What's wrong with my lawn mower?

[biteme]

I don't have much mechanical knowledge, but I've got 1.5 acres to mow and my damn mower will not stay running long. Someone left it in the rain, but that was several days ago. Would that have anything to do with it? What else could be the problem?

 

[big4life]

This spring when I tried to start mine it would run for a few seconds and shut off, the carb needed adjusting.

 

[Ulcasterdropout]

Maybe rainwater got into the tank and is messing with your mix, causes a stall.
Maybe moisture got on the plugs.
Maybe you need to adjust the choke to let it heat up/dry out......then go to town.

 

[biteme]

Well I have no idea how to do that. Wonder how much it will cost to take it in? Is there any simple things that can go wrong that I can check? It will run for about 20 minutes, then it stops and I can't get it started the rest of the day.

 

[Ulcasterdropout]

I don't know how much it'll cost to bring it in. Places are different.

 

[biteme]

Thanks guys. It's probably something simple, If I can't fix it, shouldn't cost much to take it in if that's all it is.

 

[big4life]

If it runs that long then it probably isn't the carb. I would try draining the gas and putting new gas in. It might have water in it.

 

[RADAR]

use roundup and you have solved your mowing problem for the rest of the summer.

RADAR

 

[biteme]

use roundup and you have solved your mowing problem for the rest of the summer.

RADAR

I'm tempted to do that. I hate yard work. When my daughter's grown, I'm selling this place and getting a condo.

 

[biteme]

I bet it is waterlogged gas. It just ran for a few minutes and then quit. Can't get it started again.

 

[UA_Iron]

Buy a 12 Oz container of Gas Dry and pour it into the tank. (Any auto store has it, even walmart) It is basically anhydrous alcohol and it combines with the water then burns off.

if its not that then its probably carburetion issues. Since the air filter sits on top and is a direct opening into the carburetor it is possible that water got into it. Check the gas thing first, start from the most simple of the possibilities.

 

[biteme]

Buy a 12 Oz container of Gas Dry and pour it into the tank. (Any auto store has it, even walmart) It is basically anhydrous alcohol and it combines with the water then burns off.

if its not that then its probably carburetion issues. Since the air filter sits on top and is a direct opening into the carburetor it is possible that water got into it. Check the gas thing first, start from the most simple of the possibilities.

THanks. I'm gonna try that.

 

[UA_Iron]

THanks. I'm gonna try that.

12oz might be too much - just a warning, read the directions

 

[Buddy_Christ]

if that's not it, guess biteme is gonna learn how to change plugs and tear apart a carb. don't worry, we'll be gentle

 

[p0ink]

just hire someone to do it until you figure out what is wrong. any kids in your neighborhood?

 

[biteme]

just hire someone to do it until you figure out what is wrong. any kids in your neighborhood?

That's not in my budget. Noone would mow my yard without a riding lawn mower. The going rate is 80$. I mow it with a push mower. Good exercise.

 

[pitbullstl]

That's not in my budget. Noone would mow my yard without a riding lawn mower. The going rate is 80$. I mow it with a push mower. Good exercise.

Yeah the little bastard that cuts my grass, raised his rates this year without telling me. Went from $60.00 to $75.00 a week.......$300.00 bucks a month to cut grass.......it takes him about 40 minutes, he has one of those Dixie Chopper riding dealies that cuts grass at like 20 mph. 6 lawns a day $75.00 a pop....$2250.00 a week.........not bad for an 18 year old dropout. Had a guy come by last week who could barely speak English, offered to do it for $40.00, but he drives a busted ass Sanford and Son looking pickup.....and my neighborhood trustees wouldn't stand for that...

 

[HumorMe]

Don't know if this fits the bill but vapor lock could cause an engine to not start after it was working perfectly fine. It occurs when the vapor pressure of the gas is higher than the surrounding environment, and when it gets heated, the gasoline will boil creating a vapor of gasoline that the fuel pump can not handle.

I had an outboard engine that use to do this every now and then and it was very frustrating.