where's the mower choke?

[Jerry]

I just started using a Craftsman II "30ne Plus" lawn mower, which was made roughly a dozen years ago.

There is no control lever/cable for choke or throttle. There is a lever on the body, for throttle. Near to that is some device: it has a soft black rubber covering which is hollow, and shaped approximately like a 1" inverted cup. There is a small hole in it. I can depress/collapse it, but not pull it. Is that rubber thing related to a choke? If so, can it be set, or is it somehow automatic?

Or is choking accomplished merely by setting the throttle lever to the minimum position? If so, what's that black rubber thing for? Thanks.

[Cheri]

On mine, the soft black rubber covering is the choke, you have to push it in and out four or five times before starting the mower.

Cheri

[DerbyDad03]

The black rubber thing is a pump to fill the carb with gas.

If the engine is cold, press and hold it for about 1-2 seconds. Repeat this 2 more times and then try to start the engine. If it doesn't start, repeat the process.

Once the engine is warm, you shouldn't need it anymore.

I used to set my lever to full throttle except when mowing over sparse areas just to prevent kicking up so much dirt. I never used the throttle lever as a choke.

My 4 year old Toro doesn't have a throttle lever or a choke, just the pump bulb.

[Dan Espen]

I think that's called a primer.

I've never seen a lawnmower with a manual choke and I don't think they have automatic chokes. I think the primer is all they need.

My latest mower doesn't have a throttle either. Just as well, always ran it full out anyway.

[S. Barker]

some of those junk Bogus and Stratton engines had a form of automatic choke. It was basically a spring loaded flapper that opened when air flow increased.

s

[S. Barker]

You've never seen a mower with a manual choke? What are you three years old?

s

[Oren]

Sure! Even older pickup trucks had manual chokes. Pull the choke knob from inside the cab and adjust as the engine warmed up.

[David L. Martel]

Jerry,

Give Sears a call and buy the owners manual. You'll find the info on your mower and how to start it there. Be sure to have the model number when you call.

Dave M.

[Oren]

The SOB spring loaded flapper; inside the cowling, never failed when I was first learning to mow a lawn!

Those B&S engine ran to good.

[Steve B.]

Set the throttle to max and push the primer three to five times. It should start right up. Choke's on small engines are going away now and being replaced by the primers. Some have both just to make it more confusing. If yours has a choke it will be *past* the full throttle position.

Steve B.

[Dan Espen]

You're rude to strangers and you think I'm 3 years old?

I'm 62.

I know I had a car with a manual choke but can't remember the model. Mowers, nope. Had lots of mowers too. Some even gas powered.

[dpb]

Just got off one w/ manual choke. Other one has one, too. Of course, one's about 40-yrs old, the other "only" about 25 or so... :)

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[Bob F]

The mowers with "manual" chokes I've seen used a little higher than full throttle setting to engage the choke.

[dpb]

Bob F wrote: ...

The "new" one here uses that modern innovation, the other two are separate control levers... :)

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[S. Barker]

You must be on a different planet then. I'm only 50 and i've never seen a mower that didn't have a manual choke.

s

as for rude, maybe. But rude is funny 99.9% of the time.

[DerbyDad03]

quoted text -

re: I'm only 50 and i've never seen a mower that didn't have a manual choke.

Let's make sure we're making a rye grass to rye grass comparison here.

I'd hazard a guess and say that the vast majority of today's *walk- behind* mowers do not have manual chokes.

On the other hand, anything that you ride - either stand or sit - probably does.

Just guessing, don't be rude - errr - I mean funny - with me.

[salty]

MANY years ago, I had mowers that had a little "thumbgrip" on the carb that you pulled out to choke the engine. The grip was on the end of a tube that slid in and out. They also had a "tickler" to prime things when needed.

The handlebar mounted choke levers came after that. More recent mowers do not have a choke, but instead have a little rubber primer bulb. I find this to be an improvement, and makes for a much easier to start engine than in the good old days.

[Dan Espen]

When you live as long as I have, there will be a lot of things you've never seen.

:)

You need those smiley things or it doesn't come across well on the Internet.

[Stormin Mormon]

Some of the Briggs, you'd push the throttle all the way forward to set the choke. Pull back a bit on the throttle to open the choke.

[Stormin Mormon]

The rubber mush button is probably a primer. Sears is usually good at having parts, and they may also have owners manuals. Did you look at the Sears website?

Typically, mowers start with the throttle all the way to "FAST".