Export thread

People,

13 HP engine MTD mower (about 15 yrs old) , when mowing, stalls, kind of hesitates/lowers RPM's while mowing. Fresh gas. Then, a few seconds later, engine picks up to regular high rpm speed. Then, does it over again. Cant figure it out. Maybe clogged fuel filter? Ever seen this, people?

Thanks

rigoletto said:

People,

13 HP engine MTD mower (about 15 yrs old) , when mowing, stalls, kind of hesitates/lowers RPM's while mowing. Fresh gas. Then, a few seconds later, engine picks up to regular high rpm speed. Then, does it over again. Cant figure it out. Maybe clogged fuel filter? Ever seen this, people?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Could be the air filter take it out and then try it, but go for a carb clean. and make sure the fuel is getting to the carb.

Fuel filter, air filters, and spark-plug are cheap, replace them first before doing anything else.

Sounds like a layer of water in the bottom of the carb, it sits in the bottom until you hit a bump or turn, and a little bit gets sucked up. Just keep running it, it will burn through after a while.

Fish said:

Sounds like a layer of water in the bottom of the carb, it sits in the bottom until you hit a bump or turn, and a little bit gets sucked up. Just keep running it, it will burn through after a while.

Click to expand...

Right!! Geez, howd you know?? I did not metntion it cuz I figured it wouldnt add much to the issue, but yes, at turns, it acts up way worse. But, wouldnt hurt still to change fuel filter/air filter- has never been done. carb- was rebuilt not long ago......

rigoletto said:

Right!! Geez, howd you know?? I did not metntion it cuz I figured it wouldnt add much to the issue, but yes, at turns, it acts up way worse. But, wouldnt hurt still to change fuel filter/air filter- has never been done. carb- was rebuilt not long ago......

Click to expand...

Ya basic maintenance is always good. Pull the bowl off the carb 1/2 wrench drain it put it back on

If is water in the bottom of the carburetor it had to get there some how. Now lets see, the carburetor is a sealed unit as it sits on the engine. Just a wild guess, but I will say it had to come from the gas tank??? Just a suggestion but I would clean the gas tank and replace the fuel filter or it just might happen over again.??? But what do I know. The next dumb question, how would water get into the gas tank? Your dirty gas can or leaking fuel tank cap when the tractor sat in the rain?? or do you have a neighbor that is mad at you?

reynoldston said:

If is water in the bottom of the carburetor it had to get there some how. Now lets see, the carburetor is a sealed unit as it sits on the engine. Just a wild guess, but I will say it had to come from the gas tank??? Just a suggestion but I would clean the gas tank and replace the fuel filter or it just might happen over again.??? But what do I know. The next dumb question, how would water get into the gas tank? Your dirty gas can or leaking fuel tank cap when the tractor sat in the rain?? or do you have a neighbor that is mad at you?

Click to expand...

Good point also avoid making neighbors angry better water than sugar

Usually, you will get some water in from condensation from sitting around in bad weather, and the beads will just sit in the bottom.

Fish said:

Usually, you will get some water in from condensation from sitting around in bad weather, and the beads will just sit in the bottom.

Click to expand...

I can say I have never seen that happen to the point of making the mower run bad. But our weather is different then yours, unless you are talking about hard rain and its getting into the gas tank first? I would say here the question is where he storing this mower to get condensation in the carburetor? At this point I would say find a different storage spot.

In humid areas, condensation happens a lot, and most folks recommend keeping the fuel tank full to eliminate the airspace-condensation potential. In the evening, the cool air cools the container, the humidity in the air collects on the side of the tank, and it dribbles down into the tank where it sits at the bottom, it is why all of the older engines had a collector on the fuel filter, or old Tecumseh's had a little drain on the carb bowl, or even old Hondas, to, from time to time, drip the water out and keep mowing, no biggie, it just happens.

Here in the UK you have the problem with condensation it seems more often with the plastic tanks, so before you put it away, full it up.

man, so many replies- thnaks, people. Yes, I did leave it out in the rain a while ago, but I did have the "hood" closed. Also, I dont store it in a garage, but worse- in an open wood shed, roof only- 3 sides are closed in, one side completely open. Still, we dont know 100% if thats the culprit, so I will drain tank, lines, clean carb, and get new filter. Then, we'll see what happens.

Condensation- good point. You know- but funny thing, this never happened the first say, 10-12 yrs I owned it, if it could be caused by where I store it, why didnt it happen then?

Does the carb not suk the gas up from the bottom of the bowl?
Would it not suk up the water first?

Look at any of the bowl's that you are talking about.... They have low spots to collect the moisture.

Fish said:

Look at any of the bowl's that you are talking about.... They have low spots to collect the moisture.

Click to expand...

True but that tiny bit of water is not going to make it run bad.

Another update - cleaned out gas tank, didnt appear to be any moistrure, but started mower, ran ruff for 5 minutes, then, maybe cuz waqrmed/hot engine, ran excellent. Hope that did it. It will remain to be seen if this repeats itself, when which, I will have to tackle it again......