cutting correctly like the blades were bent. I found out that it had 3 different blades on it so i replace them all... problem solved. I checked the oil and notice that it was black and smelled of fuel so i serviced the mower and had did find out that their is two types of air filters one for internall vented and one for externally vented carbs. The one on the engine says internally vented so that is what i went with. I hope that whoever had it before was correct. The dealer couldn't tell me how else i could tell from looking at the carb. Today i was running the mower, used it about an hour. i parked it and later came back to it to load it back onto my trailer. Once i got i started it acted as thought the choke was stuck and started putting out black smoke then began making a horrible knocking noise like the engine was going to come apart. I shut it down. I bumped the ignition a few times without letting it start and could hear parts rattling like it was coming from inside the engine. I pulled the air cleaner and noticed a small amount of oil. I bumped the ignition again and didn't notice anything so i started it and the noise was gone.

Any idea as to what i should do next?

The parts person was just being lazy or stupid. You need the engine model number and you can tell what filter you need. If you put the wrong one on it will make the mower run too rich. It will load the oil with gas and make it kind of back fire thru the carb.

Model FH601V-AS15 or BS15
Model FH601V-CS15 or DS15
Both are externally vented
M150403 Paper element $15.25

Model FH601V-ES15 or FS15
is internally vented
M150949 paper element $15.25

Foam pre-cleaner for both is M140295 $5.25

Check which one you need and then check the engine oil again to see if it has gas in it. If you do have the correct filter but have gas in the oil then I would check the fuel pump. It uses the air plus made by the pistons moving in the block to pump a diaphragm in the pump. If that diaphragm has a hole in it you will get gas into the oil. Then the crankcase vent will let gas fumes go into the inside of the air filter and it will run too rich.

It looks as though it has the incorrect air cleaner on it. mine has an engine code ending in DS15-R. I will check the fuel pump out also.

Any idea if it has any permanent damage with the noise i heard? I take it that i should change the oil and filter again. It does have a fuel smell to it.

Thanks

I would take both spark plugs out so you can turn the motor over by hand. Turn it the way it would normally run, then turn it slightly back and try to "feel" any backlash on the internal components. You are trying to make sure that there is not any damage from the oil being thinned out. There is an internal balancer that can fail but I think that you will be alright after an oil change. Those Kawasaki motors are tough. Also make sure and use the correct NGK spark plugs in it. I have had better luck with them in these motors. You can have one of them misfiring and it will not be as noticeable on these two cylinder motors. I have had them come in totally missing on one cylinder and you could not hear it. You just had a loss of power. Let me know what you find. You have bought one of the best models of John Deere mowers, very rugged and smooth. You get a lot of bang for your money.

You likely have a leaking float seat caused by gum from ethynol. Pull the dip stick and see if the level is high. A leaking float seat will allow gas to run down into the crankcase and toatally lock the engine. Drain the oil again fix the leaking needle seat. remove the spark plugs turn the engine with the starter and blow the fuel out. Put the plugs back in and start it. It will smoke like a freight train for a few minutes. After you fix the carb, keep Stabil in your fuel.