Need help - almost-new lawnmower won't start

[JoeFromPA]

Hi all,

Home Depot Link

Here's the model I'm dealing with. It's relatively new. I bought it from home depot refurbished 2 months ago, and it was only a few months old then. It has cut the lawn about 6 times and been phenomenal....starts easily, uses about .3-.4 gallons to cut .65 acres, self-propelled speed is perfect for me. Etc.

When I got it, it came with the parts they replaced (i.e. the original parts came with it): The refurbishing included a new spark plug, air filter, and what appears to be the original crankshaft...so I'm guessing they did an engine teardown and rebuild.

Like I said: it's been running phenomenally well. Last night, it mowed for about 5 minutes and then just shut itself off. Here's what I've confirmed:

1. It pulls normal from the starter-pull
2. It's got plenty of gas and the gas is getting to the throttle body (took it off and examined it, it's fine).
3. It's getting spark and the spark plug wire and plug are brand new.
4. The air filter is clean and it's getting air fine.
5. The blades are clear and clean and not jammed up
6. The safety switch for running it is working....the lever by the main handle is pulling the cut-off switch on the side of the mower, and appears to be working fine.

It will not start, but it sounds fine when it spins from pulling it. When I let it sit for a few hours, it "coughs" as if it's going to start and then just dies. It's done that twice.

Can anyone give me any recommendations on where to proceed or if this sounds like a simple fix? If it's complicated, I'll try to persue a warranty route.

Thanks all,

Joe

 

[Burt]

my guess is the auto-choke is auto-flooding the engine. Pursue the warranty route.

 

[c3po]

I would take off the bowl at the bottom of the carburetor, you might have some tiny debris in there, its worth a shot.

 

[boraticus]

I agree that it's probably flooding. Possibly the float needle not closing or the auto choke malfunctioning.

Isn't it great when they put on these "convenience" features such as automatic chokes, just so that they can cause problems that aren't easy to fix?

What was wrong with a cable or lever controlled manual choke. Is our society dumbing down so much that everything has to be "automatic"?

 

[yeehaw1960]

Spray a little carb cleaner into the plug hole and replace plug. If it "kicks" when you pull the rope, fuel is the problem. Might take the bowl down and dump it out. Be careful to seat the bowl correctly before tightening the bowl nut. It will warp (ruin) the bowl.

If not bad gas problem, warranty all the way...everytime...no brainer. Make them replace it if you take it in more than once for the same problem.

 

[JoeFromPA]

So let me ask this: when I took off the throttle (which included about 4 different parts with it, including the air filter housing, choke, etc.) the intake tract was bone dry. This was immediately after a bunch of pulls.

If fuel was getting through, would the intake tract show signs of fuel being injected into it?

Fuel was pouring out of the "bowl" when I disconnected that...so it was definitely getting fuel there!

Thanks all....the fact that it stopped running while mowing makes me think that something got lodged in the fuel distribution process, rather than a mechanical part suddenly stopped working.

 

[c3po]

Maybe check your Rubber Fuel Line. Make sure there is nothing in this rubber line.

 

[PhillyJoe]

Check for a blockage behind the air filter.

Make sure the clutch/blade control (dead man bar) is working.

Try a shot of starter fluid.

Look for kink in fuel line.

Load mower into car for trip back to HD.

 

[JustinH]

My brigs lawnmower would not start period when the carb diaphragm was bad. I wouldn't go digging into the carb on a honda mower under warranty, let them make it right.

The diaphragm is a 3 dollar part on my mower.

 

[Nick R]

IF there is fuel in the bowl, but the manifold is dry, clean out the jet with compressed air and carb cleaner. Ours did this too, there was junk that plugged it up. Try blocking the choke on, and starting it and see if it does anything that way.

 

[01rangerxl]

These mowers can be really cantankerous. I'm not at all surprised to hear that the original crankshaft was bent, it seems to happen a fair amount with these.

Even if fuel is getting to the carb, it may be the source of your problem. In fact, it's likely the problem since you are getting spark and the plug is good. The good news is carbs are dirt cheap for these ($20, maybe less), though it would probably be covered by warranty, so just go that route. They are not even worth rebuilding. If you send it back to Home Depot, the company they send it to will almost certainly just put a new carb on it rather than rebuilding the original.

If the mower is less than a year old, and hasn't been abused at all, and all maintenance has been done, it's probably going to be fixed under warranty. Just take it back to Home Depot. They will send it off for the warranty work to be done.

 

[yeehaw1960]

And, I KNOW you didn't forget to turn the gas on...

 

[JoeFromPA]

Hehehe, the gas cut-off is turned the correct way

I'm going to try H.D. first but if they are a pain, I'll take it off and clear out the jet with compressed air and see what happens.

 

[stockrex]

I bought a wallys ohv, when I have starting issue, I take the plug out use a drinking straw to dump some gas and it start right up and then work fine after that....

 

[yeehaw1960]

The better manufacturers include a "straw-like-put-gas-in-the- cylinder-thingy"; patent pending.

 

[hal2626]

my Honda would not start from day one...too much of a hassle to take it in so I just give it a shot of contact cleaner and it starts right up...after it has been run it will start easily on its own.