Starts, runs for a while, then dies. Then will not start right away.

[DAMatson]

Hi BertsMobile!

After removing the plastic burr (and it's attached gunk), everything is working fine now. Just wanted to provide the happy ending that you guys deserve, but which so often go unanswered/unresolved, etc. Thank you again!

 

[bertsmobile1]

So was it a casting flash in the fuel tank outlet and a plug of debris in the fuel tank hanging on it ?

 

[TerriF]

So was it a casting flash in the fuel tank outlet and a plug of debris in the fuel tank hanging on it ?

I had the exact same problem with mine. My BF at the time replaced the coil, the fuel line, the gas cap and after all of that, it was the head gasket. In the 10 year old mower I bought new, the head gasket continued to blow over and over the last year. Now the deck is so screwed up and will not stay level, that I have a perfectly good body that has been garage kept, great tires, new transmission and a good motor that I cannot use anymore. Frustrating!!!

 

[bertsmobile1]

You must have a B & S Intek engine.
The head & barrel have a bad habit of warping & burning, in particular between the cylinder & pushrod tube.
I usually stone both when doing a head gasket.
In extreme cases I get Lanni at coppergasketsUS to cut me some 1/16" copper ones.
Just remember they will arrive 1/2 hard so need to be annealed before fitting.

 

[murraymower]

The carburetor, almost always, has some free-floating debris in the bowl intermittently fouling the proper flow. I am afraid you need to tear it down and clean it out.
I have some similar mowers UC-9iOjFuLSRw26Vh-GP7Nwg