Walk behind Craftsman 37299 21" 132cc Push Mower won't start.

[donnieu]

Also the primer doesn't seem to feel right. Just seem to be pushing air continually.

I took the air filter and gas tank pieces off to take a couple of pictures. As I had mentioned, the primer felt strange.
Felt like pushing air because it was just pushing air. The little hose was totally disconnected. After priming about 20
pushes, I got it to start up. Still seems to run a little fast. Guess I will have to adjust even though 800 number said
no need to adjust. Sorry to bother with this simple thing.

One more question, the fuel filter seems to stick up in the air in the gas tank, and when it quits there is still about
one inch of gas left. Should I try to bend it down some more toward bottom of tank?

One other issue with this mower is that it is very difficult to center the blade. Blade just lays over the bolt hole
and can easily move while tightening the bolt.

 

[ILENGINE]

Looks like fuel filter is removable if you take the fuel line off of the tank fitting. Also the blade mount should have a bowtie shape with a short locating pin on each end of the blade mount that should fit the corresponding holes in the blade. Starting to sound like there is more issues with this mower than just a fuel issue.

 

[(Account Closed)]

Looks like fuel filter is removable if you take the fuel line off of the tank fitting. Also the blade mount should have a bowtie shape with a short locating pin on each end of the blade mount that should fit the corresponding holes in the blade. Starting to sound like there is more issues with this mower than just a fuel issue.

That machine is NOT a new machine, everything posted about it indicates it's a returned unit that's been seriously dinked with..

As stated earlier, I would bring it back and / or dispute the charge.

If that's the engine (what I posted), I would NOT want it.

That "star" aligning item, just missing, is a major safety issue...

 

[ILENGINE]

That machine is NOT a new machine, everything posted about it indicates it's a returned unit that's been seriously dinked with..

As stated earlier, I would bring it back and / or dispute the charge.

If that's the engine (what I posted), I would NOT want it.

That "star" aligning item, just missing, is a major safety issue...

MTD claims their engine failure rate is .5% which is half of the normal failure rate of most small engine manufacturers. MTD dealers don't see a lot of failures of MTD engines. Now the engine on the mower in question has been run hard and put away after being destroyed by a prior sale customer. If the blade mount is damaged I would also be taking a hard look at the flywheel key also. Could cause lose of power and hard starting. Customer needs to just return the mower to the store, since it was sold under false pretenses,

 

[(Account Closed)]

MTD claims their engine failure rate is .5% which is half of the normal failure rate of most small engine manufacturers. MTD dealers don't see a lot of failures of MTD engines. ,

This is the first MDT mower I've seen with a Chinese engine.

Most (IME), are B & S', the smaller engines with the plastic carbs (very easy to clean-much easier than the aluminum ones, really not much to varnish up). That alone may be part of their claim.

So, yes, they can claim the above. If you read the REVIEWS on that mower, their TERRIBLE.

But agreed, that mower needs to go back..

 

[ILENGINE]

This is the first MDT mower I've seen with a Chinese engine.

Most (IME), are B & S', the smaller engines with the plastic carbs (very easy to clean-much easier than the aluminum ones, really not much to varnish up). That alone may be part of their claim.

So, yes, they can claim the above. If you read the REVIEWS on that mower, their TERRIBLE.

But agreed, that mower needs to go back..

MTD started using their own engines after Briggs purchased Murray. The first push mowers I saw were on the shelf at Walmart in 2010 or 2011. The first engine used on the push mowers had a manual pull type choke cable on the handle. Since then they have expanded their use of their engines to the Troybilt mowers and tillers, Cub Cadet tillers, mowers and riders, including the use of EFI for the past 3 years on select Cub Cadet and Troybilt mowers. The year or 2 after Briggs purchased Murray, MTD didn't use a single Briggs engine on any of the equipment. They used their own MTD engine manufactured in China, Kohler, Honda, Kawasaki, and Tecumseh.

I personally don't see a lot of the MTD chinese engines in my shop. But the use of the push mower engine slowed down after MTD started producing the Murray for Walmart mowers and my agreement are required to use Briggs engines on Murray mowers.

Looks like most the poor reviews on the sears site list won't start or hard to start. Briggs changed over to the overhead valve engine for a lot of push mowers in 2015 and 100% of the failures I have seen on that engine have been fuel quality issues. When one comes into the shop that won't start or hard to start, the first thing is the fuel gets dumped. So that problem isn't limited to the MTD chinese engine.

 

[donnieu]

Also the blade mount should have a bowtie shape with a short locating pin on each end of the blade mount that should fit the corresponding holes in the blade. Starting to sound like there is more issues with this mower than just a fuel issue.

See 2 pics. The blade mount does have the bowtie fitting. However the blade supplied has a round hole. And hole is larger than the bolt, so very difficult to get exactly centered. Guess I need the correct blade.

Called Sears parts, and they are sending me the correct blade, part number 942-0741A.

 

[ILENGINE]

First picture is a little blurry, but has the appearance that the star area may be smashed toward the ends of the bowtie. If that is damaged may have to try to straighten out the damaged area, or replace the blade mount with a new blade.

 

[bertsmobile1]

No you need to go to the store and speak to the manager and only the manager.
Print out those photos .
Let him know politely that his shop has supplied you with a dangerously modified lawnmower which can bring criminal charges.
You would like them to replace the lawn mower with a new one.
If you knowingly bought it as a demo then you will have to accept another demo, provided it is as it left the factory and not bodged up like the one you were sold.

I have no idea how they work demos, but some on has replaced the blade boss with a broken one then fitted the wrong blade.
It might be possible for a customer to have done this so he might be unaware of the UNSAFE & DANGEROUS condition that the mower you bought was in.

If he blows you off with all sorts of yack, then the next step is to call in the local TV station ,name what ever the shock horror shonk exposers program is.

As previously mentioned, down here it would be a case of taking out a claim with our consumer advocate and for a blade set up like yours, they would take criminal proceedings against the store, and also prosecute both the salesman & the manager.
We have fairly strong consumer laws down here , mainly because we import everything so there is no envelopes full of cash going from factories to senators campaign funds.

 

[(Account Closed)]

No you need to go to the store and speak to the manager and only the manager.
Print out those photos .
Let him know politely that his shop has supplied you with a dangerously modified lawnmower which can bring criminal charges.
You would like them to replace the lawn mower with a new one.
If you knowingly bought it as a demo then you will have to accept another demo, provided it is as it left the factory and not bodged up like the one you were sold.

I have no idea how they work demos, but some on has replaced the blade boss with a broken one then fitted the wrong blade.
It might be possible for a customer to have done this so he might be unaware of the UNSAFE & DANGEROUS condition that the mower you bought was in.

If he blows you off with all sorts of yack, then the next step is to call in the local TV station ,name what ever the shock horror shonk exposers program is.

As previously mentioned, down here it would be a case of taking out a claim with our consumer advocate and for a blade set up like yours, they would take criminal proceedings against the store, and also prosecute both the salesman & the manager.
We have fairly strong consumer laws down here , mainly because we import everything so there is no envelopes full of cash going from factories to senators campaign funds.

Plus 1 on EVERYTHING ^^^..

You paid for new mower, I don't know why your messing with a used POS and paid a brand new price for it...

And here in the states, same as down below. They don't want the bad publicity.

About 2 years ago, a guy brought back a mower to Home Depo (with manager in tow). I spoke briefly with both about ethanol, etc and the issues. The manager offered me a job wrenching....


However, it seems you want to keep this machine for some reason, so good luck with it...