Getting beat down by a lawn mower
#2790331
06/28/20 02:32 PM
06/28/20 02:32 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX
feets
OP
Senior Management
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OP
Senior Management
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,067
Irving, TX
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I'm losing my marbles on this one. I can concoct and build all kinds of crazy stuff but I can't keep a stinkin lawn mower running.
I've got a 5 or 6 year old Husqvarna push mower with a B&S engine (metal carb, not plastic). It has always been a great runner that fires on the first pull 90% of the time. Before this issue I can only remember it taking a third pull on a couple occasions. I've got a somewhat small yard and the mower doesn't get used all that often.
I screwed up and fed it some bad gas. The mower would start and die. i drained the tank and cleaned it out. The screen in there was iffy at best so I punched it out and installed a see through in-line filter. The carb had a little bit of scunge in the bowl so I cleaned it thoroughly, including an inspection of the needle and seat as well as holding a properly sized drill bit with my fingers to clean the jet. I then changed the oil, air filter, and plug. It got a tank of fresh gas, too.
When it all went back together it fired up and ran great for about two minutes. Then, it struggled to stay alive. At full throttle it would slow down to a weak idle before picking back up and revving to about 3/4 speed and repeating the process.
It acts like it's running out of fuel but I can see that it's getting plenty. The heat choke seems to be opening properly.
Spark seems to be a non-issue since there is no missing or smoke from incomplete burn.
What am I overlooking?
We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: feets]
#2790336
06/28/20 02:42 PM
06/28/20 02:42 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,395 Highland, MI.
Sunroofcuda
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,395
Highland, MI.
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You are not alone! I bought a new cheapie Troy Bilt walk behind for occasional touch-up mowing around close quarters stuff - I have a Deere X-300 that I bought back in 2013 for the main mowing. The Troy Bilt won't start in the spring no matter what I do - and I run ethanol-free fuel. Last year I took it to a small engine guy & left it with him. He got it running no problem - he said there was junk in the carb. This spring - no start. It has a Briggs one-pull start engine. It's a 20-pull no-start. Here it is 2020 & some things are worse-engineered than things from 60 years ago.
No Man With A Good Car Needs To Be Justified
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: Sunroofcuda]
#2790342
06/28/20 02:52 PM
06/28/20 02:52 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,172 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,172
PA.
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Buy some Seafoam and some premium fuel.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2790343
06/28/20 02:53 PM
06/28/20 02:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX
feets
OP
Senior Management
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OP
Senior Management
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,067
Irving, TX
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Buy some Seafoam and some premium fuel. What do you expect Seafoam to do in this application? The system appears to be clean.
We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: stumpy]
#2790373
06/28/20 03:45 PM
06/28/20 03:45 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,920 new berlin wisconsin
Mr T2U
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,920
new berlin wisconsin
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i have a old craftsman 9hp snow blower with a similar problem, has 9hp kohler motor,. when i got it there was a big surging problem with it. took off the bowl and cleaned everything up. ran better but still had a surge problem,. bought a new carb for $12. didn't surge but barely ran, acts like it not getting fuel. dropped it off by my brother in law who works on small engines on the side it to look at it. been there for 4 months he hasn't had time to look at it yet.
Last edited by Mr T2U; 06/28/20 03:46 PM.
perception is 90% of reality
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: Mr T2U]
#2790375
06/28/20 03:57 PM
06/28/20 03:57 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,639 PA
70Duster
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,639
PA
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I'd temporarily bypass the inline filter you added to see if maybe it's too restrictive. I've seen this issue once before. If that doesn't work I'd opt for a new $12 Chinese ebay carburetor. They work amazingly well and seem to last longer that the originals.
Last edited by 70Duster; 06/28/20 03:59 PM.
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: stumpy]
#2790383
06/28/20 04:10 PM
06/28/20 04:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,132 A Red State
SNK-EYZ
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,132
A Red State
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Float level or still trash in the jet? What I usually find is the jet is clogged with a white looking crap, I believe it's corrosion caused from ethanol in the gas.
Kayse can't keep up at all now. lol
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: fastmark]
#2790393
06/28/20 04:34 PM
06/28/20 04:34 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,807 ohio
ruderunner
master
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master
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,807
ohio
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Check your idle speed and the governor linkage. I have a similar husk that did the same thing.
I found that somehow the linkage got caught, possibly by a branch and tweaked. It was binding and wouldn't regulate smoothly.
Angry white pureblood male
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: ruderunner]
#2790396
06/28/20 04:44 PM
06/28/20 04:44 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,884 Oregon
hooziewhatsit
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,884
Oregon
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What happens if you manually cover the intake to restrict the air flow into the carb?
Vacuum/intake leaks can have goofy symptoms.
If you ever find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: Sniper]
#2790576
06/29/20 07:31 AM
06/29/20 07:31 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,022 Tulsa OK
Bad340fish
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,022
Tulsa OK
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I just tuned up my brother in laws generator. Ordered a new carb from eBay for $40 and put a new plug in it. It would do the same thing as yours until I removed the inline filter. It didn't come with a filter originally but the carb came with one. With that gone it runs great.
68 Barracuda Formula S 340
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: feets]
#2790580
06/29/20 07:57 AM
06/29/20 07:57 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,172 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,172
PA.
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Buy some Seafoam and some premium fuel. What do you expect Seafoam to do in this application? The system appears to be clean. Hmmmmm appears. This crap gas that we now get with alcohol causes corrosion and plugs orfaces. Regular use of Seafoam prevents this. Like others have said also check the fuel cap. My tractor was cutting off while cutting the grass. I replaced the fuel filter and it still did it. Left the cap off and I ran great sitting there. Put the cap on and backed it off a turn or two and it ran well cutting last week. See what happens this week.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2790589
06/29/20 09:12 AM
06/29/20 09:12 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,713 North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,713
North Dakota
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I'm NOT a small engine guy but I'm turning into one just to keep the fleet running. The most common problems I'm finding are carburetor problems caused by debris from tank corrosion or just the affects of today's gasoline. I religiously run a mix of Seafoam, red HEET, and premium gas and even after running a carb dry and draining the tank, I still have carburetor problems. BTW, just because it "looks" fine doesn't mean it is.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: Cometstorm]
#2790601
06/29/20 10:12 AM
06/29/20 10:12 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,172 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,172
PA.
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After checking all the easy stuff already posted, replace the carb. Been there, fought the same battles, won with the new carb. I’m not crazy old (64) and own two acres in the country since 1985 and have never had to replace the carb on any small engine. That includes mowers, tractors, motorhome generators (3), weedwackers, chain saws, power washers, boat engine, go carts, quads, motor cycles, three race track generators, snow blower, rototiller, etc. take care of the fuel and it will take care of you. Today’s fuel is JUNK. It loves eating rubber and plastic fuel lines too.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: Getting beat down by a lawn mower
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2790611
06/29/20 10:56 AM
06/29/20 10:56 AM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,255 IL
furious70
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,255
IL
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FYI my last push mower, bought several years ago from Sears has a B&S 'never change oil' engine and the cap says it'll take E10-E15, but not E85. So far no issues with the fuel system.
70 Sport Fury 68 Charger 69 Coronet 72 RR
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