Lawn mower follies....

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TwinStick

Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Tue Aug 01, 2017 11:35 pm

So, got a Craftsman 3-in-one push mower. Have had it for about 10yrs. Been having trouble with it off & on for the last 2 seasons.Took the carb off 2x each of the last 2 yrs & cleaned it real good. Good for a while, then more issues. Took the gas tank off & hosed it out real good. Good for a while, then more issues. Replaced spark plug, good for a while, then more issues. So, today I was ready to shoot the SOB. Get on the interweb & find out that it is a common issue. So, tomorrow morning, I'm gonna go looking for a new coil & hope to put this issue to bed once & for all. Issue: Starts fine. Runs fine. Runs better with the E-3 plug i just put in it. Stop to empty the bag & it is just hit or miss, if it will start up again. Kid lost the OEM gas cap a long time ago. Only one i could find to fit it, had no vent. Thinking vapor lock may be the issue, i drilled a tiny hole in it today & it started right back up. Thought maybe i had it ? Nope, next bag full, it would not start. Hoping it is the coil. What a PITA. Just does not like to start when hot.

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Retired BLM Rig
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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by Retired BLM Rig » Wed Aug 02, 2017 3:07 am

The problem is the "operator presence cable" stretches or begins to seize in the cable housing and doesn't fully release the kill switch. They might also call it a "zone control cable". It's the cable that runs from the bail handle down to the flywheel brake. It happens slowly over time and you don't notice it, but the bail handle gets harder to pull down. Check it before you go buying a new coil. There's a small wire that runs from the kill switch over to the coil.
If it's a Briggs & Stratton engine, hang on to it. They don't make um' like they used to. The newer engines are a POS Chinese Honda knock-off. :angry:
Good luck! :patriot:

TwinStick

Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:09 am

Well, I replaced that cable just last year, so i ruled that out. Maybe it is f***ed again, IDK ? It seems to be working fine ? Coil did not help. About the only thing else I can think of, is that little wire that runs from the coil, to the kill switch. Maybe there is a crack in the wire & the heat makes it worse ? I will look into that next & probably just make up a new wire-to be sure. Today, Our new A/C system is being installed. Cant wait.
Last edited by TwinStick on Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by nts007 » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:14 am

When my bail handle cable frayed and got stuck in the sleeve I just tore it all out and connected a toggle switch to ground out the contact to kill the engine.
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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Fri Aug 04, 2017 6:14 pm

So today, I made up a new piece of wire & crimped a new connector on the end. So far, so good. It has started every time, even after letting it run for awhile. Maybe the wire was cracked, IDK ? It was a solid piece of wire, no strands. The one I replaced it with was a 10 Ga wire w/strands. Cleaned up all the contacts real good & zip tied the on/off cable to the handle in 6 places, so now the cable moves farther, instead of the cable and housing moving. Just in case, I drilled a tiny hole in the air filter cover, so I can shoot some starting fluid in there if it wants to play games again. We'll see. Been storming all day. Spent the afternoon putting foil tape on all the places that were leaking air on the new a/c system.

TwinStick

Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:09 pm

:rockon: Mowed the lawn today. No issues. Started back up every time. :rockon:

TwinStick

Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Mon Sep 25, 2017 2:23 pm

Well, that didn't last long. Lawn mower got much worse. Saturday it finally quit running all together. Would not start, not even with starting fluid. So I took it all apart for about the 25th time & think I finally got it this time. It was a 2 fold problem. There was 1 stray strand of copper wire, where the coil attaches to the operator control mechanism, that touched the metal shroud that holds the pull start. It barely touched it. So, I cut that off & cleaned it up again. The carb kept dumping gas & leaking all over. Took carb apart again & cleaned it real good again. Put it back together & same thing. Bought a carb float rebuild kit. The problem: ethanol. It shrunk the tiny minuscule rubber seat for the float needle valve & it was getting jammed in there sideways. Replaced it, filled with gas & it started up first pull. Mower the whole lawn, stopping 4x to empty the bag & it restarted each time with 1 pull & no primer. :rockon:

TwinStick

Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:36 pm

So, the way our yard & house & garage are set up, with the wind, leafs really gather in front of the garage door. Then, when I open the garage, they all blow inside of it ! :angry: So, I got the leaf blower/vac out & did the outside by the door & because their was not any snow in the yard, I figured i might get the mower out & vac up the leafs from other peoples yards that blew into mine. Well, don't you know, the g-damn mower would not start. Apparently the reason is beyond me. I tried everything, including starting fluid. :wtf: I REALLY hate that mower. So, I have had it with this POS American made small engine.

Bought a brand spanking new, SC700e, 4wd self propelled walk behind mower with a HONDA 190 engine, by Cub Cadet. Bought it an actual dealer (no big box store or tractor supply), that actually repairs them right there. Starts up first pull, even in this cold weather. And pull start is super easy. 3 year warranty, they do all the warranty registration right there, on line, for you. Got it for $100 cheaper than anywhere I could find on-line, they set it up, oil & a full tank of gas w/Stabil in it & threw in an extra blade. I am a happy man. :rockon:
https://www.mowersdirect.com/Cub-Cadet- ... 73640.html

I'd love to take the old Craftsman B&S engined mower to the range for target practice, but I will probably just put it out front, with a sign that says FREE & hope someone takes it ! lol :lol:

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by olyelr » Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:29 pm

Does it have lockers? :lol:
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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by RustyPW » Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:48 pm

If you put the mower out with a sign that says free. No one with take it. Write on the sign $100.00. And it will be gone the first night.

I have a self propelled Honda mower. Had it for 7 years now. Zero issues with it. It's been the best mower I've ever had. :rockon:
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TwinStick

Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:00 pm

olyelr wrote:
Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:29 pm
Does it have lockers? :lol:
I think so,lol. :lol: When i lifted the front end up & engaged the front drive, they both turned, lol. :lol: The front & rear engage separately. So it can be front wheel, or rear wheel or both. Crazy on a walk behind right ?

TwinStick

Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:01 pm

RustyPW wrote:
Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:48 pm
If you put the mower out with a sign that says free. No one with take it. Write on the sign $100.00. And it will be gone the first night.

I have a self propelled Honda mower. Had it for 7 years now. Zero issues with it. It's been the best mower I've ever had. :rockon:
:idea: :idea: :idea:

I may just try that in the spring. :lol:

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by MSCH2112 » Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:22 pm

i was told by a mechanic not to use fuel stabilizer for the winter but to run aircraft grade fuel through for the winter.

and yes......ethanol rots rubber quick so make sure you have a fuel filter on the inlet side of the carb.

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:15 pm

Would running 2 fuel filters on such a small engine starve it of fuel ?

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by olyelr » Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:08 am

RustyPW wrote:
Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:48 pm
If you put the mower out with a sign that says free. No one with take it. Write on the sign $100.00. And it will be gone the first night.
Exactly this. People see free and get skeptical. Put a price on it and it just might be worth something lol!

And if it dosnt sell, it could at least get stolen. But the damn thieves wouldnt take it if it had a free sign on it!
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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by RustyPW » Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:59 am

olyelr wrote:
Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:08 am
RustyPW wrote:
Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:48 pm
If you put the mower out with a sign that says free. No one with take it. Write on the sign $100.00. And it will be gone the first night.
Exactly this. People see free and get skeptical. Put a price on it and it just might be worth something lol!

And if it dosnt sell, it could at least get stolen. But the damn thieves wouldnt take it if it had a free sign on it!
Guy I used to work with had a couch that he wanted to get rid of. He put it in the front yard with a sign that said FREE on it. It sat in the yard for 2 weeks. He then put a sign on it that said $100. It was gone that night. :rofl:
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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:21 pm

:lol: People are awesome !!!

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by MSCH2112 » Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:02 pm

TwinStick wrote:
Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:15 pm
Would running 2 fuel filters on such a small engine starve it of fuel ?
what i mean...my oem fuel filter outlet had a 10" or so rubber fuel line going to carb. that particular fuel line eroded thanks to ethanol and went straight to the carb. so i installed a new fuel filter as close as possible to carb.

mike
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Support Search and Rescue-GET LOST

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w/ 12k Warn winch, Nav, Sunroof, Leer Topper, AMP boards, Spray on-bedliner-rockers-flares

SOLD 2005 Power Wagon w/ 12k Warn winch, loaded incl. leather, rockrails, nav, sunroof, 9.5 ti Warn winch in the rear, Gibson Headers and catback, Pace-Edwards full metal elec. bed cover and elec. tailgate lock, PIAA driving lights behind grill

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Re: Lawn mower follies....

Post by TwinStick » Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:56 pm

OK, well that seems easy enough. Just remove it from close to the tank & put it close to the carb. Thanks, easy peasy.

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