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Craftsman 917.378270 is making popping sound and won't start

#1

M

_MJ

Let me start by saying I am not a mechanic or claim to be and just want my grass to be able to be mowed.


So I have been having problems with this mower for the past month and it wants to start sometimes and work and then was shutting off and would not restart for a couple hours. I researched some issues I was having and chalked it up as a dirty carburetor and fuel bowl, so I took it off and cleaned it. I put it back together and then topped the oil off because it was reading a little low and may have added a little too much as I was stupidly not being cautious. The lawnmower started right up after a few tries and then proceeded to run for about 15 minutes before just shutting off. After this occurred, every time I tried to start the mower and it made a popping sound and it omitted smoke out of the muffler and did not start. After getting the same result while trying every 10-15 minutes for a couple hours I noticed that the muffler had oil in it and that it was dripping out, but the air filter was bone dry on the other side of the carburetor. Long story short I took the plastic casing off the top of the mower and turned it by hand and can hear oil slosh around and it comes to the muffler, or at least I can tell oil. I have no idea what to do and do not have the money to take it to a repair shop at the moment and don't really want to because the mower is very old to begin with.

My question is, is this an easy fix or something that novice cannot even come close to fixing? If it is going to be expensive or a major job, I will probably chalk up my losses and buy a used mower locally. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Edit:Here's a pic of what it is, not mine, but same mower..I think it's a 1990. (couldn't insert image because it was too big)
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yosOP39sfWE/maxresdefault.jpg


#2

J

Jack17

How much oil did you put in it? Anyway, drain all oil out of it by removing dipstick, placing oil pan to the left side of the deck and lifting right side of the mower up 90deg. Let all oil come out thru dipstick fill tube onto the pan. Remove spark plug. Inspect spark plug, clean or replace spark plug. Check spark plug gap. Give it a few pulls with recoil starter. Put spark plug back in. Put (recommended amount of motor oil) back in. Start the engine, let it warm up a little and mow away.

P.S.
if you think you gasoline is from last year you can drain gas tank as well and put fresh gas in it,.


#3

M

_MJ

Jack17 said:
How much oil did you put in it? Anyway, drain all oil out of it by removing dipstick, placing oil pan to the left side of the deck and lifting right side of the mower up 90deg. Let all oil come out thru dipstick fill tube onto the pan. Remove spark plug. Inspect spark plug, clean or replace spark plug. Check spark plug gap. Give it a few pulls with recoil starter. Put spark plug back in. Put (recommended amount of motor oil) back in. Start the engine, let it warm up a little and mow away.

P.S.
if you think you gasoline is from last year you can drain gas tank as well and put fresh gas in it,.
Click to expand...

Gas was fresh from this morning and oil is fresh and at recommended level, but I did not drain all of it out, just to the full line. The spark plug looked good when I checked it a few weeks ago and this morning. Is it most likely something small like this or it could be something bigger? I mean the thing is 25 years old and I got it from someone last summer for pretty much free.

Edit: Is this something I could have inadvertently done while cleaning the carburetor?


#4

I

ILENGINE

If you tipped it on its side with the muffler down you could of introduced oil into the breather which will then run across and into the carb when the engine is placed back on a level surface. Especially if tried to start immediately.


#5

M

_MJ

ILENGINE said:
If you tipped it on its side with the muffler down you could of introduced oil into the breather which will then run across and into the carb when the engine is placed back on a level surface. Especially if tried to start immediately.
Click to expand...

No, I did not tip it like that at all, but to empty a little of the excess oil into a pan after the issue started, which was on the opposite side as one would imagine.. It ran perfect and then this problem hit and it was on a perfectly level surface.


#6

S

scaraboat

_MJ said:
Let me start by saying I am not a mechanic or claim to be and just want my grass to be able to be mowed.


So I have been having problems with this mower for the past month and it wants to start sometimes and work and then was shutting off and would not restart for a couple hours. I researched some issues I was having and chalked it up as a dirty carburetor and fuel bowl, so I took it off and cleaned it. I put it back together and then topped the oil off because it was reading a little low and may have added a little too much as I was stupidly not being cautious. The lawnmower started right up after a few tries and then proceeded to run for about 15 minutes before just shutting off. After this occurred, every time I tried to start the mower and it made a popping sound and it omitted smoke out of the muffler and did not start. After getting the same result while trying every 10-15 minutes for a couple hours I noticed that the muffler had oil in it and that it was dripping out, but the air filter was bone dry on the other side of the carburetor. Long story short I took the plastic casing off the top of the mower and turned it by hand and can hear oil slosh around and it comes to the muffler, or at least I can tell oil. I have no idea what to do and do not have the money to take it to a repair shop at the moment and don't really want to because the mower is very old to begin with.

My question is, is this an easy fix or something that novice cannot even come close to fixing? If it is going to be expensive or a major job, I will probably chalk up my losses and buy a used mower locally. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Edit:Here's a pic of what it is, not mine, but same mower..I think it's a 1990. (couldn't insert image because it was too big)
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yosOP39sfWE/maxresdefault.jpg
Click to expand...


I had same problem with my mower....would create a loud pop (backfire) when I would shut off the mower. I rebuilt the carb....same thing...ended up buying a new carb and it has worked perfect since then....not sure what was with old carb, except it was 11 yrs old.


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