i checked all the fluids.. everything is fine..

it starts up fine but then the motor chokes and it stops..

i pump the air thing 3 more times.. hold on the gas.. and pull the string.. it starts up fine.. THEN.. it chokes.

its pissing me off!

anybody know whats going on?

 

clean the carb?

 

spark plug?
fuel line?
or what teh jesal said

 

has the filter ever been cleaned, i know i tilted my mower once to clean teh underneath and smoked like

had the filter cleaned of the motor oil and it worked fine

 

Hmmm.....your muffler bearings might be loose.

 

Fuel line or Dirty carb like Eric, and teh Jesal said are the first things I would check out.

 

dang.. u guyz know what your talking about.. lol..

ill check all that tomorrow.. thanx guyz!

 

I agree with the air filter diagnosis. It looks like it is choking itself due to lack of air. Pull the air filter and see if it runs

 

i would guess it has to do with the flux capacitor, check to make sure there is some plutonium in there.

or try the air filter thingy.

 

cracked me up

 

i dont get it..




am i missing out on something funny?

 

It's the air filter. Had the same problem with mine. Pop the air cleaner off and try it.

 

I would say that it's NOT the air filter, or it wouldn't run at all. It's most likely a very small screen filter in the carb or in the carb float, it's clogged and not allowing gas into the carb. When you hit the prime squirter, it squrts a little gas directly into the engine by-passing the carb totally and it runs for a few seconds but then starves. Find the screen, find the problem. This is a very common problem, I have done it on many mowers.

 

i read it again just now, and it wasnt as funny as this morning

 

no it can be the filter. it may start but not have enough air to keep it going

 

Up I agree with the peeps here, it's a fuel related problem. Sometimes the jets in the carb get dirty/grimey so you have to clean 'em up...

I still haven't figured out what "pump the air thing three times" means...

 

good point

 

I think he means the primer??

 

and you also have a valid point, not to discredit your advice

 

o.. so its like a gas filter? ill look for this too.. i havent got lookin at the mower yet.. no time today.. had to go to school and run errands..
lol.. i guess it was one of those 'u have to read it at the right time' posts.. lol
haha.. is that what its called? lol.. the little air bubble that u have to pump? cool.. now i know the technical term.. mine is located next to the spark plug..

man.. im gonna have to take the whole motor apart and find these problems.. maybe change the sparkplug while at it..

 

Yep, that's the primer... I've got one on my weedwacker... Didn't realize that some lawn mowers have 'em now...

It sounds like the motor is only running on the fuel from the primer... Doesn't sound like its getting gas to continue running after the fuel from the primer gets used...

You shouldn't have to take the motor apart. It sounds like a fuel delivery problem.

Change the fuel filter and spark plug (normal maintence and cheap), an then the next step would be to clean the carb. You might be able to get away with using carb cleaner in a spray can.

 

have you been in a bubble??? even the cheap ones have it

 

No... I like antiques tho...

My riding tractors are older then some forum members (a 1978 JD and a 1987 Craftsman), and I haven't had a push mower since... well... a very long time...

Here's a link to a lawnmower forum:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/lmower/

I usually surf thru the garden web tractor forum...

 

that makes good sense

 

points for you

 

actually points for all

 

Dallison, in response to the rep point comment you left:

I have considered buying a new Sears DYT4000 for $1200-1500, but my $100 craftsman mows fine (she's a little ugly tho') and my JD is a more robust tractor then the DYT. The JD has 2 spools of hydraulics up front for attachments, heavy duty frame, and I can run ground engaging attachments off the rear (like a tiller or plow). The old JD is a garden tractor while the DYT4000 is still a lawn tractor. To get a Sears Garden tractor, it'll cost about $2500, and I still wouldn't have the front hydraulics (or a filter on the hydrostatic tranny, the sears is a sealed unit).

When my craftsman dies, I'll probably replace it with another craftsman, but if I replace the JD it will be with an even older Deere (I want a 68-74 JD 140H3).

 

@ GM

 

It's a sickness...

Some guys like to mod their cars, I like old tractors

 

nice selection also.

i have never run into used lawn equip, so hopefully the stuff i have lasts the 25 years like yers

 

yes i know.

 

Both of mine are used... Got the 87 sears (his name is murray) for $100 when I bought my house 3 years ago, and I just got the 78 Deere a couple of months ago...

I've been thinking about getting a snowblower like you did, but I haven't decided if I want to get a walk behind deal or something for the JD (54" plow or blower).

I bought a lawn sweeper to pick up leaves and it works great... No more raking...

 

dang! u keep your mower clean.. lol.. u should see mine.. needs a new paint job..

 

The above pic isn't my stuff, just a sweeper I saw online... Some people don't know what a lawn sweeper is...

My 87 is fugly... it needs paint, but it ain't getting any... The Deere will get completely repainted somewhere down the line, but for now I'm just paint parts as I repair stuff (painted the front rims when I put new tires on for example).

 

btw.. if i was to buy a mower with my dad.. whats better?

Honda motor

Craftsman motor

John Deere

others?

something not so expensive.. but runs well

 

If money is no object or if you plan on keeping it forever, something with the honda motor is great...

You probably know what you paid for the one you got, and how long it has lasted, so used that to guage what you want to spend on the next one. I think you should try to get the old one going, but remember, you're talking to a guy who has 2 really old tractors

The mowers from sears w/ the honda motors get kinda expensive, so if you're thinking of going that route, check out the prices for a Honda mower (not just the engine the whole mower is made by honda). Should be a honda power equiptment dealer around you.

I'm a cheap bastard, so I like the Briggs and Stratton stuff from Sears.. The 11hp B&S in my 17 year old sears is still going stong (built on 11/23/87). Uses about a quart of oil each season, but it's 17 years old, and I'm not afraid to beat on it. Sears is a decent bang for the buck. Not that expensive, for what you get.

I'm been watching Sears for a sale on their cheap push movers. I want one to do the hard to reach spots in the yard (around trees, flower beds, etc). I don't want a self propelled or one with a bagger. I think those are like $139 or so for their cheapest one (4.5hp). But remember, you get what you pay for... I'm leaning towards a 6.5hp model. I'll probably wait till next year tho' to buy.

The honda mowers are expensive, but really nice. Scrib bought one, so if you search ramblings for lawnmowers you find the thread.

I gotta hook up with these guys:

http://www.grasscar.org/old%20pages/indexold.htm

my kinda people

 

dang.. i didnt know u could supe up lawn mowers too.. lol

thanks for your input bro.. i went outside today and looked at the mower.. it was the filter afterall (THANKS GUYZ!) so i got it replaced, and mower works fine

maybe in the near future ill look into a really nice honda mower.. but like u said greenmonster they arent cheap .. so its gonna be way way in the future...

cool.. again everybody thank u!

 

It can get kind of expensive too...

http://www.briggsracing.com/home.html

Cool. I love it when it's the quick and easy stuff. So you're back in business, and got out cheap... See, there's nothing wrong with the old stuff after all

 

Hey watch it kiddo!

I think it might be the air cleaner, but you'll need a left handed turney clicky thing t fix it...

 

I actually wrote "older then most forum members", but then I remembered the older gentlemen like yourself and killer (and me and dustbuster, and Chief f1 fan, etc) and changed it to "some forum members"

A lawnmower is just like a car, you gotta do some maintenance on it. I do my yearly maintenance in the spring. Change the oil, re-oil the air filter, check the gas filter and lines, check the spark plug, clean the grass off the botton of the deck, and sharpen the blades...

The last 2 your should do a couple of times a year, but I've been slacking

One of these days I'll explain how to balance your blades when your sharpening them