"Phil" wrote in message ...
I push the primer about 10 times, then pull the cord a few times. Nothing.
When I repeat (it's about 60 degrees here today), the mower runs strongly
for
only 1 or 2 seconds. Then I have to repeat all over again. It never runs
more
than 2 seconds, and seems to run longer with more priming.

I expect it's a clogged fuel supply somehow, even though the primer does
get
fuel to the engine.

Crafstman 15 yr old, self-propelled, 143.955500 engine

It ran out of gas the last time I used it, and now I have this problem.
Maybe
some particles of something got into somewhere. Same gas as before, not a
new
bad batch.

Air filter is not new at all, but I'd guess if it was bad, then the mower
would never start. (I already took the mower to the basement to work on it
away from the gnats, and it's partially disassembled - or else I'd remove
the
air filter anyway to see how it runs then.)

Thanks for any ideas.


Not the same mower, but I

Had the same problem.. removed the lower cover over the float... where the
center screw came out, farther in there was a jet which I screwed out.

It was plugged, blew it ot with air, reassembled worked fine. except lack
of power which turned out to be plugged air filter