Mower sputters and breaths heavy very frequently.

[emccalment]

While I was deployed my wife went to buy a lawn mower. My wife is from Arizona and had never mowed a lawn. She bought a really cheap lawn mower, and the individuals at Lowe's told her that it was normal for a lawn mower to sputter and no longer be effective until you slam the mower and get it to kick back into gear.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, and it makes for the most annoying mower I've ever seen. You mow for about 5 minutes, it sputters, runs are 1/4 health, and you have to lift the mower and slam it down until it kicks back into high gear. Aside from being annoying I'm pretty sure that method isn't safe.

My wife says that the mower has done that since the day she bought it. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get rid of this extremely annoying trait? Other than buy a new one? I plan on looking into the fuel lines here in the near future, but could always use a few more ideas. I'm over it.

 

[possum]

Is the engine sputtering or is it pulling down from grass buildup under the deck?
I would try some fresh gas ist if it is sputtering. Then i would take it back for a different one.

 

[emccalment]

It does indeed collect some grass underneath that needs to be cleaned out what seems like far too frequently to me. However, it will kind of get the hang of what you want it to do if you slam it on the ground a couple of times. No grass appears to be dislodged from the underside when you do.