Hello everyone. I've tried doing some research but I can't seem to find my specific problem. Might be a long post but I assume it's better than "my engine won't start, what's wrong..."
I have a FR691V ~2-3 years old, bought used in great condition and have 0 issues with it. Not sure what the previous owner ran in it but I've always fueled it with ethanol free fuel. Two weeks ago I used the mower, ran like a champ, not a single hiccup. This past Saturday I hopped on it and when to start it like normal, throttle at 1/2 pulled choke, turned the key...nothing, just cranking. Let it rest a few minutes as I thought I may have flooded it. Tried without the choke, but it would only crank. Battery was good and cranked fast, no slow cranking issues. A bit of history, over the winter a mouse made a nest and decided that the spark plug wire off the coil was in her way, and chewed it in half. Nibbled small wire a bit but I taped it up well and it has run great for several months. I replaced both coils and spark plugs beginning of this year.
Here is what I did.
Pulled the air filter in case it was starving for air, cranked but wouldn't run except for an occasional pop/backfire.
Checked for spark. Didn't have a tester, but it seemed like a decent blue spark, both plugs.
Pulled fuel line to carb, had fuel and when I cranked it, pumped a flood of fuel.
Broke out the 'can of go juice' and gave it a few squirts, cranked for a bit and popped/backfired but did not run off the starter fluid
At this point I pulled off the fuel solenoid and checked it. When I turned the key it seemed to rattle a bit and pop down.
I then pulled off the carb thinking I had water in the fuel, pulled the bowl but no water.
Squirted carb cleaner in the orifices, etc.
Reassembled everything, hooked up a charger to the battery and cranked it and sprayed carb cleaner in it until it started.
Seemed like it fluctuated in RPM's a bit but picked up and ran like normal.
I began cutting the grass with only a slight rough running period when the blades engaged. Several passes around the yard, it was fine.
Decided to run down the ~800' lane and cut near the road. As soon as I went up the slight incline it began running rough and almost cut out. Dis-engaged the blades, backed up and headed for home.
Picked up and began running normal, so I was convinced I had water in the fuel/bowl. On level ground, I went to re-engage the blades and it died. After running for about 20 mintues, it would not re-start, only pop and backfire. I walked back to the house and got a jump pack, jug and carb cleaner. I pulled the fuel line at the filter and drained some fuel in the jug, not a drop of water and a nice steady flow of fuel. Hooked up the jump pack and used the starting fluid to get it running again. Seemed to run at normal RPM so I went for broke and cut the rest of the yard, about 1 hour of cutting, no issues at all. Before I shut it off when I was done, I ran it down to idle, ran nice, ran it up to full throttle, ran fine. Turned it off, waited 10s or so, went to restart and it would not re-start. I left it to cool down before covering. Spoke to my Dad about it as I could only thing it was a timing issue at this point, but being a 2 cylinder engine, I couldn't think how it could get out of time. He said broken flywheel key so I grabbed a puller and went home. Key was in perfect shape.
I tried to restart it and it seemed to start and run fine. I'm at a loss and hoping someone here has run into this issue and may know what is going on with it.
Thanks all!!
I have a FR691V ~2-3 years old, bought used in great condition and have 0 issues with it. Not sure what the previous owner ran in it but I've always fueled it with ethanol free fuel. Two weeks ago I used the mower, ran like a champ, not a single hiccup. This past Saturday I hopped on it and when to start it like normal, throttle at 1/2 pulled choke, turned the key...nothing, just cranking. Let it rest a few minutes as I thought I may have flooded it. Tried without the choke, but it would only crank. Battery was good and cranked fast, no slow cranking issues. A bit of history, over the winter a mouse made a nest and decided that the spark plug wire off the coil was in her way, and chewed it in half. Nibbled small wire a bit but I taped it up well and it has run great for several months. I replaced both coils and spark plugs beginning of this year.
Here is what I did.
Pulled the air filter in case it was starving for air, cranked but wouldn't run except for an occasional pop/backfire.
Checked for spark. Didn't have a tester, but it seemed like a decent blue spark, both plugs.
Pulled fuel line to carb, had fuel and when I cranked it, pumped a flood of fuel.
Broke out the 'can of go juice' and gave it a few squirts, cranked for a bit and popped/backfired but did not run off the starter fluid
At this point I pulled off the fuel solenoid and checked it. When I turned the key it seemed to rattle a bit and pop down.
I then pulled off the carb thinking I had water in the fuel, pulled the bowl but no water.
Squirted carb cleaner in the orifices, etc.
Reassembled everything, hooked up a charger to the battery and cranked it and sprayed carb cleaner in it until it started.
Seemed like it fluctuated in RPM's a bit but picked up and ran like normal.
I began cutting the grass with only a slight rough running period when the blades engaged. Several passes around the yard, it was fine.
Decided to run down the ~800' lane and cut near the road. As soon as I went up the slight incline it began running rough and almost cut out. Dis-engaged the blades, backed up and headed for home.
Picked up and began running normal, so I was convinced I had water in the fuel/bowl. On level ground, I went to re-engage the blades and it died. After running for about 20 mintues, it would not re-start, only pop and backfire. I walked back to the house and got a jump pack, jug and carb cleaner. I pulled the fuel line at the filter and drained some fuel in the jug, not a drop of water and a nice steady flow of fuel. Hooked up the jump pack and used the starting fluid to get it running again. Seemed to run at normal RPM so I went for broke and cut the rest of the yard, about 1 hour of cutting, no issues at all. Before I shut it off when I was done, I ran it down to idle, ran nice, ran it up to full throttle, ran fine. Turned it off, waited 10s or so, went to restart and it would not re-start. I left it to cool down before covering. Spoke to my Dad about it as I could only thing it was a timing issue at this point, but being a 2 cylinder engine, I couldn't think how it could get out of time. He said broken flywheel key so I grabbed a puller and went home. Key was in perfect shape.
I tried to restart it and it seemed to start and run fine. I'm at a loss and hoping someone here has run into this issue and may know what is going on with it.
Thanks all!!
