Have a pull start mower that was working fine until today. Got it
started no problem (about 3 pulls) and got about half my lawn done.
Stopped it twice to empty the bag and after the 3rd start (both 2nd
times started right up) it was working fine until I hit some heavy
grass and it bogged down I pulled back but it stopped. But when I went
to restart it it started fine but with a few seconds it started to slow
down and then stopped. Working the throttle doesn't seem to help (if I
feather it it will keep running a little longer, but still stops). One
thing that is interesting is if I rock the mower back and forth or
side to side it will rev back to normal speed so something tells me I
have some sort of fuel flow problem. Let it sit for over an hour with
no change.

Cleaned air filter, oil looks good, had just filled tank with fresh gas
(although when I started it it seemed like some gas did leak out from
under the cap).

Unit is 12 years old.

Any ideas on what to check?

Thanks

wrote in message
ups.com...
Have a pull start mower that was working fine until today. Got it
started no problem (about 3 pulls) and got about half my lawn done.
Stopped it twice to empty the bag and after the 3rd start (both 2nd
times started right up) it was working fine until I hit some heavy
grass and it bogged down I pulled back but it stopped. But when I went
to restart it it started fine but with a few seconds it started to slow
down and then stopped. Working the throttle doesn't seem to help (if I
feather it it will keep running a little longer, but still stops). One
thing that is interesting is if I rock the mower back and forth or
side to side it will rev back to normal speed so something tells me I
have some sort of fuel flow problem. Let it sit for over an hour with
no change.

Cleaned air filter, oil looks good, had just filled tank with fresh gas
(although when I started it it seemed like some gas did leak out from
under the cap).

Unit is 12 years old.

Any ideas on what to check?

Thanks

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)

Thought of that, just got back from trying a few other things.

Took gas cap off, same problem, but now it didn't even want to turn
over. Priming it will get it to start, but now it will just start, run
until the gas is gone from the prime and then stop. It is like it
isn't pulling any gas into the carb once it starts to run.

"CORiverRat" wrote in message
oups.com...

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if
the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are
made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)

Thought of that, just got back from trying a few other things.

Took gas cap off, same problem, but now it didn't even want to turn
over. Priming it will get it to start, but now it will just start, run
until the gas is gone from the prime and then stop. It is like it
isn't pulling any gas into the carb once it starts to run.

Probably some bits of grass clippings in the tank or carb.

On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:25:41 -0400, "ng_reader"
wrote:


wrote in message
oups.com...
Have a pull start mower that was working fine until today. Got it
started no problem (about 3 pulls) and got about half my lawn done.
Stopped it twice to empty the bag and after the 3rd start (both 2nd
times started right up) it was working fine until I hit some heavy
grass and it bogged down I pulled back but it stopped. But when I went
to restart it it started fine but with a few seconds it started to slow
down and then stopped. Working the throttle doesn't seem to help (if I
feather it it will keep running a little longer, but still stops). One
thing that is interesting is if I rock the mower back and forth or
side to side it will rev back to normal speed so something tells me I
have some sort of fuel flow problem. Let it sit for over an hour with
no change.

Cleaned air filter, oil looks good, had just filled tank with fresh gas
(although when I started it it seemed like some gas did leak out from
under the cap).

Unit is 12 years old.

Any ideas on what to check?

Thanks

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)


To test the cap, put it on loose, then wrap a little duct tape around
the cap and tank so it dont fall off and get chopped up.

You might have too much grass, or some twine, or whatever entangled
around the blade and crank. Remove plug wire, flip the mower over and
check. Put wire back on.

OR, you got a plugged gas filter, bad gas hose (collapsed), or clogged
carburator. Take hose off carb and see if gas runs out. Replace
filter (if there is one). If there is no clog or bad hose, take the
bowl off the carb. They tend to fill with crud. Clean it well an
replace it. You may need a new bowl gasket, but I have reused them
too.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Dnt "flip" the mower over unless you want base oil to enter the combustion
chamber via the crankcase vent.
wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:25:41 -0400, "ng_reader"
wrote:


wrote in message
roups.com...
Have a pull start mower that was working fine until today. Got it
started no problem (about 3 pulls) and got about half my lawn done.
Stopped it twice to empty the bag and after the 3rd start (both 2nd
times started right up) it was working fine until I hit some heavy
grass and it bogged down I pulled back but it stopped. But when I went
to restart it it started fine but with a few seconds it started to slow
down and then stopped. Working the throttle doesn't seem to help (if I
feather it it will keep running a little longer, but still stops). One
thing that is interesting is if I rock the mower back and forth or
side to side it will rev back to normal speed so something tells me I
have some sort of fuel flow problem. Let it sit for over an hour with
no change.

Cleaned air filter, oil looks good, had just filled tank with fresh gas
(although when I started it it seemed like some gas did leak out from
under the cap).

Unit is 12 years old.

Any ideas on what to check?

Thanks

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if
the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)


To test the cap, put it on loose, then wrap a little duct tape around
the cap and tank so it dont fall off and get chopped up.

You might have too much grass, or some twine, or whatever entangled
around the blade and crank. Remove plug wire, flip the mower over and
check. Put wire back on.

OR, you got a plugged gas filter, bad gas hose (collapsed), or clogged
carburator. Take hose off carb and see if gas runs out. Replace
filter (if there is one). If there is no clog or bad hose, take the
bowl off the carb. They tend to fill with crud. Clean it well an
replace it. You may need a new bowl gasket, but I have reused them
too.

Hope this helps.

Mark

John Lawrence wrote:
Dnt "flip" the mower over unless you want base oil to enter the combustion
chamber via the crankcase vent.
wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:25:41 -0400, "ng_reader"
wrote:


wrote in message
roups.com...
Have a pull start mower that was working fine until today. Got it
started no problem (about 3 pulls) and got about half my lawn done.
Stopped it twice to empty the bag and after the 3rd start (both 2nd
times started right up) it was working fine until I hit some heavy
grass and it bogged down I pulled back but it stopped. But when I went
to restart it it started fine but with a few seconds it started to slow
down and then stopped. Working the throttle doesn't seem to help (if I
feather it it will keep running a little longer, but still stops). One
thing that is interesting is if I rock the mower back and forth or
side to side it will rev back to normal speed so something tells me I
have some sort of fuel flow problem. Let it sit for over an hour with
no change.

Cleaned air filter, oil looks good, had just filled tank with fresh gas
(although when I started it it seemed like some gas did leak out from
under the cap).

Unit is 12 years old.

Any ideas on what to check?

Thanks

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if
the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)


To test the cap, put it on loose, then wrap a little duct tape around
the cap and tank so it dont fall off and get chopped up.

You might have too much grass, or some twine, or whatever entangled
around the blade and crank. Remove plug wire, flip the mower over and
check. Put wire back on.

OR, you got a plugged gas filter, bad gas hose (collapsed), or clogged
carburator. Take hose off carb and see if gas runs out. Replace
filter (if there is one). If there is no clog or bad hose, take the
bowl off the carb. They tend to fill with crud. Clean it well an
replace it. You may need a new bowl gasket, but I have reused them
too.

Hope this helps.

Mark
suggest you try all mentioned by Mark and possible look at a carb kit but it is probely dirt in the carb and it needs to be checked also look at the float

On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 05:14:18 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:25:41 -0400, "ng_reader"
wrote:


wrote in message
roups.com...
Have a pull start mower that was working fine until today. Got it
started no problem (about 3 pulls) and got about half my lawn done.
Stopped it twice to empty the bag and after the 3rd start (both 2nd
times started right up) it was working fine until I hit some heavy
grass and it bogged down I pulled back but it stopped. But when I went
to restart it it started fine but with a few seconds it started to slow
down and then stopped. Working the throttle doesn't seem to help (if I
feather it it will keep running a little longer, but still stops). One
thing that is interesting is if I rock the mower back and forth or
side to side it will rev back to normal speed so something tells me I
have some sort of fuel flow problem. Let it sit for over an hour with
no change.

Cleaned air filter, oil looks good, had just filled tank with fresh gas
(although when I started it it seemed like some gas did leak out from
under the cap).

Unit is 12 years old.

Any ideas on what to check?

Thanks

I came looking for a similar answer, and will continue to do so, but if the
gas cap is on too tight, this is what happens. ( I think gas caps are made
to vent, however, they don't always work that way)


To test the cap, put it on loose, then wrap a little duct tape around
the cap and tank so it dont fall off and get chopped up.

You might have too much grass, or some twine, or whatever entangled
around the blade and crank. Remove plug wire, flip the mower over and
check. Put wire back on.

OR, you got a plugged gas filter, bad gas hose (collapsed), or clogged
carburator. Take hose off carb and see if gas runs out. Replace
filter (if there is one). If there is no clog or bad hose, take the
bowl off the carb. They tend to fill with crud. Clean it well an
replace it. You may need a new bowl gasket, but I have reused them
too.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Also check the head gasket for a leak. Sounds similar to what happened
with my old mower several years back.


Gary Dyrkacz

Radio Control Aircraft/Paintball Physics/Paintball for 40+
http://home.comcast.net/~dyrgcmn/