frustrating lawn mower issue

[Biggredd]

so I bought a Sears Craftsmen lawnmower last year, don't remember model name, but figured it was a nice quality brand. Spent about $350 on it. Has the power front wheels on it and about 6.75 lbs of torque advertised on the engine. Worked great last season but would bog down a little too easy on some of the thicker wet grass and made a weird sound when it did it. I think I solved that by raising the wheels a little. But I recently had a super frustrating issue. I took the mower out for the first day of the season last month and it started up just fine. I mowed the front yard fine and held off on the back yard. The next week I went to start it to mow and started at about 60% power for about 20 seconds, died, and then wouldn't start at all. My mechanic neighbor came over and we drained the old gas, put a new spark plug in, made sure there was actual spark to the plug, checked the air filter, etc. we just couldn't get it to start. So the next day I spun the blade by hand and then tried to start it and it did. It did the 60 % power thing again but I decided to tilt the mower up and side ways, etc and it ended up finally going to full power and I was able to mow. I've since had this issue multiple times where it doesn't want to start, or if it does I have to lift, lean, do crazy things to get it to 100% power. and I have been able to mow luckily. The mower has a 2 yr warranty. So I go to the out of the way sears repair shop to get it checked out and guess what!! It starts perfect. Runs like its brand new. The guy takes it over to a strip of grass...perfect. I get so damn pissed at the guy telling him I'm not making this up. So I leave with the mower and guess what...it does it again the very next day and last night again. Any body have any ideas what I can do? very frustrated.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

How tall and wet is the grass you're trying to tackle?

Sounds sorta like it's got a fuel system issue.
Have you pulled the carb bowl to have a look inside?
Any junk in the bottom of the fuel tank?

May be worth pulling the carb float/needle off, remove the fuel line from the carb, and run some carb cleaner through the elbow the fuel line connects to to clean out the seat. Also spray down the bottom of the carb with the bowl off, and spray into any ventures/jets you can. Not a bad idea to install a in-line fuel filter too.

 

[Levinz11]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Wet grass bogs the heck outta my mower, too. The cuttings get stuck in there and the grass has no where to go.

You should put your mower info in your sig for future issues

 

[rogerwa]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Stupid question, but are you starting it in the grass or on the driveway?

 

[Cofe]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Sounds like your carb float is sticking. Remove the carb bowl, float, and needle. Spray carb cleaner on needle and seat and clean bowl. Some carbs have an orface hole in the carb bowl nut. Make sure it is clean. You may have to remove the carb in order to clean it good enough.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Why I got rid of my Craftsman rider was junk

 

[tpenfield]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Why I got rid of my Craftsman rider was junk

Me too . . . I had one for several years, heaviest, weakest lawnmower in the world. Fortunately the Admiral was having some household junk hauled away. So, I threw it on the pile.

I bought a Troy-Built mower . . . works like a charm.

My only thoughts on your Craftsman mower issue is that there is usually a timing advance mechanism inside the cowling near the flywheel and cooling fins. If that area is clogged up with lawn debris, etc, then it could be effecting the starting and power of the engine. Perhaps check it out and if you have a source of compressed air use that to clean things out.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Me too . . . I had one for several years, heaviest, weakest lawnmower in the world. Fortunately the Admiral was having some household junk hauled away. So, I threw it on the pile.

I bought a Troy-Built mower . . . works like a charm.

My only thoughts on your Craftsman mower issue is that there is usually a timing advance mechanism inside the cowling near the flywheel and cooling fins. If that area is clogged up with lawn debris, etc, then it could be effecting the starting and power of the engine. Perhaps check it out and if you have a source of compressed air use that to clean things out.

Hate to say it, but...
Craftsman = MTD
Troy-built = MTD

May be a better build quality on the Troy-built, but it's hard to get away from MTD.

As far as the mechanism you speak of, I think your talking about the throttle governor. The old school Briggs used air flow off the blower to govern the throttle. The new Quantum style engines (most likely what he has), I believe are mechanical, using fly-weights in the crank case to actuate the governor. Could still be some crap under the cowling hanging things up if he's really buried the mower in the weeds.

 

[colbyt]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Are you using Stabil in your gas? Or did it set all winter with gas in the carb?

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

sounds like you have water in the carb and its not easy to get to so try to get it low on gas then tip it on its side (carb side down) and allow the gas/water in the carb to run out. By moving the mower you get the water bubble to break up and the mower works fine which is why it plays nice once you get it out of the truck at the repair shop but once it sits and the water goes to the bottom of the carb it plays up again.

 

[Big Bubba]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Yeap, check the carb out and clean out all the passageways holes and the main jet in the center pickup emulsion tube in the carb and bet your problems go away. They should have done that at the Sears service center just to make sure the carb is good and clean. Also make sure your throttle cables and your choke mechanism on the carb aren't binding up or hanging up on you. What I mean is check the choke butterfly, the front butterfly, and make sure she aren't sticking on you causing you running issues. Let us know what you find.

 

[Big Bubba]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Yeap, carbs are not hard to do on these push mowers. I help my dad out on the side cleaning the carbs out for him on his lawn and garden equipment business. I am his carb man and make money from him when I do the carb jobs for him that he cannot do himself. My next question concerning your lawn mower problem is are you having any surging issues when it does this? If so this is a sign that the carb needs to be cleaned out. I would yank the carb off and make sure each butterfly, the fron t choke and the rear throttle butterfly moves freely for you and not stick and are not hard to move in either direction. Just pay attention to what your doing when removing the carb for cleaning and then after reinstall the carb. I bet your problems will be solved.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Blade sharp?

 

[matt167]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Hate to say it, but...
Craftsman = MTD
Troy-built = MTD

May be a better build quality on the Troy-built, but it's hard to get away from MTD.

As far as the mechanism you speak of, I think your talking about the throttle governor. The old school Briggs used air flow off the blower to govern the throttle. The new Quantum style engines (most likely what he has), I believe are mechanical, using fly-weights in the crank case to actuate the governor. Could still be some crap under the cowling hanging things up if he's really buried the mower in the weeds.

Actually, most Sears/Craftsmen riders from 1965-2005ish were all built by Roper/ AYP with some Murray tractors mixed in. AYP sold to Husquvarna in 2006 and created HOP. After 2006 when Murray also went out, Craftsmen replaced them with MTD's for their lineup but plenty of the Craftsmens are still built by HOP.. Craftsmen push mowers were made by Murray until Murray went out.

I have a 1968 Sears Suburban 12 as a secondary grass cutter. Runs great, uses very little oil and cuts pretty good too. Had a Craftsmen LT1000 which was just a basic lawn mower but as with most cheapies, was totally worn out in 10 years and patched togther to make it to 12 years. With over 700 calculated hours, several patch repairs but running well. I gave it to my dad who's Troy bilt transaxle busted.

 

[Biggredd]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

for some reason I'm not getting email notifications so I didn't see there was a tons of responses. I had forgot to use stabil in the fuel over winter but I did drain the fuel and put new gas in and I kept it in the garage. Once it starts and gets to proper running speed it usually stays that way, no surging or weird things. I think the bogging down was just my bad on overly tall wet grass but the sound it made when it did bog was a little concerning. Once I raised the wheels I haven't had much of an issue with that. I'll try looking in the carb and using some sort of cleaner on it. its just weird when an how it happens. I mowed the front, went to the back and it wouldn't start. Once it did start sometimes it goes to full power, other times it does that 60% thing. And yes, I start it on the driveway before the grass and in the back yard I start it on a non grass area as well. I'll start with a carb cleaner and go from there.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

A little sea foam helps alot too.
Grub

 

[gm280]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Reading how you have to tilt it and lean it to get it running properly, it sounds like you have a fuel pickup clogged area. I don't know what carb setup you have but I've seen some with a screen mess pickup tube get junk in them and when you tilt and lean it helps to get the fuel by the clog... I too would suggest cleaning the carb and tank... And for the record, try not to cut wet grass. Not only is it harder on the mower, but it sticks to the underside area and blobs out onto the lawn killing the area it blobs onto as well, and it kills a blade quickly too...

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

I get so damn pissed at the guy telling him I'm not making this up."

That helped. :cold:

" I had forgot to use stabil in the fuel over winter but I did drain the fuel and put new gas in and I kept it in the garage. Once it starts and gets to proper running speed it usually stays that way, no surging or weird things. I think the bogging down was just my bad on overly tall wet grass but the sound it made when it did bog was a little concerning. Once I raised the wheels I haven't had much of an issue with that. I'll try looking in the carb and using some sort of cleaner on it. its just weird when an how it happens.":facepalm:

You have to maintain it and don't expect more than it is worth.

With all that, look for fuel lines that just seem to be too kinked.

 

[Cofe]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

A good sharp blade makes a world of difference. Just take your time and sharpen it with a file just like Billy Bob Thorton..."Karl" and watch the grass fly. eep:

 

[generator12]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

If it were me I would have wife, son, neighbor, or somebody else standing by with a camera the next time or three that I start the machine. I would note the date(s) and time(s) and bring the clip to the shop with the mower.

It obviously depends on your specific situation, but if there's a warranty on that unit and you care to exercise it, this might help you demonstrate the problem to him.