"YMC" wrote:

I'm just trying to fix up my mum's lawnmower - its a Honda "Buffalo" model.
Fairly new - but she's hardly used it.

She had problems with it ever since she got it - but only now has she asked
me to help - and the 1 year warranty has expired. lol.



It takes awhile to startup - a lot of pulls - but when it does it keeps on
going.

I checked the spark plug - the top end is black with soot. The air filter
seems fairly clean.

What's exactly the problem with it?

Mowers should become easier to start with age/use.

If it runs but hard starting, especially at the start of mowing
season, 99.9 percent of the time it needs fresh gas... the plug is
fouled from excessive flooding due to excessive attempts at starting.
Pour out and dispose of all the old gas and fill with fresh. Do not
buy more gas than can be consumed within two months... if there's
surplus at the end of mowing season pour it into your automobile and
run the lawnmower dry before storage... at start of mowing season buy
fresh. Do not store gas over winter... and gas stabilizing additives
don't really work very well nor are they cost effective for small
quantities of fuel. If after filling with fresh gas starting is still
difficult then you're not using the correct starting procedure, read
the manual, paying special attention to priming and and use of the
choke... if it takes more than two attempts to start a lawnmower but
it finally starts and runs then it's not the mower, you're doing
something wrong. It's a good idea to drain and change the engine oil
at least once each year too... follow the manual recommendations for
all maintenence; lube, sharpening, cleaning. Also make sure a mower
is on a level clean surface before attempting to start, best to start
a cold engine on a paved surface, and be sure the underside of the
deck is clean, an obstructed blade will make starting very difficult,
often impossible. Be aware that when people become frustrated with
starting a mower is invaribly when accidents occur... look down and
observe that your toes are not under the mower deck. Many people
never even look at the underside of their mower... it should be
scraped clean often... always disconnect the spark plug wire before
working under a mower.

If you're not mechanically inclined (and I suspect you're not) I
strongly recommend you have that mower serviced professionally at
least once a year... Honda mowers are rather costly anyway (I suspect
that mower cost well over $500) so by comparison it's not really so
expensve to spend $50-$75 for a full service; new filter, new muffler,
new plug, new blade, fresh engine oil. lube wheels and all moving
parts, power wash under deck, test run and adjust... it might cost
more to do it yourself, in fact I know it will.