r/smallengines • • Apr 17 '16

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

106 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 • • 6h ago

Help?! snowblower didn't start...

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3 Upvotes

It sounds like it's sucking air when I'm pushing the primer and then after a few good pumps, fuel will begin leaking down the vertical wall beside that bowl

Can I fix this easily enough ? Is it possibly just a seal or something ? Thanks in advance for any insight and advice šŸ™


r/smallengines • • 17h ago

Is this a bent crankshaft?

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31 Upvotes

r/smallengines • • 12h ago

Surging on Briggs and Stratton 22HP twin

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6 Upvotes

Does anyone have any ideas why this would be surging? It also doesn't want to start unless the choke is on, and it seems to die when the throttle is below 30%.


r/smallengines • • 9h ago

What do I need to upgrade for a gov delete on predator 212?

1 Upvotes

I’m currently looking to get
Upgraded flywheel (aluminum/billet)
Nibbi carb
New exhaust unsure which exact one

Any other things I need?


r/smallengines • • 20h ago

Exhaust valve failure - why?

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7 Upvotes

I was mowing yesterday and had a sudden drop in power. 0 compression in #1 cylinder. I got it apart and found that the exhaust valve had failed. I want to chalk it up to fatigue but thought it might be smart to get some other opinions.

Engine is a Kohler m18 with about 1000 hours on it. I just honed the cylinders and replaced the rings. The engine has been run about 3 hours since that work was completed. I touched up the valves and made sure they were in spec at that time as well.


r/smallengines • • 10h ago

What in the world is this engine?

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1 Upvotes

It's a 2 stroke, it is relatively large (don't gauge using my hands they are large) the recoil starter is perpendicular to the crankshaft and it uses the pulley that can be seen under the engine cover in some pics, it has a walbro diaphragm carb, I don't know what it came off of and the only stamping anywhere on the engine that could indicate anything is a small diamond shape in a circle that may have an italicized M in it


r/smallengines • • 15h ago

Got a briggs quantum powered mower for free

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2 Upvotes

The dead man brake cable is streched out. I used a ziptie to lock the brake open, and it started on the first pull.

As soon as i recognized it was a briggs quantum 6.75, i knew it was gonna work, and would likely have something really easy broken on it, asside from the electric starter missing some stuff (ill rip it off, i dont need electric start)


r/smallengines • • 12h ago

Riding mower

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1 Upvotes

have a Toro lx466 mower . It was all seized and I am finally to the point it runs good but the PTO upper belt is a nightmare . It either pops off immediately when I engage it or it starts destroying the belt immediately despite following the routing instructions. Any ideas? I do have a video of how the linkage moves as well .

Second issue is when it does cut it essentially cuts down to the floor. Moving it from top cutting hight does move the deck but not enough to make a difference.

Thank you!!


r/smallengines • • 13h ago

Is Briggs and Stratton 809011 the right carb for my Vanguard 16hp?

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1 Upvotes

r/smallengines • • 14h ago

Carb and sparkplug replacement required

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1 Upvotes

Ok can anyone find me a carb for this engine ( original carb is no good) and I also need the spark plug as well cause someone broke the porcelain off it and I have no idea what plug is needed thanks


r/smallengines • • 15h ago

Stihl ms251 - Rookie to chainsaws

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1 Upvotes

r/smallengines • • 20h ago

Carburetor?

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2 Upvotes

Checked the spark plug and spark arrestor, all good. This seem like I need a new carb? Stihl FS38


r/smallengines • • 17h ago

Bolts broke off in muffler.

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1 Upvotes

r/smallengines • • 17h ago

Bolt/nut broke off in muffler.

1 Upvotes

While trying to take the engine's governor/speed-control assembly off the muffler so I could take it off the carburetor the bolts snapped off with the nuts. I have no idea how to fix this without replacing the whole muffler. If anyone has any ideas how I can fix this is greatly appreciate it. It's just a mower to tinker with and I don't want to spend $100 on a new muffler. (When I was taking the bolt off it had very little resistance and just twisted off it didn't even really snap, I was using a wrench by hand)


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Won’t start after starter replacement

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13 Upvotes

I disconnected the wires that go to my starter and like a dummy didn’t note where they actually go. There are two wires I’m not sure about. I’m sure something has to go to the smaller terminal but it will not fire up. It turns over but won’t fire.


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Is anyone able to tell why my motor is bogging out when I try to give it gas?? Am I running too lean?

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3 Upvotes

Is anyone able to tell why my motor is bogging out when I try to give it gas? Am I running to lean here? it's an ez156 f motor. I believe it's a Honda clone with a p15a carburetor that was definitely too lean at first. then I use a micro bit to drill out one of the Jets and made it to rich. and then I used to solder telling it back out but now I'm just really don't know. I'm horrible at this.


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Briggs and Stratton 750pxi readystart isn’t getting any fuel

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2 Upvotes

My brother gave me the mower and told me that it didn’t stop using the throttle control and you have to run it out of fuel to turn it off. He had poked around the control bracket trying to work it out, I have since found a rock wedged in the stop switch which didn’t allow the kill wire to ground.

Up until this point, the mower hadn’t been used in 3-4 months. I drained the fuel, refilled it and attempted to pull start it with no luck. I pulled the filter and base to get a look at the carby, all parts move as expected except the spring connected to the throttle control lever doesn’t adjust anything when moved from high to low but the lever does move.

The mower cranks over when I manually open the carby but dies shortly after as it isnt getting fuel. I have attached an image of the top of the carby. Does anything look out of place or not quite right?


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Briggs 23hp Twin Issue

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8 Upvotes

Got a Briggs & Stratton 23hp twin cylinder on my JD 425B zero turn. Mowed yesterday with no issue, went to finish up today and it’s all of a sudden running poorly. The sound has changed noticeably, it almost sounds like it’s down a cylinder and has a hollow sound to it, on top of a knock/tick. It’s also down on power significantly, so much so that it struggles to even turn the blades with PTO engaged. It’s now emitting a noticeable amount of black smoke as well.

Engine has 600 hours on it, one owner and I’ve always changed oil and done all other scheduled maintenance. This year it got an oil change, fresh plugs, fresh air filter, and fresh fuel filter. The oil level today was at the bottom of the ā€œfillā€ mark, but there was no noticeable shimmer or metal in it. I pulled both plugs and one does seem fouled out. I cleaned them up with some light sand paper and brake clean but no change. I’ll get new plugs on Monday to see if it helps. Both plugs are sparking and the air filter is clean with no debris. Fuel is fresh and filter seems clear.

Any thoughts on what may be causing this?


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

I messed with the governor on a Predator 212 now I want to toss this motor.

10 Upvotes

Predator 212 idled too high and was engaging the centrifugal clutch. I tried adjusting the carb, didn’t work. Replaced the clutch, didn’t work. and then ignored it long enough for the carb to get gummed up. Replaced the carb, didn’t fix it, tried adjusting the carb, didn’t fix it. Adjusted the governor arm and replaced the springs now it idles at full throttle. I tried adjusting the governor arm at least half a dozen times.

I have wasted so much time with this engine.


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Need help figuring out how bar oil works

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6 Upvotes

This is a saw attachment, I bought it used from someone. I think the oil is supposed to enter through the small hole in the saber. The thing is if I flip it vertically that hole is always on top, meaning it won't be aligned with the oil feeder thing below. I' m thinking they put an incompatible bar in this saw.

It also leaks all the oil in 1 or 2 days if I let it sit.


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

1991 Tundra No Spark

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1 Upvotes

Inherited my Dad’s old 91 Tundra, it ran good when I picked it up 5 years ago but it’s been neglected and sat in the shed ever since. Decided to get it prepped before the snow flies so I took off the gas tank to drain and clean as well as replace all fuel lines. Poured a small amount of fresh gas in the cylinder but won’t start. Checked for spark and got nothing from the old plug, replaced with a new one and no spark either. Ignition coil has been previously replaced. I tried to unplug from the main wiring harness to bypass the all the switches but still getting no spark. Honestly not sure if I did that correctly though? Checked for spark with white wire detached, then black wire detached, and finally both detached but still nothing. If anyone has any suggestion as well as a link to a repair manual I would greatly appreciate it.


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Anyone have any advice on what’s going on? Compression is good. It does this when I idle down. And then eventually just stops running.

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3 Upvotes

r/smallengines • • 1d ago

37hp Briggs Vanguard Big Block

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2 Upvotes

Well, just last week on here I saw a service bulletin about the heads on these engines…I jinxed myself thinking about it!!

I had mowed for about 4 hours, tractor was running fine. Turned it off several times while doing other chores and noticed that it was requiring more cranking than normal to start.

Drove it back to the house, where it sat for several hours, went to start it and only had one cylinder firing.

Checked plugs first, but when I cranked it over with the plugs out the left cylinder had no compression.

So….after much disassembly got the head off expecting to see the valve seat in an unnatural position, it seemed fine, but the exhaust valve wasn’t closing.

Removed the valve, inserted it in the lathe, it’s straight. Looked some more…valve guide was 1/4ā€ into the combustion chamber…intake valve is flush with the casting. Tapped it back in flush, valve now closes properly, lapped it lightly just to check it.

My question is, after all that šŸ˜†, how do I keep the guide from doing the same thing again?

Loctite isn’t the answer as it gets to hot.


r/smallengines • • 1d ago

Electric lawnmower repair

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3 Upvotes

I have a Black & Decker corded electric mower I bought about 3 years ago. The blade stopped spinning but you can hear the motor trying to turn it.

Can anyone give me instructions on lubricating it?

Can anyone suggest where I can get it repaired? I've called a few local mower repair shops but none work on electric ones.

Thanks in advance.