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I suspect that your mower is permanently grounded by corrosion closing the circuit at the kill switch. Pull the bale as if you were going to start the mower. Tie a string around it and the handle to keep it up. Now trace the cable housing down to the side of the engine and make sure there is...

I do a lot of work on bicycles. Got started at age 8 when my father got tired of fixing all the flats in the neighborhood and fobbed the job off on me. Step one is to put a dab of spit on the valve stem and see if it bubbles. If so, tighten valve stem or replace and job done. Step two is...

I have no experience with this wheel set up. Can you get the bolt out? Your picture shows the wheel and tire with no bolt. If you can get the bolt out then maybe try a gear puller. Buy a longer bolt with the same threads and put a dimple in the middle of the head for the puller’s bolt tip to...

I just replaced the tires on my HRB215SXA. I tried heating with a heat gun, then tried putting the tire in a bucket and pouring boiling water over it, then finally cracked the code by boiling the tires for five minutes and quickly wrestling them onto the wheels before they cooled off. No need...

If you have no primer bulb, then does the mower have an autochoke? If so, I would check to see if the choke is closed on startup.

I have a 32 year old Toro with a 4 stroke Suzuki engine. The deck is heavy duty aluminum. Works perfectly and is a joy to use. The self propel works great and has never given me a problem. It is set up as a mulcher only. I also have a 40 year old Toro with a Tecumseh engine that has BBC. I...

I do not claim great expertise, but here are my thoughts. You didn’t mention air. How is the filter? Try starting it without the filter. If you have gas, spark, compression, timing and air, then it must start. So, something doesn’t compute and you have to go back and reevaluate your...

I had similar experience with an autochoke Briggs on a lawnmower. If spark is strong then I suspect that the hot engine is evaporating the fuel before it can ignite and a little choke would solve it. But the autochoke won’t let you apply light choke. The thermostatic controlled lever is...

Thanks. I did visually see the plug spark but it wasn’t easy. The sparkplug lead is so short that I couldn’t ground the tip of the plug without using a jumper wire. I did see a spark but just to make sure, I bought a new plug. Just went out to the shop and tried the finger test and only felt...

This is a 4 stroke engine with overhead valves. The coil is good, per my spark tester. I shot starting fluid into the carb and got no ignition. Shot some carb cleaner directly into spark plug hole. No ignition. Pulled the flywheel and the woodruff key is intact. Checked the valves and...

Did I miss where you checked the air filter? Mice like to nest in resting equipment.

Here are two thoughts from an amateur. First:Have you run over something, like a stump? If so, you may have a timing issue. I have seen motors where the flywheel has moved but not completely sheared the woodruff key. Second thought: I had that same engine and the plug was sparking, so...

The gcv160 has a plastic camshaft pulley and a rubber belt to time the valves. You would have seen it when you adjusted the valves. Take a good look at that pulley and see if it is damaged. I think it also controls the compression release function. That might answer both the poor engine...

Since no knowledgeable person is responding, looks like you are stuck with me. Is this Briggs equipped with their auto-choke? If so, has the thermostatic switch gotten stuck with the choke open after you ran it out of gas? Taryl Fixes All has a good video on this choke. Google it. Stuck...

When I suggested tightening the belt, I was using shorthand. I really meant to tighten the cable for the self-propel. This would in turn pull harder on the belt when you pull the bale back and act to tighten the belt. The cable could have stretched a little or maybe slipped. Or the belt may...

Re screeching noise: suspect you have a slipping belt. When the tall grass puts an extra load on the blade the belt powering the selfpropel slips. Try tightening the belt. If the belt is old or glazed, you may need to replace it.

The rpm’s are due to the governor adjusting to the load you are putting on the engine. I wouldn’t worry about it. The locked up wheels are due to the pawl in the driven axle being stuck, probably needs lubrication. Very common on Hondas. You need to take rear wheels off and disassemble the...

Glad you like your new mower. Just one comment: I think that flap is there to protect you from debris that might get flung back at you, like rocks, sticks, pine cones. I would replace it if I were you. I have two Toros, one is a 1984 20672, the other is a 1991 20320 with the Suzuki 4 cycle...

From my experience, I suspect that you have a failing coil. When they start to fail they will work when cold but as they heat up, they fail. If you get a spark tester you will be able to confirm that it’s the coil. Or, after the engine quits you can spray starter fluid through the carb and...

Thanks. I’ll try that. I had a vague recollection about the old Briggs engines and their kill tabs on the plug.

I have a Bolens 410 tiller. It has a 2 stroke motor. It starts easily but won’t shutoff using the on/off switch. I have tested the switch and the two wires going to the coil. The switch is good and the wires are sound. So, I think the problem is in the coil. But the part is no longer...

Thanks. I think you are right. I went to the parts diagrams on Jacks Small Engines website and saw that they put 4573 diagrams next to and on the same page as 8673 as well as the 8673 AE and S models. All had the same body. I had to look up what AE meant. If there are others who also don’t...

Thanks. That gives me engine type and approximate year, but that one is self propelled and mine is a push model. Anyone know what the push model version of an 8673 would be?

I do have the bag. Didn’t realize that had value.

The model and serial numbers are not legible/visible. It is missing the coil and there is a metal collar around the drive shaft above the blade adapter that is damaged. There are plastic pieces attached to the air filter housing that are so brittle they break at the touch. Otherwise, the...

Tom, you are my hero. It worked. Only wish I had asked for advice BEFORE I had removed the fuel pump. On the other hand, got to see how the fuel pump on the CV15 works and got to spend quality time at the bench scraping a 20 year old gasket and making a new one. ( I didn’t have the patience...

Thanks. I’ll try pressurizing the tank.

I have officially given up. I agree with cpurvis. Probably spark related and not worth chasing after anymore. It starts and it runs well. I’ll give this to someone who can live with the hot start limiting factor. As we used to say in the Air Force, the solution is operator training.

This is on a John Deere LT155 with electric starter. Single cyl cv15 command engine. Spec no. 41594, Ser no. 3003206643. This machine wouldn’t start a couple of years ago and I put a tarp over it. Recently decided to get it going. It was a nice machine, other than the fragile plastic hood...

He was CEO and Chairman of Toro when they acquired Wheelhorse. His obit is in the Minneapolis paper. Thot this group might be interested.

It starts again with a five minute break. So you need to mow nonstop or adopt a relaxed mowing attitude or keep a spring clamp handy to keep the bail up. I ran it today for 35 minutes without stopping. Bad news was that it would not restart. Good news was that the ticking noise was gone...

I have been keeping busy fixing mowers and chippers that I previously thought of as parts repositories. One such mower is a 2010 model Toro Recycler with a 190cc Briggs, mod# 128T02-3125-B1. I had given this mower to a friend several years ago. It ran well at the time and had no issues. A...

Thanks to all. The engine now starts easily and runs well. I checked the float alignment and set it slightly lower, as suggested. Didn’t help. I checked the valve clearances. They were correct. While there, cleaned some carbon off. Didn’t help. I hate to admit this, but the problem...

Great idea. Valve problem is consistent with the fact that I had the same symptoms before I got fed up and stuck it under the deck. I’ll put valve clearance check on the triage list. Thanks.

Thanks. It’s a plastic tank. I thought about the vent issue and tried running it with the fuel cap loose. Didn’t help. I’ll try spraying starter fluid as you suggested if Rivets’ idea doesn’t work.

Thanks. I set the float level before I installed the carb but will try your trick and set it lower. I’ve also considered using the main jet off the old carb. It is much better machined than the new one.

I have a Troybilt chipper/vac with the 5 hp H50 engine. A couple of years ago it started to stall out after a few minutes. I tried adjusting the main and idle jets but couldn’t make it work. I stuck it under my deck. Recently retired and with time on my hands took it into the sunlight and...