Lawnmower won't start after being on its side.

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CharlieJ

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Hey guys, I need some help troubleshooting why my lawnmower will not start. The engine is a '06 Briggs 6.75 with a primer-bulb. I changed the oil a few days ago by tipping it with the exhaust facing down, filled it with oil and it started up and ran just fine. A few minutes later, I decided to change the drive belt (it's a rear wheel driven self-propelled mower). I Flipped it on the same side, exhaust facing down to change the belt. I put it right side up and now it will not start. I have replaced the spark plug with a champion RC12YC and checked for spark, it has good spark. Air filter is fairly new and is dry and clean. Took the carb off and sprayed all the ports with carb cleaner and made no difference.

When I prime the bulb a few times, it starts on the second pull and putters for a few seconds then stops again. I do not know what else to do from here.
 
Check that the gas cap vent hole is working (or start it without the cap on to confirm). If its plugged it will run for a few seconds and then die.
 
Gas is good, it's the same gas that was in it when it started up after I changed the oil.

I have not started it without the gas cap off, I can try that.
 
I stored my mower spark plug facing down one winter. Most of the oil found its way up that way and it hydro-locked.

Cure was to remove the plug and turn it over a bunch of times.

Go see if your brand new plug is oil fouled already.
 
Pull the spark plug, rotate the engine a few times. Let it sit for a few minutes. Re-install plug.Then try some starting fluid in the carb.
 
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I think that there must be something lodged in the carb somewhere. I got to to stay running (not at full speed). It sounds fuel related and smells like burning carbon. The exhaust gets very hot very fast. It is sounded a lot louder than normal and backfired when it stopped. Too lean or too rich?
 
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Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Check the oil level,I bet the carb dumped into the crankcase.

Does that happen? B&S says to flip it on its side to dump the oil like I have done. I did not realize that could be an issue.

I've got the carb apart and soaking in a can of carb cleaner. I will see what it will do tomorrow.
 
B&S 675 series with side-draft carb has a drainplug underneath...simply use a standard 3/8" extension bar (square) to crack open the drain plug.
Q.
 
Originally Posted By: Quest
B&S 675 series with side-draft carb has a drainplug underneath...simply use a standard 3/8" extension bar (square) to crack open the drain plug.
Q.
I know, but I have to take the blade off, the drive pulley on the crank off, and the protective cover for the belt.
 
Sure sounds like there is an obstruction within the carb. Use a little compressed air to finish the cleaning. Be careful with compressed air through the fuel inlet of the carb. To much psi can dislodge the rubber seat. Best to blow from the other direction. If you did not remove the seat before soaking you might want to make sure the soak did not damage the rubber seat. Not sure if float bowl nut on this engine has a jet in it or not. If there is, use the wire from a twist tie to clean it. A good device for removing the oil is a suction gun, similar to the standard grease gun. I use the main hose that attaches to the gun and super glue a smaller hose to the other end, to get into the sump. They run about $12. Works great for changing oil.
 
Change the air filter, or at least remove it and see if it runs.

History:
* Better half rang me at work one day in tears because she blew up the mower. Tilted it to clear the blades, and it wouldn't start - oiled up air filter.
* Was buying weed whacker cord at the local mower place, and a guy comes in with a ride on that he'd just changed the oil on. Wouldn't start...I told him to flip the air cleaner off and try iut...he did, and it was oiled up....Mower mechanic was pi$$ed, as he charged something like $150 to get them going previously. Word got around town like wildfire.
 
Found the problem (hopefully). I cleaned the carb twice, no good. Changed the spark plug twice (now with an NGK 6130 BCPR5ES), still no good. I checked the air filter, no oil on it and was fairly new. I only tip with the the carb facing the sky. Took the covers off, saw nothing out of the ordinary. One more place to check; flywheel key.

The flywheel key was sheared and timing was off so much that I could not get it to run. I have no idea how or why it was sheared, I have to hit anything that would shear it. Going to get a new key and see how it goes tomorrow. I am bewildered.
 
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