Lawnmower starting issue

[wslayer]

Ebay, new carb. Pretty cheap replacement these days if don't know how to clean carb.

 

[NodakBob]

Before screwing around with guesses the easiest would be to go back to regular gas. Higher octane can be harder to start.

 

[Wall-eyes]

I disagree above ^^^^^ I mix 110 race fuel when kid is done motor crossing for year and the Stihl stuff runs like a rape ape and starts way easier, has to be your rubber gas line going bad and or carb needs cleaned.

 

[Allen]

i am trying to picture why the carb would/could be the issue on a hard cold start when it starts fine whilst warm. especially, when its a relatively new development. can someone explain the mechanics behind that? thanks in advance.

It can throw the air-fuel mixture off. Think of it akin to the old carburetor chokes, you'd never get some of those old 50s-70s engines started without using a manual choke if the engine came with one. But once the engine was warmed up, you could shut it off and restart it easily.

A gummed up needle and seat or jets could be restricting gas flow and making the air-fuel ratio less rich than needed for a cold engine start.

 

[Allen]

Low speed circuit that’s partially plugged doesn’t let enough gas through so takes more pulls to finally suck in enough fuel to start it. Then the larger jet circuits take over. Warm engines start easier when it’s carb issues generally. But engines with worn out piston rings behave exactly like this also.

Yeah, but worn out piston rings often leaves one with a very easy to turnover engine. If one still notes good compression on the starting attempt, that pretty much leaves you looking at other causes for improper air-fuel ratios.

 

[SupressYourself]

Carburetors are the devil. Goddam choke... I'll choke you!
EFI-4-life! Seriously, why can't we get fuel injection on a lawn mower?
Sorry, I know this is not helpful... I just really hate carburetors...

 

[snow]

Agreed with ^^^ carb most likely,easy man fix try some gum out in fresh oxy free fuel. Cross your fingers, ive got the same toro,went through the same thing this summer, carb kit was the fix, new plug,replace air filter,zoom

 

[loocway]

Check to see if flywheel key is sheared or partially sheered. Will throw off timing if it is. Mower either won't start, hard to start, or will run rough and not as it should

 

[johnr]

Trade it in for a snowblower

Solid advice

 

[Maddog]

A somewhat simple fix after I finally got around to working on it. Earlier this summer I convinced myself I was too busy to do that. LOL.

I found that the auto choke mechanism was not moving freely and would not close all the way reliably. I fully cleaned that area with acetone and an old toothbrush. Earlier I was just blowing down the area with compressed air. Then I replaced the spring with a new one. Luckily I have a parts store about 3 miles away and it is a low cost item. Now it starts in two pulls on a cold engine. Just like when I bought it. I feel if it had a primer, it would start in one pull. ?

I am so glad I never ran ethanol gas through my small engines. I think that would have caused issues with the carburetor too.

Thanks everyone for your comments. It is much appreciated.

I enjoy this site for all the insights and knowledge you guys have. Not just hunting and fishing, but everyday living topics. (Well some of you guys anyways. Probably not Camp**. But "he" sure is good for political drivel. What a waste of my time reading those topics. )

 

[Maddog]

This year my mower had been fussy starting. Again. Five to six pulls to start. Ugggghhhhhhh
I go " WTF?" Gees, even my shoulder is getting sore(r).

So before I fill with gas prior to each mowing I have started putting in roughly two tablespoons (ha) of Stabil.
Now it starts on the second pull every time when cold. And starts with roughly 1/3 of a pull when hot.

Why would that make a difference versus not using the Stabil? Help me out with this. What did the Stabil do? Or would I have had the same or better results with some type of carburetor/injector cleaner fluid?


And the gas is the "same". Premium unleaded. Always. Never ethanol.

Again, I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Just ask my wife. She would vouch for that. And rightly so. LOL

"One step closer to the end." LOL

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Use regular unleaded with NO ethanol if you can.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Use regular unleaded with NO ethanol if you can.

What is wrong with the Premium Unleaded No Ethanol Maddog says he uses?

This year my mower had been fussy starting. Again. Five to six pulls to start. Ugggghhhhhhh
I go " WTF?" Gees, even my shoulder is getting sore(r).

So before I fill with gas prior to each mowing I have started putting in roughly two tablespoons (ha) of Stabil.
Now it starts on the second pull every time when cold. And starts with roughly 1/3 of a pull when hot.

Why would that make a difference versus not using the Stabil? Help me out with this. What did the Stabil do? Or would I have had the same or better results with some type of carburetor/injector cleaner fluid?


And the gas is the "same". Premium unleaded. Always. Never ethanol.

Again, I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Just ask my wife. She would vouch for that. And rightly so. LOL

"One step closer to the end." LOL

I came across this while looking for chainsaw repair directions. Kind of interesting especially with what you are saying.

 

[Maddog]

I tried the sea foam in another mower. It was so gummed up after the winter ???
Would not start at all. A different, longer story.
Perhaps the sea foam was bad. ??

Regardless I will never use it again. Never.

The Stabil I use is fresh. After this summer I would/will get a new batch to use.

 

[Davy Crockett]

does this mower have a gas primer ?

 

[ND 41 Hunter]

Seafoam-Premium Gas-run both snowblower and lawnmower totally dry at end of the season.
Has worked like a charm for the last 30 years.

 

[Retired Educator]

Read this somewhere for hard starting engines. Ti[ the mower on it's side, tank side up. I tip for about 10-15 seconds, then down on alls heels. My tank doesn't leak doing this and it starts with 1 or 2 pulls. Just did it last week. Cleaned air filter, fresh gas, tip on side. 1 pull. I'm with others that it's not a problem with a warm engine. Evidently the tipping and gas runs into carburetor like a choke.

Not a good enough mechanic to explain why it works, it just does for me.

 

[Zogman]

Is it for sale?

 

[SDMF]

$25 give-or-take for new carbs on small engines, I'm not cleaning jack or shit. Full carb replacement vs. a gasket kit, the carb costs $10-$15 more than the gaskets, and takes about 1/4 the amount of time to swap vs. a carb re-build (gaskets, needle/seat, and potential varnish removal).

Pull off a couple springs and the throttle cable, remove 2-3 mounting bolts, GENTLY use a utility knife blade (I just use the blade w/no handle) to lift off any old gasket material from the block. Couple dabs of blue ookumpucky on both sides of the new gasket, bolt on the new carb, re-attach springs, throttle, and gas line. It takes about 2x longer to do than it does to type.

Put a new carb on the snowblower last Dec. When I was sure it was the right one, I bought 2 more. Splurged and got a new spark plug, primer bulb, and new section of gas-line as well. Shittin' in tall cotton w/soft wipes for quite a while now.

 

[Maddog]

does this mower have a gas primer ?

no