I have two things wrong. I believe I have an older model YardBoy lawnmower. It has the log with what looks like 3 blades of grass.
I am not sure if I have the terminology correct, so bear with me. There is a cable that runs from my handle on my left side that actually is seated inside the mechanism (with the rabbit and the turtle) for the choke/throttle and goes down to the engine. (Letter A in my attached picture which I found an image off the internet, not from my lawnmower.) That wire runs down to the engine through that rabbit/turtle mechanism, through a hole, but it will not stay in place. I think over time the plastic got brittle and broke and so it just cannot hold it. I am looking for a solution to that. I did put some penetrating oil inside the cable and it does move freely. I am not sure I need to replace the cable.
Problem number two involves the brake/kill switch, or maybe the engine control switch, not sure. The same wire from above hooks into that part where I have labeled it as A in the picture. In order to move the lever marked B, I have to pull really hard with a pair of pliers. IT IS SO STIFF. I cannot move it with my fingers. The mower will start if lever B is pulled but then I have someone pull the cord. It will start with no problem. Obviously I can't do that. I need a way for lever B to stay in place until I release the handle lever when I am ready to stop mowing. My question is, just how much tension should be on that brake/kill mechanism? With it being so stiff, even if I get problem number one solved, I am not sure it can pull lever A. I have sprayed carb cleaner on it, and it might be slightly better, but I am wondering if it can be better. Would I need to tear the engine apart more to get the carb cleaner into more of the part? Is there a part of that mechanism that tends to gum up? Or is the part bad? Do I need to add some kind of lithium spray to lubricate it?
I realize this is an old mower, but it had been running great and it mulches so well, just a good mower. Thanks for any help.
I am not sure if I have the terminology correct, so bear with me. There is a cable that runs from my handle on my left side that actually is seated inside the mechanism (with the rabbit and the turtle) for the choke/throttle and goes down to the engine. (Letter A in my attached picture which I found an image off the internet, not from my lawnmower.) That wire runs down to the engine through that rabbit/turtle mechanism, through a hole, but it will not stay in place. I think over time the plastic got brittle and broke and so it just cannot hold it. I am looking for a solution to that. I did put some penetrating oil inside the cable and it does move freely. I am not sure I need to replace the cable.
Problem number two involves the brake/kill switch, or maybe the engine control switch, not sure. The same wire from above hooks into that part where I have labeled it as A in the picture. In order to move the lever marked B, I have to pull really hard with a pair of pliers. IT IS SO STIFF. I cannot move it with my fingers. The mower will start if lever B is pulled but then I have someone pull the cord. It will start with no problem. Obviously I can't do that. I need a way for lever B to stay in place until I release the handle lever when I am ready to stop mowing. My question is, just how much tension should be on that brake/kill mechanism? With it being so stiff, even if I get problem number one solved, I am not sure it can pull lever A. I have sprayed carb cleaner on it, and it might be slightly better, but I am wondering if it can be better. Would I need to tear the engine apart more to get the carb cleaner into more of the part? Is there a part of that mechanism that tends to gum up? Or is the part bad? Do I need to add some kind of lithium spray to lubricate it?
I realize this is an old mower, but it had been running great and it mulches so well, just a good mower. Thanks for any help.