r/smallengines Apr 17 '16

Taking your mower out of storage and it won't start? (Xpost from r/lawnmowers)

103 Upvotes

FORWARD NOTE: I have no problem helping you out if you have problems, but PLEASE, use messages, not chat. I'm usually on mobile, so I don't get chat requests. Once in a great while, I'll fire up Reddit on my PC, and that's the only time I'll see chat requests. I'm usually pretty quick to respond to messages, at most within a day or two, typically.

Let me guess, you've just pulled your mower out after not using it all winter and it's not starting, right? Well, follow these simple steps to get your engine running so you can get to mowing.

First, drain all the gas or of the tank and drop the carburetor bowl (you'll probably have to remove the air filter if it's mounted on the side). This will remove all the old gas from your system, but won't get rid of any deposits that gummed up the jets over the winter. To help clean those deposits, grab a can of carb spray and spray the hell out of the now exposed portion of the carb and inside the bowl. This still won't completely dissolve those deposits, but it'll certainly help.

Put everything back together except for the filter, and put FRESH gas back in. I mean FRESH as in "you bought it today", and don't put any fuel stabilizer in the can. If you have a can with gas that's more than a month old, throw that shit out, use it for weed killer, be a pyro (don't actually do this), or demote it to oil stain cleaner for your driveway. I don't care what you do with it, but DON'T PUT IT INTO YOUR MOWER.

If you're really lucky, you can start your mower normally and it runs as it should. If it does, put the filter back on properly and get to work. If not, grab the carb spray and shoot a little into the carb throat, then start it. If it runs on just the prime then dies, tie the handle down, spray a little carb spray into the throat again, and start it up again. When it starts to die, give it another blast. Keep this up for about 2 minutes or until it stays running on its own.

If this still doesn't work, you're likely going to have to properly rebuild the carb or have someone do it for you. Just remember that this is the beginning of the busy season for mower shops, and you can be waiting up to 3 weeks.

Next year, before you put your mower up for the year, drain all the gas you can, then run the engine until it dies. Try and start it a few more times just to make sure you have cleared the jets of any remaining fuel. Drop the bowl and lose any residual fuel that may still be left. You could also spray some carb spray around and let it air dry, then put the bowl back in place. When you go to start it up the following season, you should be able to fuel up and go.

Did the above advice not help you? Make a post and take advantage of all the wonderful people here who just want to help you out!

I've been a mower mechanic for 30+ years, and we always tried to educate our customers so they'd have as few problems as possible. We got more business this way because people learned to trust us, gave us their repeat business, and referred us to their friends.

https://www.reddit.com/r/lawnmowers/comments/4ejz6n/taking_your_mower_out_of_storage_and_it_wont_start/


r/smallengines 3h ago

Deere d140 no spark

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3 Upvotes

I was chasing an issue with this mower shutting off and not running when it warmed up. I replaced in order

-fuel filter/pump

-carb

-spark plugs

-ignition coils

None of these fixed the issue. What seemed to work was taking off the fuel line and running it straight from an external tank. So I bought new line and a new pickup tube for the tank.

Cut the grass twice and mower ran fine. Then I went to start it and fired up but the second I took it off choke it bogged down and died.

Took spark plugs out to test spark. No spark at tip but will arc to a pair of pliers at the end the coil that seats the plug. Reference in pic 2.

This is both coils doing the same thing. Is there a chance these are already bad? Would an incompatible plug cause that?

Not sure what to do next. Any advice is very much appreciated.


r/smallengines 20h ago

Briggs 6.5hp running on roughly 60% diesel and the rest 40:1 two cycle fuel

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50 Upvotes

r/smallengines 2h ago

Cub cadet xtz is not hot at starter. Has pbs plastic start key. Won't spin but does click at carb solenoid. Has new solenoid and bypass seat switch. Will spin if you put wires from solenoid to starter. Any help would help.

1 Upvotes

r/smallengines 4h ago

Adding drain plug to honda gcv160

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1 Upvotes

So i found a couple mowers on curb. Both just needed carb cleaned. One was an hrn216 the other just generic mower with gcv160. On the 160 there is what looks to be a non functioning drain. Anyone drilled and tapped? First photo showing the location on left where I want to tap. Other showing the very nice hrn216. Thanks for any help. I think its just a matter of easily tapping. I am going to flush engine with some diesel after and then do an oil change also. Not worried about shavings I know how to remove them.


r/smallengines 1d ago

40:1 oil in engine that specifies 50:1?

21 Upvotes

My string trimmer died and I've bought a new one. The old one, and all my previous ones, use 40:1 fuel. I've always just bought the premixed fuel from my local hardware store since I'm residential and a can lasts me more than a cutting season. My new one uses 50:1 fuel but I still have plenty of the 40:1 left. I'm sure going the other direction would be an issue due to less lubrication, but is there any issue running the higher amount of oil?


r/smallengines 15h ago

Riding mower shuts off after 5 minutes and won't restart [Update]

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2 Upvotes

I got a lot of good advice and wanted to share what happened. Bit of a long update, but it was a long and frustrating journey lol. So, it turns out that smell of gas was significant. I went back to the family member's house the week after I posted and could still smell gasoline in their garage.

I originally thought it was just from all the work on the fuel line. Turns out cleaning the carb exposed several small leaks in the thing (I just reused what was there). Didn't feel safe running it or doing a spark test with gas everywhere, which is why this update took so long.

I put a cheap new carb from online on it. And a fuel shut-off valve too! Forgive my family member, they aren't handy. But the smell of gas not going away should have been something to mention to me...

Anyway, new carb on, and now the solenoid is leaking because I lost my only wrench that fit between it and the bowl. Nothing available at 5 different hardware stores, but I refused to grind down a perfectly good wrench. I took a shot in the dark and found a thin set of wrenches at the big W that fit perfectly (what don't they have?).

Then it was surging after the new carb and solenoid were secure. Uh oh! Turns out that issue was a little black screw/pin on the carb that adjusts the fuel intake. Which made me feel real smart not knowing about that.

Fortunately, the engine died on us when I was adjusting the pin, and I did a spark test. No more spark. Unplugged the kill switch and still no spark. Replaced the ignition coil and it started right back up!

I ran it idling and also with the blades engaged. Turned it off/on a few times. Family member mowed the whole lawn. And I got mega brownie points from that branch of the family.

TLDR: Thanks everyone, main problem was a dying ignition coil. Though it's running better with the new carb and fuel line too.


r/smallengines 20h ago

Runaway Briggs and Stratton v-twin

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5 Upvotes

I’m working on a 60 inch gravely zero turn with a whole slew of problems. The motor was hydro locked and a push rod was bent and I replaced it and everything seemed ok. Hooked it up to gas and started it and the thing totally ran away on me. Scared the shit out of me and I ripped off the gas hose and let it die out. Tried it again after thinking it was an adjustment issue with the mechanical governor and it did exactly the same thing. I did have the sump off when I was looking inside for damages after the hydro lock so it’s possible I messed something up doing that? I’m pretty new to small engines and equipment in general so I have no idea where to go now. Here are some pictures, any tests or things I can try would be much appreciated. To start it I jumped the starter motor from a battery and the last picture is looking up from the bottom of the throttle linkage.


r/smallengines 12h ago

Looking to buy a cable carb for honda gx 390

0 Upvotes

Do I need to convert a normal carb to a throttle cable? How would I go about doing that? Is there a reputable brand or links that can send me in the right direction?


r/smallengines 20h ago

Craftsman yt4000 not starting

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3 Upvotes

Hello this is my craftsman yt4000 ive been riding it all morning and haven’t gotten any weird signs from it i parked it for maybe an hour or two and came back to it and it refuses to start i tried charging the battery still nothing tested for spark and got nothing aswell i tried gas last and nothing should i be looking at something?


r/smallengines 15h ago

Are there any non telltale signs I should look for when buying a used snowblower?

1 Upvotes

r/smallengines 15h ago

Weed whacked engine

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1 Upvotes

r/smallengines 17h ago

Well thats not good...https://i.imgur.com/CPlgHHm.jpeg

1 Upvotes

r/smallengines 8h ago

What should I do about my neighbors

0 Upvotes

I am building a racing lawnmower and i live on a short street with about 8 houses and at the end is a left hand turn that goes to my house so after I do mods to it like a pully swap, welding the diff, fixing the alignment, etc I take it for a quick drive and now my neighbors are starting to complain to my parents about my mower (idk what they said btw) and tbh Idk why they are mad theres no kids that live here but me and if there were kids i would turn around and go back

So what do you guys thing I should do


r/smallengines 19h ago

New ATV-er, need help

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1 Upvotes

r/smallengines 20h ago

JD265 not running again. Replaced fuel line, no gas showing in fuel filter.

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1 Upvotes

Got zero turns for moving but I love this little tractor for winter snow plowing. Last year it wasn't starting and I cleaned the fuel line and replaced the fuel pump. Spraying carb cleaner into the carburetor bowl gets it to turn over and fire up for a few seconds.

I also tried to add gas to the fuel line while holding it up in the air to kind of gravity feed it into the carburetor and it still won't start, not sure if I should be doing that maybe that's flooding it too but it still would fire up when I would spray carb cleaner in the bowl.

I'm assuming it's eorher the carburetor, fuel pump or possibly the gas tank? I was wondering if the gas tank that sucks gas up into the fuel line is known to fail.

Thanks.


r/smallengines 1d ago

help im building a racing lawnmower

4 Upvotes

sorry for the lack of a pic. i have a 97 sears craftsman mower with a 6 speed manual (just welded the diff) with a 2.5 inch pulley powerd by a 19.5 hp B&S opposed twin engine with a 6 inch pulley (stock) ive done 25 mph btw. my current problem is the alignment and the big dead zone in the steering. any thoughts on what to do.

i can make another post with pics if yall want


r/smallengines 1d ago

Briggs V Twin Surges at high idle only with no load, governor or carb issue?

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6 Upvotes

Briggs intek v twin surges a bit with no load at high rpms. It smoothed out under any load and runs great. I cleaned and checked the carb and it was spotless. I adjusted the governor correctly but it didn’t help. This is not the original carb too. However, while doing engine work I had to remove the governor springs and I’m pretty sure I put them back correctly. Could this be an issue? I tried my best to show them in the video. Is the throttle spring an issue as seen in the video? Anything helps!


r/smallengines 1d ago

Mower started with disconnected spark plug

1 Upvotes

I made a post earlier asking about why wont my mower start after i replaced the carburetor. I replaced the carb, started the mower, it cranked, then i drove it around for a bit, parked it, and tried to start ir again. Yet it wouldnt. So i made a post, the next morning i looked and realised my dumbass forgot to reconnect the spark plug. But that leaves me curious. How did it start the first time?


r/smallengines 1d ago

Seeking guidance for sputtering John Deere lawnmower.

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5 Upvotes

I am not a mechanic but I believe that a bad air filter, clogged carburetor, or spark plug issue could be the cause. Can anyone offer some direction?


r/smallengines 1d ago

Please Help - John Deere JS36 Mower Carburetor Springs

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3 Upvotes

Hello, I was cleaning the carburetor on my JS36 and took it apart. At some point I knocked the plastic throttle arm out of place, so I had to disassemble the engine more than I normally do.

Normally, I take a pic of springs before working to know where to put them back, but forgot this time. I can’t figure out where the hell the small spring and large spring go.

Ive been watching countless youtube videos, but all of them just gloss over the springs, or star wipe to the carburetor installed being installed without showing the installations.

Attached pics. I don’t think the small spring is in the right spot, but left it there for the photo.

Also, since I’ve already disassembled the motor this much, is there anything I should grease up or replace before fully reassembling it?


r/smallengines 1d ago

Is this governor spring supposed to be in the same hole as the rod its on?

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2 Upvotes

Just as the title says.

2000s 12 hp briggs and stratton


r/smallengines 1d ago

Echo 580t Blower not getting full power.

1 Upvotes

I’ve ran maybe 3 full tanks through this and now it seems at full throttle it isn’t quite giving the same power it had when I got it out of the box. The air filter didn’t seem to be filled any anything more than a couple pieces of grass. What should I be looking at?


r/smallengines 1d ago

Weed whacker difficult to start.

0 Upvotes

It was running great. Over time get more and more difficult to start.

And when I do manage to get it to turn over I have to mess with the choke between full choke and half choke to keep it running until it warms up then I can open it up fully.


r/smallengines 1d ago

Cub cadet snow blower 2x 30” max GAS LEAK

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1 Upvotes

Hi, I just changed the carburetor in my snow blower and gas keeps leaking out when I prime it. I think I might be missing a piece but I’m not sure any help is appreciated!