"Larry R Harrison Jr" wrote in message
news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760@fed1read06...
I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it at
a
yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.

It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit of
time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray
on
it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
would
then cut right off.

By spraying starting fluid you're providing fuel directly into the cylinder.
Since it 'wants to start' (I think is what you're saying) that tells me it
has a fuel/carburetor problem.

Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay
cranked,
you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I cut a fair
amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm still there.

There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks to
dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me think
that isn't it.

Tips?

Yes, dump the gas, and replace with fresh. Then (if it still has problems)
take it to a shop where somebody knows what they're doing can fix it. And
lay off the starting fluid- you'll score the cylinder if you keep that up!