Hard to Start - Toro High Wheel Mower

[joesucks]

Folks - Please help,
I have been lurking around here for a while, I am almost at a stage where I want put my mower in trash. I have been through hell with this.

Here are the details about the mower itself
Toro 22" Recycler, High Wheel Mower, self propelled
Model 20016
It has a Tecumseh Carb in it.

Here are the list of things I have done so far.
Replaced spark plug.
Replaced Air filter
Replaced Carb (last resort)
Emptied the tank after last mow last year and put fresh gas, replaced carb after the fresh gas.

Any help or suggestions.

As it stands, my mower is hard to start (supposed to start on first or second pull based on the decal on the mower), but once it starts it works great, and on the same mow don't ever have problems, half a pull and it goes.

Best regards

 

[Derson59]

Sounds pretty good so far on what you have done. check your brake cable. It will kill the engine went you release the handle. some times that cable can break or become frayed. I usually clean the carb once with almost half the can of carb cleaner. Its a lot but it is worth it. I also spray and take a small wire and clean out every little spot in the carb and jet. I take about 15 mins to clean the entire carb. I use the small wire to check every spot where the gas will go thought. Hope this helps..

 

[Rivets]

If I've seen this problem once, I've seen it a hundred times this spring. Tecumseh part number you need is 631021B, which is the float needle and seat. Here is a procedure to follow.

Needle and seat replacement

Remove the carb, and then remove the float bowl. Check the float bowl jet (which is the bowl screw) and make sure the jets both horizontal and vertical are clean and open. Tip the carb upside down and remove the float pin and float with needle attached. Look in the float needle passage and you should see the red float seat at the bottom of the passage. This is where a #5 crotchet hook would come in handy as you need to remove this seat. If you have no hook, but compressed air, you can blow through the fuel inlet and try to pop the seat out. Put your thumb over the passage to prevent the seat from flying who knows where. No air or hook try bending a stiff paper clip to dig the seat out.

I would either give the carb a good 24 hour soaking or have it ultrasonically cleaned at this time.

With the seat out clean the passage way with carb cleaner. Now you must find a drill bit slightly smaller than the passage way, to be used to press in the new seat. Apply a very, very small amount of a very light lube to the new seat. 3-1 oil or lighter, to help seat it better. Carefully insert the new seat in the passage way with the rings on the seat down toward the carb body. Slowly and carefully force the seat down with the back end of the drill bit. Once it is seated, check to see that it did not flip and the rings are up. *Next check to make sure that the float does not have any liquid in it. *If it does, replace. *If everything looks correct, attach the new needle to the float and install with the float pin centered. It everything is correct, the float should seat level to the carb body, when looking at it upside down. If everything looks good reattach the float bowl, making sure that both the bowl gasket and the nut gasket seal properly. Reinstall on the engine and test unit. Remember to have patience and take your time. Good luck, but I don't think you'll need it.

PS: *On the side of some Tecumseh carbs you will find a plastic cover. *Under this cover will be an idle jet. *Remove it and check to see that the jet is open both horizontally and vertically. *You should be able to push the old float needle wire through the vertical opening.

 

[joesucks]

Sounds pretty good so far on what you have done. check your brake cable. It will kill the engine went you release the handle. some times that cable can break or become frayed. I usually clean the carb once with almost half the can of carb cleaner. Its a lot but it is worth it. I also spray and take a small wire and clean out every little spot in the carb and jet. I take about 15 mins to clean the entire carb. I use the small wire to check every spot where the gas will go thought. Hope this helps..

Thank you so much for replying, this is a brand new Carb that i purchased so I am reluctant to open it and do the jet cleaning, I have done this to the old carb but it only made me do this every single time i had to start the "TORO easy start on second pull", so I gave up and went and got a new carb, I just don't want to start all over with the frustration.
How does the brake cable look and do i replace the brake cable or do I do anything else?

 

[joesucks]

Thank you so much for replying, this is a brand new Carb that i purchased so I am reluctant to open it and do the jet cleaning, I have done this to the old carb but it only made me do this every single time i had to start the "TORO easy start on second pull", so I gave up and went and got a new carb, I just don't want to start all over with the frustration.

If this is happening with a brand new carb in place do i have some other problem that is not related to carb? Did I miss something else, i can clearly see a blue spark, I am simply baffled at this.
If you have any suggestions, I am willing to run with it.
Regards

If I've seen this problem once, I've seen it a hundred times this spring. Tecumseh part number you need is 631021B, which is the float needle and seat. Here is a procedure to follow.

Needle and seat replacement

Remove the carb, and then remove the float bowl. Check the float bowl jet (which is the bowl screw) and make sure the jets both horizontal and vertical are clean and open. Tip the carb upside down and remove the float pin and float with needle attached. Look in the float needle passage and you should see the red float seat at the bottom of the passage. This is where a #5 crotchet hook would come in handy as you need to remove this seat. If you have no hook, but compressed air, you can blow through the fuel inlet and try to pop the seat out. Put your thumb over the passage to prevent the seat from flying who knows where. No air or hook try bending a stiff paper clip to dig the seat out.

I would either give the carb a good 24 hour soaking or have it ultrasonically cleaned at this time.

With the seat out clean the passage way with carb cleaner. Now you must find a drill bit slightly smaller than the passage way, to be used to press in the new seat. Apply a very, very small amount of a very light lube to the new seat. 3-1 oil or lighter, to help seat it better. Carefully insert the new seat in the passage way with the rings on the seat down toward the carb body. Slowly and carefully force the seat down with the back end of the drill bit. Once it is seated, check to see that it did not flip and the rings are up. *Next check to make sure that the float does not have any liquid in it. *If it does, replace. *If everything looks correct, attach the new needle to the float and install with the float pin centered. It everything is correct, the float should seat level to the carb body, when looking at it upside down. If everything looks good reattach the float bowl, making sure that both the bowl gasket and the nut gasket seal properly. Reinstall on the engine and test unit. Remember to have patience and take your time. Good luck, but I don't think you'll need it.

PS: *On the side of some Tecumseh carbs you will find a plastic cover. *Under this cover will be an idle jet. *Remove it and check to see that the jet is open both horizontally and vertically. *You should be able to push the old float needle wire through the vertical opening.

 

[Derson59]

Thank you so much for replying, this is a brand new Carb that i purchased so I am reluctant to open it and do the jet cleaning, I have done this to the old carb but it only made me do this every single time i had to start the "TORO easy start on second pull", so I gave up and went and got a new carb, I just don't want to start all over with the frustration.
How does the brake cable look and do i replace the brake cable or do I do anything else?

Don't be discouraged about cleaning the carb. And if this happened all the time with your old carb were you using a metal gas can or plastic? Give your self about 20 to 30 minutes to do the carb cleaning. The brake cable is what comes into the handle bar(top one). the bottom of the handle bar should be the self-propel/trackion bar. With a new carb you should be able to see what if any debris is in the gas/carb.

also take the advise of Rivets. Take the needle out and check it. and clean that hole with carb cleaner. I use a .020" diameter wire and run it though every hole on the carb from the jet to the gas intake. Make sure the nut/jet on the bottom of the carb has the holes cleaned it has them.

 

[joesucks]

Thanks again for a quick response! Sure I will go ahead and clean the carb again,
I use a plastic can, also i always add a stabilizer to my fuel to stop my heart burn from this mower starting issue (3 years and continuing). I will give it another shot but I am pretty close to junking this.

Don't be discouraged about cleaning the carb. And if this happened all the time with your old carb were you using a metal gas can or plastic? Give your self about 20 to 30 minutes to do the carb cleaning. The brake cable is what comes into the handle bar(top one). the bottom of the handle bar should be the self-propel/trackion bar. With a new carb you should be able to see what if any debris is in the gas/carb.

also take the advise of Rivets. Take the needle out and check it. and clean that hole with carb cleaner. I use a .020" diameter wire and run it though every hole on the carb from the jet to the gas intake. Make sure the nut/jet on the bottom of the carb has the holes cleaned it has them.

 

[Rivets]

Please post the part number for the new carb.

 

[joesucks]

Thanks again for your reply - much appreciated sir.
New CARBURETOR for Tecumseh 640350 640303 640271 fits LV195EA & LV195XA & More!
( 251305549966 )
That is what i Purchased
My lawn mower is
Toro High Wheel Mower
Model 20016
TEC LV195EA
640271, 640303, 640350

Please post the part number for the new carb.

 

[Rivets]

Please post the Spec number for your engine, which is on your ID tag.