Lawn Mower Starting Problems
 

I have a three year old Toro push mower that started acting up on me
yesterday. I filled it with gas... pushed the primer button 3 times,
just like I've been doing all along, ... but it wouldn't start. I then
leaned it over to its side to check for obstructions around the blade
but found nothing. I set it upright, tried restarting it and this time
it started but for a few seconds only. Leaning it over may have had
something to do with this... I am don't know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vik

sounds like the carburettor is gummed up and having issues delivering
fuel to the engine on a continual basis. Unfortunately unless you are
lucky it will require the removal and cleaning of the carb to get it
going in good order again. It is good to run the mower out of fuel
after the last cut of the year. Empty the fuel tank by running it dry
if you can't drain it and spray a fog of WD-40 in there. Clean out any
accumulated grass under the deck and spray that down too to prevent rust.

Good luck.

Vik wrote:

I have a three year old Toro push mower that started acting up on me
yesterday. I filled it with gas... pushed the primer button 3 times,
just like I've been doing all along, ... but it wouldn't start. I then
leaned it over to its side to check for obstructions around the blade
but found nothing. I set it upright, tried restarting it and this time
it started but for a few seconds only. Leaning it over may have had
something to do with this... I am don't know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vik

"Robert Chambers" wrote in message
...
sounds like the carburettor is gummed up and having issues delivering
fuel to the engine on a continual basis. Unfortunately unless you are
lucky it will require the removal and cleaning of the carb to get it
going in good order again. It is good to run the mower out of fuel
after the last cut of the year. Empty the fuel tank by running it dry
if you can't drain it and spray a fog of WD-40 in there. Clean out any
accumulated grass under the deck and spray that down too to prevent rust.

I had similar problems with Lawnboy discussed here last month. Someone
advised carburetor cleaner added to the gas and this made considerable
improvement. I think Toro and Lawnboy are same company now but do not know
if they both share crappy carburetors that homeowner cannot adjust.
Frank

It's possible that the mower got flooded with the three
primer shots. You can try again without priming and
the throttle fully open - then wait a bit [15 30 min] to
allow the carb to dry out. Try again with all settings at
normal position, but a little less priming.

Ed

Vik wrote:

I have a three year old Toro push mower that started acting up on me
yesterday. I filled it with gas... pushed the primer button 3 times,
just like I've been doing all along, ... but it wouldn't start. I then
leaned it over to its side to check for obstructions around the blade
but found nothing. I set it upright, tried restarting it and this time
it started but for a few seconds only. Leaning it over may have had
something to do with this... I am don't know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vik

Sorry - wasn't very clear - read this reply with the
CAPITALIZED corrections:

Ed wrote:

It's possible that the mower got flooded with the three
primer shots. You can UNFLOOD IT BY CRANKING THE ENGINE
without priming and
the throttle fully open - then wait a bit [15 30 min] to
allow the carb to dry out. Try again with all settings at
normal position, but a little less priming.

Ed

Vik wrote:

I have a three year old Toro push mower that started acting up on me
yesterday. I filled it with gas... pushed the primer button 3 times,
just like I've been doing all along, ... but it wouldn't start. I then
leaned it over to its side to check for obstructions around the blade
but found nothing. I set it upright, tried restarting it and this time
it started but for a few seconds only. Leaning it over may have had
something to do with this... I am don't know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vik

On Thu, 26 May 2005 15:48:30 +0000, Robert Chambers wrote:

sounds like the carburettor is gummed up and having issues delivering
fuel to the engine on a continual basis. Unfortunately unless you are
lucky it will require the removal and cleaning of the carb to get it
going in good order again. It is good to run the mower out of fuel
after the last cut of the year. Empty the fuel tank by running it dry
if you can't drain it and spray a fog of WD-40 in there. Clean out any
accumulated grass under the deck and spray that down too to prevent rust.

Good luck.


I had a small engine repair guy tell me never to run it dry, add dry gas
to your gas and that's all there is to it.

I have a 12 year old Craftman rear bagger that I have NEVER ran dry at
seasons end and never changed the oil. I've added some oil when needed,
replaced the spark plug every year, the blade every 2 years and that's
about it.

Tom

I think Vik got it to limp along for a bit then it died, tends to point
at fuel starvation rather than an overabundance of it. Try some carb
cleaner in the tank IF you can get the engine to run for a while it
might suck enough through it to clean off the deposits.

Ed wrote:

It's possible that the mower got flooded with the three
primer shots. You can try again without priming and
the throttle fully open - then wait a bit [15 30 min] to
allow the carb to dry out. Try again with all settings at
normal position, but a little less priming.

Ed

Vik wrote:

I have a three year old Toro push mower that started acting up on me
yesterday. I filled it with gas... pushed the primer button 3 times,
just like I've been doing all along, ... but it wouldn't start. I then
leaned it over to its side to check for obstructions around the blade
but found nothing. I set it upright, tried restarting it and this time
it started but for a few seconds only. Leaning it over may have had
something to do with this... I am don't know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vik

Opinions are like, well you know what they're like... I did the run dry,
fog and cover on my last lawnmower and it was a briggs stratton and ran
for 14 years with heavy use. In the end it was the handles and deck
that wore out/rusted through, the engine worked to the last day.

Dry gas doesn't protect against deposits caused by the evaporation of
the gasoline while the gum stays behind, he may have meant to use the
Sta-bil product which supposedly preserves gasoline for storage.

Robert

Tom Randy wrote:

On Thu, 26 May 2005 15:48:30 +0000, Robert Chambers wrote:


sounds like the carburettor is gummed up and having issues delivering
fuel to the engine on a continual basis. Unfortunately unless you are
lucky it will require the removal and cleaning of the carb to get it
going in good order again. It is good to run the mower out of fuel
after the last cut of the year. Empty the fuel tank by running it dry
if you can't drain it and spray a fog of WD-40 in there. Clean out any
accumulated grass under the deck and spray that down too to prevent rust.

Good luck.



I had a small engine repair guy tell me never to run it dry, add dry gas
to your gas and that's all there is to it.

I have a 12 year old Craftman rear bagger that I have NEVER ran dry at
seasons end and never changed the oil. I've added some oil when needed,
replaced the spark plug every year, the blade every 2 years and that's
about it.

Tom

It's not getting enough gas. Turning it over gave it more gas, but
something is preventing the gas from flowing freely. Mine just had this
exact same problem. Not being able to find the manual, I wheeled it around
the corner to the local fix-it guy who simply did a basic tune up, found the
air filter filthy, and it works fine.

"Vik" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a three year old Toro push mower that started acting up on me
yesterday. I filled it with gas... pushed the primer button 3 times,
just like I've been doing all along, ... but it wouldn't start. I then
leaned it over to its side to check for obstructions around the blade
but found nothing. I set it upright, tried restarting it and this time
it started but for a few seconds only. Leaning it over may have had
something to do with this... I am don't know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vik

On Thu, 26 May 2005 21:19:13 +0000, Robert Chambers wrote:

Opinions are like, well you know what they're like... I did the run dry,
fog and cover on my last lawnmower and it was a briggs stratton and ran
for 14 years with heavy use. In the end it was the handles and deck
that wore out/rusted through, the engine worked to the last day.

Dry gas doesn't protect against deposits caused by the evaporation of
the gasoline while the gum stays behind, he may have meant to use the
Sta-bil product which supposedly preserves gasoline for storage.

Robert


Yup, that's what I meant. thanks.