My Toro Timemaster just stops in the middle of mowing

Donald

Donald

Joined
Mar 21, 2004
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Near the beach in Delaware
Today I was out mowing and mulching leaves and several times the mower just stopped in the middle of mowing. Open gas cap, still gas. Start it back up with one to three pulls.

This mower does not shut off if you let let go of everything. It just stops the blades from turning. You have to press and hold the OFF momentarily contact switch to turn it off.

Only thing new is gas cap. Maybe it's not vented and it should be?

It's a B&S engine.
 

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Donald said:
Today I was out mowing and mulching leaves and several times the mower just stopped in the middle of mowing. Open gas cap, still gas. Start it back up with one to three pulls.

This mower does not shut off if you let let go of everything. It just stops the blades from turning. You have to press and hold the OFF momentarily contact switch to turn it off.

Only thing new is gas cap. Maybe it's not vented and it should be?

It's a B&S engine.
Click to expand...
Well, did the problem start after the gas cap? It could be Ignition coil or Fuel issue. It sounds that it's starving fuel. Next time it dies on you does it have a prime bulb? Prime it a few times & see if it fires up any faster.
 
Gas cap. I just had that issue on a push leaf blower. I would open the cap as it started to sputter and the engine would keep running. The cap wasn't venting properly.
 
fantastic said:
Well, did the problem start after the gas cap? It could be Ignition coil or Fuel issue. It sounds that it's starving fuel. Next time it dies on you does it have a prime bulb? Prime it a few times & see if it fires up any faster.
Click to expand...
Mower has no engine controls. No throttle or choke or primer. Except an OFF button.
 
I have a Toro with a similar Briggs OHV engine except mine is slightly smaller displacement. On my engine the fuel tank vent is not in the gas cap. It is a small plastic nipple on the end of the tank that extends through the side of the air filter housing. That is a very dirty location and that little orifice may have plugged with trash.
 
Donald said:
Today I was out mowing and mulching leaves and several times the mower just stopped in the middle of mowing. Open gas cap, still gas. Start it back up with one to three pulls.

This mower does not shut off if you let let go of everything. It just stops the blades from turning. You have to press and hold the OFF momentarily contact switch to turn it off.

Only thing new is gas cap. Maybe it's not vented and it should be?

It's a B&S engine.
Click to expand...
If this Mower does not have a Fuel Filter, then put 1 on. Another thing, blow this mower off after each use!
 
Brian123 said:
If this Mower does not have a Fuel Filter, then put 1 on. Another thing, blow this mower off after each use!
Click to expand...
I'll never understand why B & S decided to never put a fuel filter on these small engines. silly! I recommend the 75 micron "Screen" fuel filter that you can get at auto parts stores.
 
There is a dome-shaped screen filter inside the tank over top of the outlet.

These had problems with the fuel hose rubber swelling inside and restricting the flow causing starving for gas. The outside of the faulty hose will look fine. Detach the hose at the carb end and confirm fuel flows out freely.

If it just suddenly quits like someone turned the switch off, consider a cracked and intermittently shorted spark plug. Again the problem is in a place that will not be visible. Check plug by substitution.
 
Donald said:
The original gas cap would loosen up and pop off and be held on by its tether.

Bought three different gas caps (same B&S part number) to find oue that screwed on and felt tight.
Click to expand...
Another thing you can check is the spark arrestor on the muffler. It needs to be unclogged to flow intake air.
 
mk378 said:
There is a dome-shaped screen filter inside the tank over top of the outlet.

These had problems with the fuel hose rubber swelling inside and restricting the flow causing starving for gas. The outside of the faulty hose will look fine. Detach the hose at the carb end and confirm fuel flows out freely.

If it just suddenly quits like someone turned the switch off, consider a cracked and intermittently shorted spark plug. Again the problem is in a place that will not be visible. Check plug by substitution.
Click to expand...
If the fuel hose rubber were swelling then I would not think it would start right up.
Warstud said:
Will it start right up after is stalls ?
Click to expand...
Well it can take up to 3 pulls.

When I pull it out of the garage to use it then it starts on one pull.
 
Are you going to do any of the simple checks that people have suggested or just sit there and think about why we must all be wrong?
 
mk378 said:
Are you going to do any of the simple checks that people have suggested or just sit there and think about why we must all be wrong?
Click to expand...
I blew through the old gas cap to see if its vented. It does not seem to be. Spark plug is next. But I need to let more leaves fall as there is no mulching to do right now and it does not fail for awhile when using it. Also going to look for the gas tank vent into the air cleaner housing.

And then there is my full time job.
 
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