Help with HR215 Engine Issues

[mRyanAB]

So after years of my HR215 running like a dream, I've had a bunch of issues this season and I'm out of ideas on how to fix them. Essentially what happens is it cold starts fine, and runs well at full speed for a while. After 10 or so minutes of cutting I notice the engine bogging down a bit when I hit heavier grass, but pausing for a second lets the revs come back up. After about 20 minutes, the engine starts bogging down even during light cutting to the point where it'll eventually stall. Once it stalls, it will start again under full choke, but as soon as I take the choke off it'll die again. If I leave it until the next day it'll repeat the cycle all over again.

Mower has new spark plug, cleaned the carb, new air filter.

Any ideas on what might be causing this or what I need to tune up / change in order to get it to stop?

 

[sgkent]

loosen the tank cap and see if that helps.

 

[mRyanAB]

loosen the tank cap and see if that helps.

That was the first thing I tried. Nothing.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hello mRyanAB,

Sounds like you are having a fuel starvation issue according to your description.

Take the fuel line off at the tank and see how well the fuel flows. I have seen a few different models that actually had a pencil style tapered fuel filter in the tank line nipple, or it is hiding inside the fuel line.

The tank may have to be removed for a good cleaning, then replace the fuel line. If it does have the tiny filter I mentioned, take it out and install an inline compact style or pancake style fuel filter.

 

[mRyanAB]

Hello mRyanAB,

Sounds like you are having a fuel starvation issue according to your description.

Take the fuel line off at the tank and see how well the fuel flows. I have seen a few different models that actually had a pencil style tapered fuel filter in the tank line nipple, or it is hiding inside the fuel line.

The tank may have to be removed for a good cleaning, then replace the fuel line. If it does have the tiny filter I mentioned, take it out and install an inline compact style or pancake style fuel filter.

This doesn't seem to be the issue either. I replaced the fuel lines when I cleaned the carb, and put an inline filter into it. Took off the tank and cleaned it out for good measure.
The only other thing I can think of directly are maybe the gaskets on the carb are no good, and that becomes a problem as the motor heats up, but otherwise I'm out of ideas.

 

[Auto Doc's]

I would suspect the coil, especially if the problem gets worse with heating up. The plug may be questionable if it was purchased online a cheap price, there are lots of counterfeit plugs flooding the online markets.

 

[sgkent]

what brand spark plug and did you get it someplace you can confirm that it is not a cheap counterfeit? There are some known offenders. Next would be the coil. Tight valves follow that.

edit: just noticed that Auto Doc mentioned counterfeits before I posted on it. I second the suggestion

 

[mRyanAB]

The spark plug is a genuine NGK.

 

[sgkent]

Coil would be my next thought. You can get a spark tester, leave it on and see if the spark intensity diminishes when it starts to bog. If not then maybe tight valves. This assumes the blade is sharp etc..