Mower engine problem

awiecek · 2007-05-15T03:33:01+00:00

Hi all...Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it willstart running but dies within a second.I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needlevalve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I tryto start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once themotor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixureis too rich.Couple of questions at this point:- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the floatchamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine forquicker starts?- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reducethe amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?Any help would be greatly appreciated.Alex

May 15, 2007 21 Replies

Rate this thread:

John Gilmer 19 years ago

Most of these small engines "prime" by spraying gas into the mouth of the carb. If they start and run for a few seconds you have spark and gas.

The "running gas" comes from the bowl. Since you have gas in the bowl, it looks like the tube that lets the flowing air suck the gas out of the bowl is clogged.

You have to take the carb apart to the point where you can either blow this tube clear or run a fine wire through it.

Vote

awiecek 19 years ago

Thanks John... that's pretty much the conclusion I came to last night, though I wasn't sure what the prime bulb did. I'll have a go at the mower this weekend.

Thanks again. Alex

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required