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Hard starting Snapper Mower

I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start
recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start
with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the
filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original
specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and
may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine
does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?

Hard starting Snapper Mower

"jdagy" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start
recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start
with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the
filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original
specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and
may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine
does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?

Try pulling it over slowly once to get the fuel moving and then pull to
start.

Or, if you think it is too rich, lean it out (turn it in) an eighth of a
turn

Hard starting Snapper Mower

jdagy wrote:
I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start
recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start
with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the
filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original
specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and
may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine
does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?

Is it a hi-vac rear bagger and is the air filter at the back sort of
under the bag (when the bag is on)?
The symptoms you describe with that particular mower usually means that
the engine is slam worn out. While the hi-vac snappers are great bagging
mowers they tend to feed dust from the bag right into the air filter and
self destruct.
I would suggest a compression check. If I happen to be wrong and there
is some life left in the engine, then you would be wise to maintain the
air filter and change the oil on a frequent basis.
Some of the most worn rings, pistons, valve stems and throttle shafts I
have ever seen have come from such snappers.
Good luck.

--
Art

Hard starting Snapper Mower

Art wrote:

jdagy wrote:
I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start
recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start
with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the
filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original
specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and
may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine
does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?

Is it a hi-vac rear bagger and is the air filter at the back sort of
under the bag (when the bag is on)?
The symptoms you describe with that particular mower usually means that
the engine is slam worn out. While the hi-vac snappers are great bagging
mowers they tend to feed dust from the bag right into the air filter and
self destruct.
I would suggest a compression check. If I happen to be wrong and there
is some life left in the engine, then you would be wise to maintain the
air filter and change the oil on a frequent basis.
Some of the most worn rings, pistons, valve stems and throttle shafts I
have ever seen have come from such snappers.
Good luck.

--
Art

excellent point concerning the hi-vac rear bagger. this point
needs to be considered on any bagger. the problem arrives from
the work condition being a mobil dust cloud and the motor is
always in the center of the dust. when the motor is running the
motor is pulling air from that dust cloud.

additional maintenance practices must be put in place when using
a bagger. what seems to be the best solution is to add a lightly
oiled foam wrap to the paper filter element. maintain a stock of
at least three foam wraps. wash them out after each day of bagger
use with hot water and dawn dish washing liquid. after the foam
has dried re-oil it and leave it in a zip lock bag.

I run a lawn care business. air filters are a tax write off, new
motors are also a tax write off. but then I consider cash flow
and methods to keep the cash flow in a direction towards my enjoyment
of life and not just simply staying in business.

blade sharpening is also a very important part of being able to cut
grass in a clean and healthy manner where the health of the grass is
the first consideration. hacking grass with dull blades produces
yellow tip and a yellowed lawn is not a pretty lawn.

local professionals want 5 dollars to sharpen a blade, so I invented
the guide block and willingly as a free gift give to each of you your
chance to copy this technique.

http://personalpages.bellsouth.net/t...-workshop.html

best 2 each of U,
Jim

Hard starting Snapper Mower

Jim wrote:
Art wrote:

jdagy wrote:
I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start
recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start
with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the
filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original
specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and
may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine
does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?

Is it a hi-vac rear bagger and is the air filter at the back sort of
under the bag (when the bag is on)?
The symptoms you describe with that particular mower usually means that
the engine is slam worn out. While the hi-vac snappers are great bagging
mowers they tend to feed dust from the bag right into the air filter and
self destruct.
I would suggest a compression check. If I happen to be wrong and there
is some life left in the engine, then you would be wise to maintain the
air filter and change the oil on a frequent basis.
Some of the most worn rings, pistons, valve stems and throttle shafts I
have ever seen have come from such snappers.
Good luck.

--
Art

excellent point concerning the hi-vac rear bagger. this point
needs to be considered on any bagger. the problem arrives from
the work condition being a mobil dust cloud and the motor is
always in the center of the dust. when the motor is running the
motor is pulling air from that dust cloud.

additional maintenance practices must be put in place when using
a bagger. what seems to be the best solution is to add a lightly
oiled foam wrap to the paper filter element. maintain a stock of
at least three foam wraps. wash them out after each day of bagger
use with hot water and dawn dish washing liquid. after the foam
has dried re-oil it and leave it in a zip lock bag.

I run a lawn care business. air filters are a tax write off, new
motors are also a tax write off. but then I consider cash flow
and methods to keep the cash flow in a direction towards my enjoyment
of life and not just simply staying in business.

blade sharpening is also a very important part of being able to cut
grass in a clean and healthy manner where the health of the grass is
the first consideration. hacking grass with dull blades produces
yellow tip and a yellowed lawn is not a pretty lawn.

local professionals want 5 dollars to sharpen a blade, so I invented
the guide block and willingly as a free gift give to each of you your
chance to copy this technique.

http://personalpages.bellsouth.net/t...-workshop.html

best 2 each of U,
Jim

Great Idea on sharpening the blades, I usually sharpen the mower blade
a couple of times a season. Getting the angle right was always a
challange. I'll use your suggestions. Thanks

Hard starting Snapper Mower

"Jim" wrote in message
...
Art wrote:

jdagy wrote:
I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start
recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start
with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the
filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original
specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and
may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine
does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?

Is it a hi-vac rear bagger and is the air filter at the back sort of
under the bag (when the bag is on)?
The symptoms you describe with that particular mower usually means that
the engine is slam worn out. While the hi-vac snappers are great bagging
mowers they tend to feed dust from the bag right into the air filter and
self destruct.
I would suggest a compression check. If I happen to be wrong and there
is some life left in the engine, then you would be wise to maintain the
air filter and change the oil on a frequent basis.
Some of the most worn rings, pistons, valve stems and throttle shafts I
have ever seen have come from such snappers.
Good luck.

--
Art

excellent point concerning the hi-vac rear bagger. this point
needs to be considered on any bagger. the problem arrives from
the work condition being a mobil dust cloud and the motor is
always in the center of the dust. when the motor is running the
motor is pulling air from that dust cloud.

additional maintenance practices must be put in place when using
a bagger. what seems to be the best solution is to add a lightly
oiled foam wrap to the paper filter element. maintain a stock of
at least three foam wraps. wash them out after each day of bagger
use with hot water and dawn dish washing liquid. after the foam
has dried re-oil it and leave it in a zip lock bag.

I run a lawn care business. air filters are a tax write off, new
motors are also a tax write off. but then I consider cash flow
and methods to keep the cash flow in a direction towards my enjoyment
of life and not just simply staying in business.

blade sharpening is also a very important part of being able to cut
grass in a clean and healthy manner where the health of the grass is
the first consideration. hacking grass with dull blades produces
yellow tip and a yellowed lawn is not a pretty lawn.

local professionals want 5 dollars to sharpen a blade, so I invented
the guide block and willingly as a free gift give to each of you your
chance to copy this technique.

http://personalpages.bellsouth.net/t...-workshop.html

best 2 each of U,
Jim

Thanks for the tips and your generosity. However, as a retired tool &
diemaker, I'd like to urge caution because it looks like it would be easy
for the wheel to grab the blade and wedge it down between the block and the
wheel. My neighbor is also in lawncare (2 Gravely tractors and 1 Gravely Z
& a walk behind Bolens). I am not in "business" but I have a fairly large
property and do a few neighbors, a church & and a cemetery. Niether of us
is too concerned about the "angle". He does his with a hand grinder while
they are still on the machines - and I just do mine on a bench grinder by
eye. He requires a good quality cut but I really don't since they are glad
to have a volunteer.

Hard starting Snapper Mower

Great Idea on sharpening the blades, I usually sharpen the mower blade
a couple of times a season. Getting the angle right was always a
challange. I'll use your suggestions. Thanks

Check out a brand new blade. It is far from "sharp". Also, most of
the cutting is done about 4" from the tip. So, I tune my blades up at
most once a year. The grass looks fine.

Hard starting Snapper Mower

Stubby wrote:

Great Idea on sharpening the blades, I usually sharpen the mower blade
a couple of times a season. Getting the angle right was always a
challange. I'll use your suggestions. Thanks

Check out a brand new blade. It is far from "sharp". Also, most of
the cutting is done about 4" from the tip. So, I tune my blades up at
most once a year. The grass looks fine.

Actually most of the cutting is done within the last 1/4" from the tip
of the blade. Mulching blades may sharpened much further back to re-cut
the clippings.

--
Art