How did this guy sell me a dead lawnmower?

[Bolster]

First of all, let's just get this out of the way up front: I'm a chump.

Now for the details on what type of chump. A tool chump. I buy used, worn-out tools, thinking there's still life in them. To wit: I was working remotely on a house restoration when I needed to mow the lawn, el pronto. Went to the local Mexi-meet and shopped the used lawnmowers, of which there were dozens. One Señor had a Craftsman Quattro for $40. If I could get two lawn mows out of it, I'd have my money back, I thought. So I asked if he'd start it up for me.

"Si," he says, pulls the cord, and the mower jumps to life. Waited a half hour, went back, asked if he'd start it again. "Si," and it starts up and purrs nicely for several minutes. Deal, thank you Señor, I take it to the house, remove the oil and gas, replacing it with fresh, and proceed to mow the lawn without a hitch.

Three weeks later, I can't get the thing to stay running. I get maybe a minute of mow out of it then it dies.

Four weeks later (now), I can't even get it to start. So I did not get my two mows out of it. Refer to "chump" designation above. But as my Dad told me, "When you lose, don't lose the lesson." So here's my question:

What did the Señor do, to get that mower to start so easily 4 weeks ago? What magic elixir did he pour into it to make it look like it was a reliable starter? Is there some trick to it? Or am I just a perpetually duped Gringo? This is the second time I've bought a small-engine powered item (other was a chipper) that refused to start within a week or two after I got it home, but started just fine for the seller.

 

[71Datsun510Wagon]

Drain the gas, only runs on tequila...

 

[PassnThru]

Maybe the rings are so bad that it is fouling the plug. Did you pull the plug and check it? All he had to do was put a new plug in it and it would be good to go if it didn't run long.

 

[Bull]

Maybe it is just a coincidence, and the carb has some **** in it. It seems like, with my push mower at least, most times when it is running poorly it's a carb/float issue.

 

[Teken]

Did you give it a tune up and replace the plug? Did you adjust the choke? Did you check to see if the little metering valve thingy is clean and not clogged?

Did you run any fuel cleaner to help remove the sludge and varnish? Did you let it run for awhile with the new fuel?

 

[ATTappman]

Maybe the spark plug needed just a tiny bit more fouling to quit making a spark. Or maybe one of the tiny incomprehensible carburetor parts only works after it's taken apart, dried out and cleaned.

Probably he picked it up off somebody else's curb before the garbage men got there.

 

[chevy302dz]

It the motor didn't actually pop or drop a valve, I'd be inclined to say you just have a carb problem or snapped/shifted the crank key.

 

[leftyz]

clogged air filter? not priming the carb?

 

[Bolster]

Wow, somebody gave my thread a one star. Lawnmowers are tools, too!

TO answer some questions: No apparent fouling of plug. Cleaned air filter. No vacuum in the gas tank. Haven't torn it apart yet, have to get it back to my shop first. Carb cleaner shot into the carb will get it running for a few seconds. Ergo, it's starving of gas. So, the collective wisdom is probably right, gunked carb.

Still, I'm amazed it worked so well for the first mow.

 

[SocketDeviler]

Edit: Nevermind. Your above post mentioned my advice.

 

[Bull]

People have told me that even just one little tiny piece of junk that finds its way into your carb can cause all sorts of trouble. I find it to be maddening, these carb issues that, when you tear apart the device, have no obvious physical manifestations!

 

[leftyz]

may want to remove the gas tank and flush it out, might have a bunch of **** in there too

 

[JSBriggs]

I had the same problem with my craftsman lawn mower. I had left it outside and it rained on it, but no big deal right? Well It wouldn't stay running. I finally pulled the carb and in the bottom of the float bowl was a quarter sized puddle of water. I cleaned it out, re assembled it, and its been back to normal ever since.

-Jeff

 

[Bolster]

I removed the gas and oil immediately and replaced. New gas and oil were in it for the first mow.

Puzzled by the star rating...Why do people hate this thread?

 

[TheGrooveking]

Just send me cash until it starts.....that way the feeling of being a chump will never stop. Consistenency in life is important.

Buy some goats....at the end of the mowing season, start up the grill...

TheGrooveking

 

[Bolster]

Just send me cash until it starts.....that way the feeling of being a chump will never stop. Consistenency in life is important.

Good idea. Send me your paypal address and I'll send you my life savings in weekly installments. That will keep me from buying bad used mowers.

 

[logical]

Have you considered that it ran fine as far as the Mexican person knew and he did not set out to screw you.....I mean he wasn't a Gypsy

 

[leftyz]

Maybe you got junk in it when you mowed ur lawn, just because you put new gas in it before you mowed doesn't mean much

 

[chadster1]

Puzzled by the star rating...Why do people hate this thread?

I gave you a 5 star rating if that makes you feel any better.

 

[Hiball]

There is numerous things that keep a mower from running, I would check the Carb as many said and using some Air clean all the jets etc. It only takes a very little piece of dirt/grass to really foul things up, Lawn Mowers get abused regularly and normally its something very simple that is keeps them from running.

I gave you a 5 star rating if that makes you feel any better.

I canceled you out, so there.

(In theory i never look at stars, I dont care what you people think.. LOL)

 

[Lump]

Bolster,
I have long hated the fight with small engines that don't want to start. MOST of the time it is a fuel issue, as others have said. What sort of choke mechanism does this mower have? Some have those little plastic bubbles which must be pumped a time or two, and if those develop a pinhole, they won't suction fuel to prime the carb, unless you happen to hold your finger over the exact spot with the hole. Others use the flap valve in the air intake. Make sure it is closing correctly.

Also, when I am trying to quickly find out why someone's mower won't start, I will often shoot a little ether (fast-start spray) into the carb (keeping my body parts out of the way), until I see if it tries to start. Then you'll know it's starving for gas. Since you already know that, then it can only be choke, or fuel flow, or bad gas (water contaminated) clogged jets/line, stuck float, etc. These things are all a pain in the (...well, you know...) in modern cheapo mowers. But at least you know where to look. Just figure out whether it needs a charge of fuel to get started (then it's a choke issue), or if it just won't keep running once it starts (for lack of fuel flow). Then you'll know which thing to concentrate upon.

 

[Bolster]

Thanks for the help. THis has the little "push three times with your finger" bulb, and I will check it for a leak!

Currently the mower starts with a shot of carb cleaner down the throat, runs for a second, and dies. Suggesting no flow of fuel.

I may spend a few hours with this, and then toss it, if repair is as complicated as you say. I don't know much of anything about small engines and I'm sure the learning curve is steep.

Probably not worth having a professional look at it.

Can anybody recommend a "teach yourself to repair small engines" download?

 

[Packard V8]

Since you don't seem inclined to tear into the fuel system, here's a quick and dirty maybe fix. Grab a used bike inner tube and a couple of hose clamps. Cut the inner tube about 6" on either side of the valve stem. Fold up one end and secure it with the hose clamp. stretch the other open end over the gas tank filler. Secure it with the other hose clamp. Use your hand bike pump - NOT your air compressor - to pump a few PSI of air pressure into the gas tank. Start the engine, using starting fluid and if necessary spray a couple of more times to keep it running. Often, the pressure in the tank and the vacuum of the running engine will dislodge whatever little crudlies are causing your problem. At least the investment of time and money to try it is nil.

jack vines

 

[Cameronl]

I'd vote for the float.
I bought a used mower that kept choking out. I'd clean the float, and it'd run good for awhile, then start all over again. It took several cleanouts to get it running good.

 

[Bull]

Jack's method sounds pretty damn neat.

It is pretty darn simple to remove these carbs. We're talking a few bolts and you're done. I would suggest removing it, cleaning the heck out of the bowl and internal passages, inspecting the float, and buttoning it up to see what happens. These microscopic dirt flecks that might be the issue, you can't even see them but going through the cleaning motions sometimes gets rid of them and solves your issue.

 

[X1 Mike]

Hey, I gave this thread 5 stars just because of the advice Jack gave.

 

[Indy_500]

Here's a tip, remove the muffler and try to start it. I got a mower that i continually thought it was the carb so i cleaned it and cleaned it again. It would start, run for 2 minutes then die. If i tried starting it immediatly it wouldnt' start if i let it sit for 10 minutes then start it again, it would start. So i took off the muffler, and it was plump FULL of carbon deposits. The exhaust had nowhere to go. You can just take an air compressor to clean it out.

If you can't fix it you could always ship it to me I only have 5 push mowers right now that i got all for free and didn't run when i got them.

 

[Bolster]

This is good advice, thanks guys, will start trying to run down these suggestions.

Come to think of it, I think my Señor also had a bicycle for sale...maybe that's my source for inner tube!

WHOA, this thread is making a comeback...started with a one-star rating and now up to four!

 

[DHS]

Dont worry about how complicated the carb is because it is not. You almost cant do it wrong.



I didn't even know about the star rating system, lol.

 

[Arne73]

By the picture I don't think that there is a float on your mower. It looks like a pulsa-jet (I think that's the name) with a screen on the bottom of the suction inlet. Unscrew the carb from the tank, and take a look.
BTW this thread has been the high point of my day and I'd give it more stars if I knew how.

 

[Major Ramifications]

That carburetor DEFINITELY does not have a float, it uses suction tubes. They have a screen at the botton that may need some attention.

How old was the gas when you put it in ? Thanks to the EPA and all new cars being fuel injected, modern gasoline has a notoriously short shelf life.

 

[PassnThru]

Four weeks later (now), I can't even get it to start. So I did not get my two mows out of it. Refer to "chump" designation above. But as my Dad told me, "When you lose, don't lose the lesson." So here's my question:

What did the Señor do, to get that mower to start so easily 4 weeks ago? What magic elixir did he pour into it to make it look like it was a reliable starter? Is there some trick to it? Or am I just a perpetually duped Gringo? This is the second time I've bought a small-engine powered item (other was a chipper) that refused to start within a week or two after I got it home, but started just fine for the seller.

Wow, somebody gave my thread a one star. Lawnmowers are tools, too!

TO answer some questions: No apparent fouling of plug. Cleaned air filter. No vacuum in the gas tank. Haven't torn it apart yet, have to get it back to my shop first. Carb cleaner shot into the carb will get it running for a few seconds. Ergo, it's starving of gas. So, the collective wisdom is probably right, gunked carb.

Still, I'm amazed it worked so well for the first mow.

A friendly suggestion. Please include those things that you have already tried in your first post. It really helps with the diagnosis.
(My impression is that you haven't worked on it since your first post - if you have then ignore).

 

[Bolster]

How old was the gas when you put it in ? Thanks to the EPA and all new cars being fuel injected, modern gasoline has a notoriously short shelf life.

Direct from the ARCO pump into the tank. So it's a month old now. Could I have gummed this by leaving in fresh-from-pump gas for a month?!?

 

[hilld]

There is your problem it is BP gas. Arco is a division of BP.

Can you get a syringe and load it with gas and keep squirting a shot into the carb, when it starts, squirt a little more, then a little more, trying to keep the engine running long enough to create a nice vacuum to see if the carb can keep up.

Just a thought.

D.

 

[atari]

I got this tiller from my grandpa when he died. He without question got it out of someones trash, he got his mower the same way. It sat in the shed for two or three years untill my wife tells me she wants a garden. I get the thing out and it is varnish in the gas tank, I took it all apart and cleaned it all out. When I tried to fire it the first time after the clean up I broke the rope. I thought "I have a socket that will fit that and an air ratchet to run it", yea, bad. The recoil part exploded and sent lots of little parts flying. Now im pissed ant the thing for trying to beat me and go blow 40 bucks on parts. New rope, recoil parts, spark plug, and air filter. Put it all back together and it fired right up. I let it run for a bit and shut it down. The following week everytime I went into the shop I would fire it up. Two pulls and go, no problem. That weekend I got ready to actually use it, no go. The stupid thing just would not start. Starting fluid or not. I pulled on it for so long the guy across the street asked me if I wanted to use his. I looked at my blistered hand from pulling the rope and said sure! I put the damn thin back into the shed were I found it and thank god she didnt ask for a garden this year!

 

[atari]

Dont feel bad, I spent 40 bucks on somthing I knew was junk. You didnt know about yours at the time.

 

[mkdive]

<----gave 5 stars.....just because I feel bad the mower is not running like a champ yet.

 

[walrus]

Direct from the ARCO pump into the tank. So it's a month old now. Could I have gummed this by leaving in fresh-from-pump gas for a month?!?

I doubt it although you could have gotten bad gas? Again not likely

 

[Bolster]

Some progress to report, thanks to your advice. I've taken the carb apart, cleaned it and put it back together. I can get the mower to actually run now. However, I don't think I can mow with it, it's not a "stable" sort of run.

It surges, constantly gunning and then slowing, gunning and then slowing. The two linkages (butterfly is the pivot on the right) marked by the arrow are constantly moving as if trying to self-adjust.

Also I need to put additional rightward pressure on the spring to get the run speed up to a sufficient rate. It's like the spring is too slack.

Finally I took out the spark plug before and after my disassembly. Before, it looked reasonably clean. After running it for a few minutes, sooty.

 

[reptilezs]

check out some youtube videos by davidsfarm. he has many lawn mower repair videos