Short version: URL's wanted.


Long version {:-).

Well, despite the dry, our grass has grown enough that it need another
mow. Unfortunately the lawn mower decided after a few coughs and spins
to not co-operate. Neither has it responded to the usual minor fiddling,
(clean plugs, clean filter, etc).

In fact I know it is one of those major maintenance/clean up times. So
rather that just take it partly apart and clean it and hope it works
after putting it back together (like last time last year{:-), I thought
I would use it as a learning exercise to lean a little about lawn
mower/small motors repairs.

So, if you have a URL or two, or even a google string that gives good
information, I would be thankful if you would share it.



For those who know a bit. It is a Victor Cosair, aka Briggs & Stratton
3.5HP 4 stroke engine. If I manually choke it (hold the vane over) with
the air hose removed from the top of the carburettor I can get it to
start.

Slowly releasing the (automatic?) choke vane allows the revs to get up
to about 75%, but then suddenly it throttles down. It seems to flood the
engine as I then have to clean the spark plug and start again. TIA


Hmm, I suppose I should have started this message "searching for garden
organic matter" as the small collection in this dry time will end up in
the compost heap. {:-)

Sounds like some sort of blockage in the carby jets or fuel line.

Take the carby apart and clean out all the water and crap that has found
it's way in there. Have you parked it outside when it rained and had water
get in via the fuel cap air bleed hole? Count how many turns out the needle
valve(s) are and they can be set back to original after cleaning and they
don't need much adjustment. A bit of fuel in an old ice cream container and
a toothbrush, and a bit of fishtank line or a plastic drinking straw so you
can blow through the holes that fuel should go through. If you have a
compressor and a blow gun you can do it with that, but the mouth and a deep
breath can do it. Don't suck up the petrol, or breath in enough fumes to get
you high!

Hope this helps,
Peter

g'day terry,

yep i go with peter to some degree check the fuel for cleanlinest
could contain water from build up especially if you top up the can and
don't make sure it is clean and dry before putting in new fuel. i
would also suggest by the sounds of it that it needs a new diaphram
fitted into the carby, a little expertise is needed here so don't know
if i can talk you through it might be best to let the professionals do
it!! of course if you live next door i'll do it for a XXXX.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

Terry Collins wrote:

Short version: URL's wanted.

Thank you both for the tips, I think {:-).

I was thinking that taking the carburettor, etc apart was going to be
required, but wasn't looking forward to it. In the end it was easy to
do. It is always easier the second time {:-).

I just basically drained the fuel and then ran it dry. The carburettor
was nothing like the old type so I'm not sure what was what, but just
gave it and everything else a bit of a clean up.

The worse part was that it worked and then I had to mow the lawn in the
heat, but the job is done for the next six months, unless the drought in
Sydney breaks {:-).

Once again thanks.

I would do a TAFE course in this stuff, but I'd have to spend more time
travelling to and from the course with all the rationalisation that is
going on here.

Terry

I had one of these B*ggers for years. My ex took the fuel assembly apart so
many times it almost fell apart if he went with in 20 paces with a
screwdriver in hand. Alas we he departed for greener pastures he did not
take the mower from Hell. I found the easiest method around struggling
with this beast was to get a mower man. However over time I found the
following :
i my dog and my mower person were incompatible.
ii Mower persons are highly unreliable.
iii Mower persons and inground reticulation are incompatible.

Final solution to the problem was buy a two stroke mower which starts with
first pull, no matter if it is only a feeble female on the end of the
starter rope. My dog and my reticulation are more compatible with this
solution. Oh, and I sold the mower from hell to the son of a colleague who
is living happily ever after with it!

Joanne

PS - sorry this is not much of a solution to your problem, but thought it
might give some one out there a giggle!



"Terry Collins" wrote in message
...
Short version: URL's wanted.


Long version {:-).

Well, despite the dry, our grass has grown enough that it need another
mow. Unfortunately the lawn mower decided after a few coughs and spins
to not co-operate. Neither has it responded to the usual minor fiddling,
(clean plugs, clean filter, etc).

In fact I know it is one of those major maintenance/clean up times. So
rather that just take it partly apart and clean it and hope it works
after putting it back together (like last time last year{:-), I thought
I would use it as a learning exercise to lean a little about lawn
mower/small motors repairs.

So, if you have a URL or two, or even a google string that gives good
information, I would be thankful if you would share it.



For those who know a bit. It is a Victor Cosair, aka Briggs & Stratton
3.5HP 4 stroke engine. If I manually choke it (hold the vane over) with
the air hose removed from the top of the carburettor I can get it to
start.

Slowly releasing the (automatic?) choke vane allows the revs to get up
to about 75%, but then suddenly it throttles down. It seems to flood the
engine as I then have to clean the spark plug and start again. TIA


Hmm, I suppose I should have started this message "searching for garden
organic matter" as the small collection in this dry time will end up in
the compost heap. {:-)

Shamless Self Promotion wrote:

....snip.....

PS - sorry this is not much of a solution to your problem, but thought it
might give some one out there a giggle!

Well, it did actually - I could decide that mowing the lawn was the
wife's job {:-), which would means that we would get a new mower (after
a few choice words). But, I would much rather spend the money on
something else {:-), so I fixed it.

Seriously, the best advice I can give someone on mowers is to avoid
Briggs & Stratton engines. Now that is probably flamebait to some people
as I know some people will not have anything else, but dad loved mowers
with Briggs and Straton engines.

So, as a child, one of whose jobs was to mow the lawn, I know that they
can be a fair cow of an engine. Our old mower was great until it cut
out, then no matter what you did, you could not get it started again
that day. Dad would disagree and sometimes spend most of a day trying to
get it restarted just to prove me wrong. Of course by that stage, I
wasn't around to finish mowing the lawn {:-).


And more interestingly, we harvested our pumpkin for this year, a Qld
Blue and are debating whether it is time to rip out the rest of the
tomatoes and make green tomato pickles {:-).

--
G'day Terry,
I've got to admit I love my little B&S 3.5hp. While it
could be argued that any mower is proof positive of Murphy's Laws, over many
years and many mowers they have given me the least trouble. Two strokes can
be good where you need that bit of extra grunt for a neglected lawn, but
those emissions are enormous, ( I don't know why the powers that be have not
raised the standards on that issue). I grew up with Victas but when several
years ago I bought a big wide cut model on which the casing between the
motor and catcher fatigued and split within 4 months I swore never again.
They refused any responsibility as I used it on 2 or 3 small nature strips
of clients and was therefore classed as a commercial user, and only entitled
to 3 months warrantee. I have of course, taken great pleasure telling any
who will listen and have cost them many sales since.


China
Wingham
NSW

"Terry Collins" wrote in message
...

SNIP
Seriously, the best advice I can give someone on mowers is to avoid
Briggs & Stratton engines. Now that is probably flamebait to some people
as I know some people will not have anything else, but dad loved mowers
with Briggs and Straton engines.

Good point to raise.
I'm only young, but over the time from own use and at work, it seems that
they are all much the same.
At work I have seen John Deere, Toro and Stihl fail quite quickly, but then
on the same note, the same brand has been good. It's interesting when you
have 4 or 5 of the same machine and they are treated the same, the
differences on failures can be interesting.
My father had a similar briggs and stratton to your fathers, the thing about
it conking out then failing to start 'till the next day, and after numerous
hours of trying to fix it himself, then lotsa $$$ on getting it "fixed" he
finally traded it in on a new, wat for it, rover with Briggs and stratton
engine. It's been great.
A yardman at work has the B&S motor and its lasted a long time, and rough
use.
My Masport with the B&S starts fine, but the throttle lever has to be held
on, or it vibrates back to a low idle. No tinkering has yet fixed it :-(
So yeah, I guess everyone has a story to tell with how good or bad these
engines are. Me? I'm on the fence with the subject :-)

"Terry Collins" wrote in message
...

SNIP
Seriously, the best advice I can give someone on mowers is to avoid
Briggs & Stratton engines. Now that is probably flamebait to some people
as I know some people will not have anything else, but dad loved mowers
with Briggs and Straton engines.

Good point to raise.
I'm only young, but over the time from own use and at work, it seems that
they are all much the same.
At work I have seen John Deere, Toro and Stihl fail quite quickly, but then
on the same note, the same brand has been good. It's interesting when you
have 4 or 5 of the same machine and they are treated the same, the
differences on failures can be interesting.
My father had a similar briggs and stratton to your fathers, the thing about
it conking out then failing to start 'till the next day, and after numerous
hours of trying to fix it himself, then lotsa $$$ on getting it "fixed" he
finally traded it in on a new, wat for it, rover with Briggs and stratton
engine. It's been great.
A yardman at work has the B&S motor and its lasted a long time, and rough
use.
My Masport with the B&S starts fine, but the throttle lever has to be held
on, or it vibrates back to a low idle. No tinkering has yet fixed it :-(
So yeah, I guess everyone has a story to tell with how good or bad these
engines are. Me? I'm on the fence with the subject :-)

g'day terry,

sounds like some problem with the carby, if you have the expertise
remove tank/carby assemblt from the moweer and disassemble. most
likely fault would be the diaphram replace that also make sure the
screens on the pick up tubes are free from lint etc.,. flush out tank
to remove any foreign material. if you have access to air remove main
jet adfustment screw and blow out the jet. the machine should restart
if you set the adjustment screw 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 turns out from just
seating in the jet.

if that is not the problem the next thing to look at is the valves you
may find that the intake valve needs regapping, that requires a fair
bit more expertise.

don't think you are going to find a web site you may need to buy a b&s
service manual or maybe a lending library may have one?

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

nothing wrong with b&s engines terry, would ratehr one of them than a
victa 2 stroke any day of the week. i've got mowers here with b&s on
them they just keep on going and for me if they stop easy to fix.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

g'day terry,

sounds like some problem with the carby, if you have the expertise
remove tank/carby assemblt from the moweer and disassemble. most
likely fault would be the diaphram replace that also make sure the
screens on the pick up tubes are free from lint etc.,. flush out tank
to remove any foreign material. if you have access to air remove main
jet adfustment screw and blow out the jet. the machine should restart
if you set the adjustment screw 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 turns out from just
seating in the jet.

if that is not the problem the next thing to look at is the valves you
may find that the intake valve needs regapping, that requires a fair
bit more expertise.

don't think you are going to find a web site you may need to buy a b&s
service manual or maybe a lending library may have one?

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

nothing wrong with b&s engines terry, would ratehr one of them than a
victa 2 stroke any day of the week. i've got mowers here with b&s on
them they just keep on going and for me if they stop easy to fix.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

"Shamless Self Promotion" writes:
take the mower from Hell. I found the easiest method around struggling
with this beast was to get a mower man. However over time I found the
following :
i my dog and my mower person were incompatible.
ii Mower persons are highly unreliable.
iii Mower persons and inground reticulation are incompatible.

You missed one:
Mower persons and shrubs are incompatible; and he won't give
up until he has ringbarked at least half the trunk.
--
John Savage (news address invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)

len gardener wrote:

g'day terry,

sounds like some problem with the carby, if you have the expertise
remove tank/carby assemblt from the moweer and disassemble.

I am slowly acquiring that {:-).
I have now taken it apart twice and put it back together and it worked
both times {:-). The first time I had a bolt left over. The second time
I found where that bolt belonged {;-)



likely fault would be the diaphram replace that also make sure the
screens on the pick up tubes are free from lint etc.,.

Well, that is a bit of relaxing news. I did find a whole pile of lint
stuck on one of them and didn't know if it should be there, but was
falling apart or I should remove it. It was removed.

Would there be a carby kit? I'm thinking that as well as a general spark
plug, air filter, blades replacement, it might be time to do a carby
renewal.