mower runs for only 1-2 seconds

Posted by Ray on October 14, 2009, 9:16 pm

>I push the primer about 10 times, then pull the cord a few times. Nothing.
> When I repeat (it's about 60 degrees here today), the mower runs strongly
> for
> only 1 or 2 seconds. Then I have to repeat all over again. It never runs
> more
> than 2 seconds, and seems to run longer with more priming.
> I expect it's a clogged fuel supply somehow, even though the primer does
> get
> fuel to the engine.
> Crafstman 15 yr old, self-propelled, 143.955500 engine
> It ran out of gas the last time I used it, and now I have this problem.
> Maybe
> some particles of something got into somewhere. Same gas as before, not a
> new
> bad batch.
> Air filter is not new at all, but I'd guess if it was bad, then the mower
> would never start. (I already took the mower to the basement to work on it
> away from the gnats, and it's partially disassembled - or else I'd remove
> the
> air filter anyway to see how it runs then.)
> Thanks for any ideas.

Not the same mower, but I

Had the same problem.. removed the lower cover over the float... where the
center screw came out, farther in there was a jet which I screwed out.

It was plugged, blew it ot with air, reassembled worked fine. except lack
of power which turned out to be plugged air filter

Posted by celticsoc@aol.com on October 19, 2009, 12:11 am

> I push the primer about 10 times, then pull the cord a few times. Nothing=

> When I repeat (it's about 60 degrees here today), the mower runs strongly=

for

> only 1 or 2 seconds. Then I have to repeat all over again. It never runs =

> than 2 seconds, and seems to run longer with more priming.
> I expect it's a clogged fuel supply somehow, even though the primer does =

get

> fuel to the engine.
> Crafstman 15 yr old, self-propelled, 143.955500 engine
> It ran out of gas the last time I used it, and now I have this problem. M=

aybe

> some particles of something got into somewhere. Same gas as before, not a=

new

> bad batch.
> Air filter is not new at all, but I'd guess if it was bad, then the mower
> would never start. (I already took the mower to the basement to work on i=

> away from the gnats, and it's partially disassembled - or else I'd remove=

the

> air filter anyway to see how it runs then.)
> Thanks for any ideas.

I had a similar problem with an MTD chipper/shredder. The guy who
lived behind me wasa small engine repair guy, and he diagnosed it to
be a bad diphragm. It would run long enough to use the gas that was
in the line, then cut out because the diphragm was not pliable enough
to pump the gas.

I don't know if that helps. I don't know enough about these things,
but I thought I'd pass it on in case it would help.

Posted by Tom on October 20, 2009, 11:57 pm

Phil wrote:

> I push the primer about 10 times, then pull the cord a few times. Nothing.
> When I repeat (it's about 60 degrees here today), the mower runs strongly for
> only 1 or 2 seconds. Then I have to repeat all over again. It never runs more
> than 2 seconds, and seems to run longer with more priming.
>
> I expect it's a clogged fuel supply somehow, even though the primer does get
> fuel to the engine.
>
> Crafstman 15 yr old, self-propelled, 143.955500 engine
>
> It ran out of gas the last time I used it, and now I have this problem. Maybe
> some particles of something got into somewhere. Same gas as before, not a new
> bad batch.
>
> Air filter is not new at all, but I'd guess if it was bad, then the mower
> would never start. (I already took the mower to the basement to work on it
> away from the gnats, and it's partially disassembled - or else I'd remove the
> air filter anyway to see how it runs then.)
>
> Thanks for any ideas.

thanks for all the suggestions and comments. FWIW, here's how it ended up. I
did locate more than a couple videos on youtube, of all places. Some were
pretty good.

So I removed the float nut (though it'd seem better to call it a float bolt).
It was clean and not clogged. Next I took off the float bowl. It was as clean
as could be inside. I worked the float up and down a few times - it seemed to
work as it should. Next, I verified that gas was getting from the tank to the
float bowl - it was, so the rubber line and the brass screen weren't clogged.

So I figured I'd reassemble & try to start it before I took the next (big)
step of removing the carburetor. It was cool out, so I primed it a lot, and it
started. And it continued to run. It's fixed. Why? I guess I'll never know for
sure :) Maybe I dislodged some dirt, or the float had been stuck. Neither
seems likely but that's all I can think of.

(I had last week started it at least 6 times, when it would stall after 1-2
seconds.)

Thanks again.

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mower runs for only 1-2 seconds - Page 3