I have a + 15y/o Snapper mower, Briggs engine, It difficult to start recently, I replaced the plug, and air filter. The mower will start with the Air filter removed. I let it run a wile and reassemble the filter. I readjusted the carburetor settings according to original specs. Last year (over the winter) I replaced a broken pull cord and may have cut it a bit short. Maybe when trying to start it the engine does not turn enough to suck in enough air. Any suggestions?
Is it a hi-vac rear bagger and is the air filter at the back sort of under the bag (when the bag is on)? The symptoms you describe with that particular mower usually means that the engine is slam worn out. While the hi-vac snappers are great bagging mowers they tend to feed dust from the bag right into the air filter and self destruct. I would suggest a compression check. If I happen to be wrong and there is some life left in the engine, then you would be wise to maintain the air filter and change the oil on a frequent basis. Some of the most worn rings, pistons, valve stems and throttle shafts I have ever seen have come from such snappers. Good luck.
Art, Thanks for the info, the air filter is in the front of the engine. The HiVac work great that's why I'm keeping it as my second mower. Two years ago I bought a Toro mulching mower. A lot simpler to maintain.
excellent point concerning the hi-vac rear bagger. this point needs to be considered on any bagger. the problem arrives from the work condition being a mobil dust cloud and the motor is always in the center of the dust. when the motor is running the motor is pulling air from that dust cloud.
additional maintenance practices must be put in place when using a bagger. what seems to be the best solution is to add a lightly oiled foam wrap to the paper filter element. maintain a stock of at least three foam wraps. wash them out after each day of bagger use with hot water and dawn dish washing liquid. after the foam has dried re-oil it and leave it in a zip lock bag.
I run a lawn care business. air filters are a tax write off, new motors are also a tax write off. but then I consider cash flow and methods to keep the cash flow in a direction towards my enjoyment of life and not just simply staying in business.
blade sharpening is also a very important part of being able to cut grass in a clean and healthy manner where the health of the grass is the first consideration. hacking grass with dull blades produces yellow tip and a yellowed lawn is not a pretty lawn.
local professionals want 5 dollars to sharpen a blade, so I invented the guide block and willingly as a free gift give to each of you your chance to copy this technique.
Great Idea on sharpening the blades, I usually sharpen the mower blade a couple of times a season. Getting the angle right was always a challange. I'll use your suggestions. Thanks
Thanks for the tips and your generosity. However, as a retired tool & diemaker, I'd like to urge caution because it looks like it would be easy for the wheel to grab the blade and wedge it down between the block and the wheel. My neighbor is also in lawncare (2 Gravely tractors and 1 Gravely Z & a walk behind Bolens). I am not in "business" but I have a fairly large property and do a few neighbors, a church & and a cemetery. Niether of us is too concerned about the "angle". He does his with a hand grinder while they are still on the machines - and I just do mine on a bench grinder by eye. He requires a good quality cut but I really don't since they are glad to have a volunteer.
Check out a brand new blade. It is far from "sharp". Also, most of the cutting is done about 4" from the tip. So, I tune my blades up at most once a year. The grass looks fine.
Actually most of the cutting is done within the last 1/4" from the tip of the blade. Mulching blades may sharpened much further back to re-cut the clippings.
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