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Export threadbertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
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- Nov 29, 2014
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I seriously doubt that the impulse pump is the problem considering that near 1/3 of the tractor style mowers run gravity feed .
Impulse pumps are very robust and very reliable in the 12 years I have been running my service business I have needed to replace only 1 failed pump.
OTOH I have replaced over 100 x 50' rolls of fuel line because what was there was hard , split , cracked, delaminated or otherwise would not make a proper seal against a spigot .
As far as I can see there is no real problem.
Modern lean burn mower engines do not start the instant you touch the key and it is more likely stale fuel
Only gases burn
So to start you first have to get fuel into the cylinder as droplets from the carb then some of those droplets need to turn into a gas so the spark can ignite them
All engines are harder to start when cold for this reason which is why we have a choke on a carburettor engine .
Lots of things will make it harder for an engine to start cold
Simple things like running an oil that is too light so it gets too thin thus drains from around the rings as the engine cools so when cold there is not enough oil around the piston & rings to make a proper seal.
Same things happens if the engine gets too hot.
Altitude makes a difference
Humidity
Age of the fuel & how it has been stored as the gasses required for initial will vapourise at room temperature and can all evaporate out of old or badly stored fuel .
Impulse pumps are very robust and very reliable in the 12 years I have been running my service business I have needed to replace only 1 failed pump.
OTOH I have replaced over 100 x 50' rolls of fuel line because what was there was hard , split , cracked, delaminated or otherwise would not make a proper seal against a spigot .
As far as I can see there is no real problem.
Modern lean burn mower engines do not start the instant you touch the key and it is more likely stale fuel
Only gases burn
So to start you first have to get fuel into the cylinder as droplets from the carb then some of those droplets need to turn into a gas so the spark can ignite them
All engines are harder to start when cold for this reason which is why we have a choke on a carburettor engine .
Lots of things will make it harder for an engine to start cold
Simple things like running an oil that is too light so it gets too thin thus drains from around the rings as the engine cools so when cold there is not enough oil around the piston & rings to make a proper seal.
Same things happens if the engine gets too hot.
Altitude makes a difference
Humidity
Age of the fuel & how it has been stored as the gasses required for initial will vapourise at room temperature and can all evaporate out of old or badly stored fuel .
Thanks Bert. The pump is still good, so I'm not going to replace it. The fuel is fresh. I fill the tank each time I mow. The gas can was filled with new fuel a few days ago. It's in a sealed container. About the only thing I haven't replaced as far as the fuel system is concerned is the fuel line from the tank to the filter. From the filter forward it's a new filter, pump, and line. I guess I should replace the line from the tank to the filter, just not sure how to access the line at the tank.
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
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Just because the fuel is fresh from the service station that does not mean the fuel is fresh or even the right blend for the season.
Nine times out of ten a hard start from cold is the choke not being 100% closed .
And remember it is a carburettor engine not a fuel injected engine like your car has
Auto engines are now required to start within 2 crank shaft revolutions because of EPA regulations which is why they use very thin oils now days .
I really do not think you have a problem unless you have to crank the engine till the battery goes flat
Nine times out of ten a hard start from cold is the choke not being 100% closed .
And remember it is a carburettor engine not a fuel injected engine like your car has
Auto engines are now required to start within 2 crank shaft revolutions because of EPA regulations which is why they use very thin oils now days .
I really do not think you have a problem unless you have to crank the engine till the battery goes flat
No, it's nothing like that. Not even close to draining the battery. Just was trying to be sure it wasn't a problem, since I had a slight backfire going on while idling. I adjusted the valves to the tolerance called for in the manual and adjusted the gap on the spark plugs. I haven't started it yet to see if that helped. This is a 14 year old mower, but I can't afford to get a new one just yet. So I have to keep this one running the best I know how.