Lawn Mower Electrical problems

[Davu]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum!

Can anyone please explain why my new lawn mower is givving out sparks at the end of the throtle cable when I tried to increase the throtle

I've just bought a new Victa lawn mower and was trying it out for the first time. After filling up the petrol I put the throtle on half (because the guy who sold me the mower said that I can't start it at full throtle because the engine have not break in/still new) After cutting the grass for ten minutes without any problems, I decided to increase the throtle to 60% to 70%. I notice a lot of sparks was produced at the end of the throtle cable, I quickly decreased the throtle to a minimium and the engine nearly turned off so I put the throtle back to the midle and I can see the sparks again. The engine then just backfire and die out.

I've took the lawn mower back to the shop and the guy who sold me the mower (mechanics) told me that the problem is normal, he said " The spark is normal, that is how all lawn mower turn off" I was really supprised though because I never have had this problem in 35 years with lawn mowers and my last victa lawn mower last for 15 years. I was given another new mower because the seller said that he is too busy to fix the lawn mower for me.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Which Victa and more importantly, which engine.

I can see no way for a Powertorque engine to send sparks up the control wire.
Same for the Honda engines ones because they have a micro switch to shut the engine down.

In any case it sounds like the mechanic is telling porkies.\
Even if it is a kill wire grounding that mechanism should be down at the carburettor.

Was it a new one ?

 

[Davu]

Which Victa and more importantly, which engine.

I can see no way for a Powertorque engine to send sparks up the control wire.
Same for the Honda engines ones because they have a micro switch to shut the engine down.

In any case it sounds like the mechanic is telling porkies.\
Even if it is a kill wire grounding that mechanism should be down at the carburettor.

Was it a new one ?

New Victa 16" Ultralite Cut And Catch Lawn Mower. Model Number UDS407 Engine Series 450E Series™

 

[bertsmobile1]

So it is either one of the rebadged USA made mowers or a fully imported Chinese junk box.
And from what you are describing, sounds like the latter.
In any case, the cut off in on the engine end of the throttle cable so there should never ever be a spark at the handlebar end of the throttle cable.
If the spark was happening on the engine end then it is a badly connected kill wire or the throttle cable is badly adjusted.

The kill function is just grounding out the magneto coil and it will spark once or twice as contact is made.
However this should only happen when you throttle down to the stop position, not with the throttle set at 1/2 speed or higher.

Also you should always mow with the engine running full speed.
If the sparks you were seeing really were from the kill wire then every time you see a spark at the control you are not getting a spark at the plug so he was right to give you a replacement.
As they swapped it over I would guess it is the fully imported Chinese model because that is the marketing stragity with those, any one who complains get a another mower, much the same as Ryobi..

Right now, the only push mower I would buy locally are the Hondas.
Gripskies have just taken over Super Swift so it will be interesting to see what they do with them but basically now days just about everything is just a Briggs on a bowl no matter what then colour or name on them is.

 

[tom3]

I'd suspect a failure in the ignition module. Had this happen with a leaf blower once. Shocked the fire out of me and quit. Probably best that you got it replaced.

 

[Rivets]

Take it to a different mechanic, that one has no idea what he is doing. I’d say he’s looking for dollar signs. If that engine has a fuel solenoid the wire going to it may be chafted.

 

[bertsmobile1]

It is a push mower sold through Bunnings our version of Lowes on steroids so no carb solenoid.
https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/product-catalog/domestic/lawn-mowers/ultralite.html

 

[Davu]

So it is either one of the rebadged USA made mowers or a fully imported Chinese junk box.
And from what you are describing, sounds like the latter.
In any case, the cut off in on the engine end of the throttle cable so there should never ever be a spark at the handlebar end of the throttle cable.
If the spark was happening on the engine end then it is a badly connected kill wire or the throttle cable is badly adjusted.

The kill function is just grounding out the magneto coil and it will spark once or twice as contact is made.
However this should only happen when you throttle down to the stop position, not with the throttle set at 1/2 speed or higher.

Also you should always mow with the engine running full speed.
If the sparks you were seeing really were from the kill wire then every time you see a spark at the control you are not getting a spark at the plug so he was right to give you a replacement.
As they swapped it over I would guess it is the fully imported Chinese model because that is the marketing stragity with those, any one who complains get a another mower, much the same as Ryobi..

Right now, the only push mower I would buy locally are the Hondas.
Gripskies have just taken over Super Swift so it will be interesting to see what they do with them but basically now days just about everything is just a Briggs on a bowl no matter what then colour or name on them is.

Thanks for your informations. The sparks was actually comming from the end of the throtle cable on the engine end. I've tested the new replacement mower today and it is working fine. No sparks from the cable ends! But I did mow with engine running half speed again becuase the seller (mechanic) told that the engine is still new and I need to slowly run it in first. I will try to run it on full throtle with the next mow.
The seller quickly giving me a replacement because he was keen to get rid of me, just incase his others customers hear me complaint about is products.
Thank you everyones for the feedbacks.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Thanks for your informations. The sparks was actually comming from the end of the throtle cable on the engine end. I've tested the new replacement mower today and it is working fine. No sparks from the cable ends! But I did mow with engine running half speed again becuase the seller (mechanic) told that the engine is still new and I need to slowly run it in first. I will try to run it on full throtle with the next mow.
The seller quickly giving me a replacement because he was keen to get rid of me, just incase his others customers hear me complaint about is products.
Thank you everyones for the feedbacks.

They should be only available from Bunnings.
Occasionally Bunnings will sell off a few pallet loads of customer returns. normally through Pickles.
Hopefuls buy them ( always pay way too much ) in the hope they just need a new spark plug then flog them off to the unsuspecting public generally on Face Ache with the idea of making a killing

FWIW if you were seeing sparks at the engine end that is because the ground wire was not secured properly or the insulator had fallen out.

 

[Davu]

They should be only available from Bunnings.
Occasionally Bunnings will sell off a few pallet loads of customer returns. normally through Pickles.
Hopefuls buy them ( always pay way too much ) in the hope they just need a new spark plug then flog them off to the unsuspecting public generally on Face Ache with the idea of making a killing

FWIW if you were seeing sparks at the engine end that is because the ground wire was not secured properly or the insulator had fallen out.

I've bought the mower from a local mower shop. The mechanic who sold me the machine told me that "the sparks is nornal, that is how all lawn mower turn off" It does not sound right at all to me, that is why I am seeking opinions from this forum.
The mechanic lied! The replacemnet mower is working OK, no sparks when adjusting the throttle.