frustrating lawn mower issue

[matt167]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

I'm going to guess that a jet is partially plugged. It sounds like this mower uses a Honda clone engine which has taken over the small engine world in the last 5-6 years. The carbs are jetted so close to being too lean that even the littelest bit of crud leans them out totally. Some of the carbs are not adjustable but some have screws with security caps on them..
Only motor I have ever had drop power like that was a 1970's 8hp cast iron Briggs&Stratton on a snowblower which did it after it warmed up due to a blown head gasket.

 

[rbh]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

The clue is every time you tip it, it runs better.
I would go with sticking float as well, try running a tank of 50-1 and see if the oil loosens up the float.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

One more time, tipping it takes the blade out of the grass, is it sharp? out

 

[Biggredd]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

tipping it was not for the purpose of grass. This was while I'm first starting it on the driveway trying to get it up to normal operating rpm's. it doesn't always just fire up and go straight to normal. for example...I'll be on the driveway and it wants to start but goes to 60% power and if I don't do anything it will die and not start at all on my next attempt. That is when I try tipping and leaning it which does something and the power slowly goes up to normal rpms. and the times that it won't start when I'm pulling the cord I'm getting no attempt from the engine to try and fire. Its like its not connecting even though we did confirm there is spark on the plug when I'm doing that. I think its going to be part of the carb or fuel delivery. I did buy some fuel system cleaner, I'm not all the way done yet trouble shooting.

 

[matt167]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Check the throttle at the engine. I forgot about those engines using internal governers that connect to the carb throttle. If it's sticking, tilting it may free it up for a bit. If this is the case, you should be able to manually act on the throttle at the carb and have it rev up, verifying the governer is an issue.

 

[Splat]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

If you have a bowl, I would lean towards sticking float. If your carb sits over the fuel tank I would look into a sticking governor, bad diaphragm, or cracked intake tube. The intake's cracking are quite common on some models, to the point I used to keep them on the shelf in the repair section of the shop I used to manage.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

I haven't even read any of the other responses (sorry!) but I don't need to. I have 3 lawnmowers (among other things) and all 3 have been giving me fits lately--

#1 is almost 20 years old. Starting last year I'm getting this jello like goo that keeps forming in the carb, looks similar to the guck in a cans of spam and vienna sausage...

#2 is probably 15 years old, I had to clean jello out about 3 weeks ago, now it's going thru this thing where the float sticks in the UP postion. Even if I raise the front of the mower and drop it HARD, several times, that stupid float won't come down. I have to remove the bowl and pull it down, then it works great for about 1/2 hour's worth, then it sticks again-

#3 is a Weedeater brand mower I bought from K-mart just last year. And it started acting up-- Found the problem: WATER in the gas. But where did it come from?

Well-- The same gas that went into that mower also went into our SkipperLiner, and I'm finding water in that gas too. Fortunately, the water separator is catching it. Unfortunately, the water is causing the gas to phase-separate. Not good, considering we're talking 60 gallons of gas...

Last but not least, the carbs on the Marinier outboard on our Party Cruiser were also filled with that jello...

All of this has a common denominator:

The #*&@!! alcohol they're putting in our gas. I've made my own determination as to the jello: The alcohol is breaking down the old fuel lines from the inside out, and the jello is the result. Every carb I've seen with jello has older fuel lines. No jello in the new mower, and I have new lines on the boat, but as for the water, as we all know, alcohol absorbs water from the air around it. I'm pretty sure the water's not from my tanks, but rather, the gas station's tanks.

I used to think alky in our gas would be no big deal, but my mind's been changed. Way more negatives than positives...

 

[foodfisher]

Re: frustrating lawn mower issue

Not to mention the skyrocketing prices of tortillas!