Riding mower won't start

= I'm hoping its the gas filter, its got a bunch of gunk in it, =

... ' nuff said. Methinks. John T.

You've got gunk in the carb. Did you use etanol gas? If so likely has a case of "greenies" Perhaps the float valve is stuck. Check the float bowl drain - or mabee just rap the carb with a big screwdriver handle a few times - - -

That's what my buddy and I think...I've traced gas from tank to carb, got g as until it reaches the carb. Carb is bone dry, and no gas dripping in when it starts....(have to use starting fluid ) stalls as soon as the starting fluid burns off.

Thing is this doesn't have a normal carb bowl, it had a small electronic pa rt on the bottom? With a green connection that just hangs there? It looks l ike it should plug into something, but I can't see where...going to check d iagrams now....thanks people, y'all rock!

Nope, regular gas.

That is an electric pilot valve which MUST have power for the engine to run. Remove it and the bowl to see if the bowl is dry. If so, the needle is stuck or plugged. If not, put 12 volts to the pilot and see what happens. (or get a main jet/bolt from a similar carb without the pilot valve)

Regular gas with ethanol can cause all kind of problems. Up here I run Shell Premium in all my small engines as it does NOT have ethanol.

Just posted what I hope is the problem....I'll post back once I can get at!! Man its frustrating knowing how to do something in your mind or needing to...and your body says NO! At least I'm here to give it what I can! Peace

Gotta shell around the corner, I'll check on that, good thing is its daily new with really low hours lol I was to sick to repair it last year, but ran it, and ran cleaner through it as I ran it dry last yr, looks clean, but there's a lot I can't see... thanks for the help!

Fairly new lol

Troy Bilt calls it a after fire solenoid..basically keeps it from backfiring if I am understand it correctly. I could see a ground wire hanging, we must have knocked it loose replacing the belt lol Can't make the fix until my buddy helps flip it, but hopefully that's the last problem! Thanks for the help!

it shuts off the fuel so it will not continue to run after it is shut off with the phrottle open -after-run, or Deiseling. or afterfire - basically running with no spark - which CAN also cause them to "run backwards" when shut off, pouring smoke out the carb

If you get 2 years out of a tool you buy at McLowes you're doing good. Time for a new one, I think.

A new one? Brother I live on 1100 a month! This thing hasn't got 50 hours on it! Didn't use it but once last yr before the belt broke, in was only used from late July thru Sept the yr before.... So it was used for a season and a half! I know we are a throw away society but C'mon man!

That be it! And looks like its back to the carb being clogged...seems that green connector just sits there, it must be connected, and I just cant see it,its in a real tight spot of course. But from what I can see it looks more like that it may pigtail out of the connection.

Diagram doesn't show that, but from talking to Troy Bilt they said some of the motors do have wires that do not connect....they were checking into mine, but never called back, guessing in the am. Gotta figure out how to remove that carb bowl....guessing I can't clean what's stuck or clogged in that carb without removing? Can I get to the needle? The after fire solenoid throws me off.... Thanks... Peace

Facts:

1. Tall grass breaks McLawnmowers. Don't overstress your McLawnmower by letting the grass grow more than an inch between cuttings.

1. Garage it. Don't store it outside in the rain.

2. And for the love of God, don't store it with ethanol gas in the tank. Ethanol gas is evil.

So if I bought a Troy Bilt elsewhere, it would run better...yeah, OK bro lol

What do you think of bypassing it? And thinking back the thing backfired once, scared the s*it outta me lol Possible it went bad? Going to start taking it apart to clean carb and needle, if its got one?

I bought a Honda several years ago and it has been trouble free. Worth the extra expense. Only serviced once as it required maintenance I could not do myself.

The Honda mower has a fuel shut off valve to easily run dry at end of season. My generator has one too but not my snow thrower. Shut off valve probably only costs 25 cents for manufacturer to add to machine but save owner a lot of fuel headaches.

Have you checked for tightness the carb to manifold mounting bolts? The problem you describe sounds like a vacuum leak. Checking the tightness of the mounting bolts is cheap and easy.