Lawn Mower Engines Seem So Picky
 

I do have a notoriously short fuse, I must admit. Today, a Tecumseh
engine-based Ace Hardware self-propelled mower created a "that's the
last straw" situation. It ran almost out of gas, and then when I put
more gas in it (gas I purchased probably 30 days ago or so), it just
flat-out wouldn't start. Some 20 minutes of priming with that
bulb-thingie, sweat dripping off of me by the bucket-load, my allergies
kicking in to such an extent that I developed asthma-like symptoms, all
because I had a small patch to mow that wouldn't have taken me more
than 3 minutes to mow. (I had just got an Intex easy-set pool and
wanted to mow the designated spot once again to make sure it was "pool
ready.")

Some 20 minutes later, having added some gasoline and primped that
thing numerous times, and it STILL wouldn't start. Oh sure it would
sometimes "fake start" for maybe 1 second, only to then cut right off.

It had been running just fine barely 5 minutes before all of this, but
once it ran out of gas--forget it.

I became so enraged, I took a large wood-log and smashed the lawn mower
into a million pieces.

OK, so that was childish, at least it was a $35 yard sale lawn mower
(but it was self-propelled, making it something of a bargain). But man,
20 some minutes and it STILL wouldn't start, even with more gasoline
added, even with it having ran just fine minutes previous?

I am not just writing to vent and rant/rave, and hear people reply
"wow, that temper of yours, how silly of you" (not that I blame anyone
for saying that, I understand). I am writing for a reason, namely--are
lawn mowers as a group this picky? Is there someway, without it
requiring multiple servicing efforts at a repair shop, to make lawn
mowers less picky? Are Tecumseh engines as a group worse than
Briggs/Stratton engines? Any method of storage (outdoors, we don't have
a garage) that helps with this? Any tricks that can "kick start" a
stubborn-as-a-mule lawn mower into starting?

Also, I do recall when I used to cut grass as a teenager some 20 years
ago or so, it was common we'd run the lawn mower until it ran out of
gas, then just add more and it would fire right back up and we'd carry
on. It seems like now lawn mowers are much pickier--if you dare run out
of gas, there's hell to pay. Is this true, and if so, why?

Thanks for the tips.

LRH

Lawn Mower Engines Seem So Picky
 

Get a push mower.

Lawn Mower Engines Seem So Picky
 

Lawn Mower Engines Seem So Picky