Hello. I ordered a new carburetor for my mower, as it's been running only at full choke, and for only a short while recently. This has happened before, and replacing the carb has fixed it. So, I ordered another one. I started draining the gas line so I could start swapping out the carb. The carb came in a kit with a spark plug and air filter and fuel filter. I swapped out the spark plug while the gas was draining, because I knew it had been a while since I replaced it, so I figured it couldn't hurt to throw a new one in since it came with the kit. I noticed a rat's nest under the motor shroud, and figured I'd remove that first and see if that was the problem. Anyway, I tried to start it up after I replaced the spark plug and reconnected the gas line and added gas. When I tried, there was nothing. Not even a click. The battery was replaced last year, but I threw it on a trickle charger anyway. It showed full charge, but still nothing. Did I ruin it by replacing the spark plug? I didn't tighten it hard. I pulled the boot off and tried tightening it looser, and then again tightening it tighter than I originally had. Neither worked. I tried putting the old one back in and that didn't work either. Would a bad or broken spark plug make the mower not click at all? Could there be a different issue? Thanks for any help!
#2
Scrubcadet10
So, will the engine spin? or nothing at all when you turn the key.. just dead quiet?
A spark plug will not affect if an engine will turn over....
are your blades disengaged? Is the mower in Neutral? are you pressing the clutch/brake pedal down when you turn the key?
I lied. I just checked it after leaving it on the trickle charger overnight, and now I've got a click and even a little bit of spin... Not sure what to check now.
#5
dougand3
Sounds like battery is low and needs more than a trickle charger - like 2-6 amp overnight. Battery may be failing and not take a full charge. Can get it load tested at auto store or just buy a new battery.
Dang. This seems like a persistent issue. Before I replaced the battery last year, I used to have just hook it up to a trickle charger after every mow or it wouldn't start up the next time I mowed. And now this one, after just a year of use, is failing apparently. Would that be a bad alternator?
#7
dougand3
First, I'd put this battery on a standard charger, Could be you've never had fully charged battery. Give the engine model # to look up parts.
You can hookup battery cables from a running car to LT battery and see if it starts,
It's actually starting to turn over now. I will check the battery. I think I'll proceed with the carb swap now, and change the fuel filter and air filter. Not sure what else to check when it comes to this perpetual issue with the mower running for half the year, and then starting to bog down to the point where it only runs on full choke. I've replaced all these things before (carb, fuel filter, air filter, threw in some seafoam) and it has lasted for a while, but then the same issue. The only other thing I can think of (maybe you know more) is timing, but I don't have a clue about that. Is there a good YouTube video you recommend to teach me some timing stuff?
