wrote in message
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[snip]

I just got it to start (I'm guessing my foot wasn't pressing the brake
hard enough) but now it won't keep going. It putters out after about
five seconds. A bit of white smoke/exhaust from the front but I
imagine that's normal. I play with the choke when it does start, but
it doesn't want to keep going.

Any idea?

Thanks!

1. There is a safety switch in the seat -- if you're not sitting in the
seat it won't continue running -- but you also have to have weight in the
seat to get it to turn over for starting.

2. Once it fires up, immediately bring the choke lever back to the run
position, otherwise it will run rough or quit.

3. I start my JD by having the throttle back, choke on (forward) ; step on
the brake, weight in the seat, and turn the key. It starts almost
immediately, then I bring the choke lever back and the throttle forward and
it's running at normal speed. For shut down, I throttle back before turning
off the key, to minimize the possibility of a backfire as it is shutting
down.

(My wife has trouble starting because even with the seat forward she can't
step on the brake hard enough to deactivate the safety switch, so it won't
crank.)