Lawnmower won't start; now what do I do?

[mrvanwinkles]

the gas nowadays is pure crap

Well, Ya. Sometimes it is.

I suspect they're cutting the lower grades with more and more cheaper ethanol alcohol - partly to be "green", and partly to make a little extra profit.

I also suspect they may be mixing in various other recycled "solvents" and stuff that will burn - but perhaps not burn the greatest.

I don't have actual proof - but my car runs like crap on the regular grade.

Ethanol Alcohol also has less energy content than real gasoline.

So in theory, going to fuel with NO ethanol alcohol / straight gasoline - has more energy content as well. Which in theory will give you better performance - AND - more mileage.

All "in theory" - but I think true.

[ta guy]

Yes actually it is from one gas company that I've had this happen with.Just thought I'd fire it out there to see if it has happened to anyone else.The leftover gas in my mower has to be drained out in the spring.It just will not start with that old gas.

[classicsat]

Petro-Can in the London region has had trouble with ther regular gas, and has closed a number of pumps/stations because of it.

We had gas in our generator all fall and winter. it started an fine after some pulling, and now is back to a two pull start. I dd top it up with fresh gas.

[Enrik]

I do not know how to start a new thread for my starting problem.

Engine will only run under extreme chocking situation, i.e. when I choke the intake with my finger(filter off) after having squirted gasoline into the intake.
Bowl is full, float and pin work. Last year same problem, but I fixed it by repeated chocking, like I described until it finally started on its own by priming with bellows button and needed no more chocking to run.

Any advise is appreciated.

[Danster]

How many adjusting screws do you see on the carb?

[mrvanwinkles]

Hard to diagnose on an internet forum.

Likely a carburator / mixture issue.

Anything wrong with a carburator, generally means get a rebuild kit for that specific carburator, disassemble, investigate, clean all parts really well, reassemble carefully, - with correct parts, some of them new (jets, float, needle valve, gaskets, etc.), adjust according to specs, and test / try.

Disassembly and careful inspection of the carburator and parts usually uncovers some obvious trouble or problem, or just dirt and gum / varnish - so long as the person doing it knows about carburators and has experience and knowledge and knows what to look for, and what to do.

Not easy diagnosing and fixing these things ...

i.e. should go to a good experienced small engine mechanic.

Question - does it have it's own CHOKE ? Manual or automatic ?

Is the Choke mechanism working? Adjusted properly?


Chokeing is just for starting when cold / or not fully warm.

Then the choke should gradually open up as the motor warms up.

Choke fully open when engine warm / hot.

And carburator gives proper mixture from then on.


Hard to diagnose and fix those things over a forum.

Best to take to good small engine mechanic, I think - unless you have some experience with carburators, and tools and feel you know enough to try and fix it.

[ Drawings and instructions for the carburator usually come with a rebuild kit. Review your Owners and Operators Manual or Service Manual if you have one. Review any documentation that came with the Lawnmower - will likely give you valuable information. ]

[mrvanwinkles]

Story: I had a lawnmower, would not start most of the time.

Would start sometimes (intermittently), run fine, cut the whole lawn, but the next time, NO. And not again - no matter what I did.

[ Intermittent trouble - the most difficult to find and solve ]

Got fed up. Took it to the dealer's / service shop that sells those exact types of lawnmowers, and asked the "EXPERTS" to fix it.

They took apart the CARB, cleaned it out, gave the lawnmower back to me, and said:

"FIXED" - "gummed up / varnished up CARB - gummy stuff in the screen, and in the bowl."

Took it home. Used it once.

Tried again next time - SAME THING. Would not run.

NOT FIXED !

Took it back to Same Dealer / Expert Shop / Small engine mechanic.

Said problem is still there, intermittent.

And I TOLD THEM / INSISTED: CHANGE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE

They hesitated, argued with me, but I stuck to my request.

"DO IT, and CHARGE ME - I don't care" I told them.

[ They did it, but only charged me for the PART. No labour. That's OK. ]

Sure enough, that was the problem. Starts and runs every time after that.

Something perhaps to consider.

FIXED. Dang it.

[Danster]

If it's the fire, very easy to check. Pull out spark plug and insert it as if you were going to start it normally in the rubber cap. Put the spark plug on any metal surface and pull the cord. If it's an orangy colored spark, the coil is bad. If it's blue, you are good.

To the OP, to me, it looks like a mixture problem since you say it will run with your finger choking it.

[mbhydro]

Talking about gas there is being advertised in Winnipeg a fuel available from some small engine shops that is designed for lawnmowers, snow blowers and other small engines.

It' called Aspen and is made up of something called alkylate.

I have never used it, the the local distributor is pushing it right now for ice augers, snow blowers etc.

I can't find a price but what I was able to find on the internet is that it is more expensive than "normal" gas but is more stable and should not gum up your machine if left over into the next system.

[tom2day]

Alkylate is simply a high octane fuel with water dispersion from what I understand.