I'm having a starting and stalling issue. Yesterday I went to start up the mower and it would not start after about 5 or 6 attempts. I decided to squirt some starting fluid into the carb and it would start, but it would die after just a few seconds (after all of the starting fluid was burned up). I did this for about another 5 or 6 times using the starting fluid and finally, it stayed running. After about 10 minutes into cutting the grass, the mower just died. After only cranking it once, it fired right back up. I maybe made it another hour and then it died again. Except this time, it would not start back up, unless of course I squirt more starting fluid into the carb. If it helps, this mower is equipped with the anti-afterfire solenoid.
From your description of the problem, it is a fuel problem. The way that I have found to test the solenoid that is failing when hot is run the mower until it quits and then turn the key off and on to see if the solenoid is clicking. sometimes they will only fail for a few seconds. Does the solenoid click when the mower is cold. If not do you have 12 v to the solenoid. If 12v and no click then check solenoid ground ( wire connected to carb to provide ground) if ground is good then replace solenoid.
Remove the solenoid and cut off the plunger on the solenoid. I did this to mine about 3 years ago, it has not backfired yet..... and if and when it does, it will signal my having finished mowing the yard.... and that is a good thing...
Yeah, then that makes me a wrench monkey, or if I could afford Snap-On tools, a hand tool primate, or in Spanish, una llave inglesa. Now that's a cool word, I looked it up, wish I could pronounce it.
And Mr Rivets is correct to say that a replacement of the part is the way to go.
However, me being retired for some time now, and living on SS, (I call it running on Financial Fumes) barring any safety item, it is hard to spend my dime on a thing not absolutely necessary. It is for that reason I cut the plunger off the solenoid, and passing that idea on just gives a person an option just in case they may also be on a financial :thumbsup:tight rope.
An owner who bypasses any of the safety switches or manufacturer electrical connections should know that if they take the unit in for repair, the service shop is required by law to return all of these bypasses and connections back to OEM setup. If they don't they are from that point liable for anything that could cause injure. It will cost even more for the consumer at that point. Either the repair shop puts it back in order or does no repair at all. Changing a spark plug and not fixing a seat safety switch, even it was not in for that, makes them liable.
Trust me, I am the first one to replace a bad part and do it the right way, but my wife recently lost her job and I am the only source of income right now and it has definitely put a tight squeeze on everything, so I am doing what is necessary at this point.
However, after cutting the plunger from the solenoid, the mower fired up after about 5 seconds of cranking (which is a first), and it was running rough for a few seconds and then died. Tried cranking again and it would only start if I had the throttle set as low as it would go, but even then it was running rough and again died after maybe 5 seconds. At the same time, black smoke was coming from the muffler. Does this mean there is too much fuel going into the carb?
Black smoke means running rich. Could cutting off the plunger be a cause. Possibly. At this point we have added another possible cause to the equation. I would now try this. Try lowering the float (hopefully it is a brass one that can be adjusted) This should lean out the air/fuel mixture on idle.
Don't like to do this, because it may end up costing even more money if it dies not work. You could take a hair dryer or heat gun and carefully heat up the tang on the float. When it is soft enough take a small screwdriver and bend the tang. If you try this think it through first. Which way are you going to bend the tang, to lower the fuel in the float bowl? if it does not work what will I do next? What if i break it? You only get one try when doing this and there is no going back.
The plunger only guts off the gas to the main jet, nothing more or less.
Crank it and let it die, then pull the plug and see if it is wet. If so, the float needle is not working to cut off the gas after the float has risen to max bowl level. You will have to CLEAN the cylinder that the float needle slides in, the sides of the needle, and make sure the tabs on the float that the needle fits into have zero build-up. I have had to pull a carb back off after I thought it was clean. So, I use some 400 grit emory cloth to polish the needle cylinder until its a shine.
If the plug is dry, you are not getting enough fuel, likely a jet is plugged. Use some carb cleaner, air pressure, and a tie wire to make sure all is open.
ps- Change the plug first before doing anything.:thumbsup:
I know for sure that the plug would be wet if I pulled it because a few weeks ago I gave the lawn mower a complete tune-up. I was going to change the spark plug, but the plug that was already in the motor had more of the electrode on it than the brand new one that I bought from home depot. So all I did was regap it. Anyway, when I pulled the plug, I would say a good cup or so of fuel came running out of the plug hole. Everytime I cut the grass, I am able to run the mower for a brief period of time and then it just dies and it will not start back up unless I close the in-line fuel shutoff valve that I have installed. At which point I allow it to run on the gas that is already in the carb and once it dies again, I am able to open up the fuel shutoff valve and it will run fine again for another period of time and then I have to repeat the process. I am no expert with lawn mowers by any means but it only makes sense to me that the carb is getting flooded. I did pull the carb off of the mower yesterday and I checked to see if there was any build up on the float or around the hinge and I checked the float needle, which it has a tapered rubber tip on it and appears to be in like-new condition...I also checked the cylinder which the float needle goes into and I do not see any dirt or blockage of any kind. I did manually take my thumb and apply pressure to the float needle to push it up into the cylinder while I squirt some carb cleaner into the fuel inlet to make sure fuel was not getting pass the float needle and it did not. Now I am just speculating here, but is it possible that the plastic float is not applying enough pressure to the float needle to temporarily stop the incoming fuel?
I have seen way too many float needle valves this year that look great but will not close the inlet seat. I bet if you replace the needle and seat you will solve your problem.
Get some 400 grit paper and polish the inside of the needle barrel. I roll a small piece into a circle a little less in diameter as the bore of the needle cylinder and go to town on it, take your time. Its a good idea to replace the needle as well. It is hard to tell by eye when the cylinder build-up is only minimal but will still cause you problems. As you clean the I.D. of the cylinder you will see some powdery material building up on the sandpaper(actually you need the black colored Emory cloth for metal, body work type) Keep cleaning until all the powdery stuff is gone.
