Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

wrote:
Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

Hi,
First thing to check then is air filter. How does the exhaust smoke
look? Newer carbs don't have much in adjustment due to emission control
standard. Try to run it without air filter for temporary.

This will probably cost you a big whooping 50 cents but try it.

Replace the rubber fuel line.

It may have a crack in it that opens and draws air after the engine
starts.

My mower did the same thing and that was the problem.

Hope this helps.

On May 14, 11:56 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
wrote:
Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

Hi,
First thing to check then is air filter. How does the exhaust smoke
look? Newer carbs don't have much in adjustment due to emission control
standard. Try to run it without air filter for temporary.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hi Tony... sorry about that, I should have also mentioned that I did
run it without the air filter. I can see the throttle valve so I'm
assuming air supply is OK.

On May 15, 7:31 am, wrote:
This will probably cost you a big whooping 50 cents but try it.

Replace the rubber fuel line.

It may have a crack in it that opens and draws air after the engine
starts.

My mower did the same thing and that was the problem.

Hope this helps.

I'll give it a try, thanks. I have a spare fuel line handy.
However, the float reservoir is full of gas (gas is fed from the top
and drawn into the carb from the bottom). Would a cracked line have
any effect on this?
Also, I'm kinda baffled as to why the spark is wet after the engine
dies. It's as if it was getting too much gas in there.

On 14 May 2007 20:33:01 -0700, wrote:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you loosen the gas cap, will the mower stay running?

Check the vent hole on the gas cap, clear with a paper clip or other
small wire.
--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

If your spark plug is wet then fuel starvation is not the problem . Have you
tried a new plug. The old one may be breaking down. In any case it sounds to
me like loss of spark for whatever reason.
wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

On May 15, 3:29 pm, "jacko" wrote:
If your spark plug is wet then fuel starvation is not the problem . Have you
tried a new plug. The old one may be breaking down. In any case it sounds to
me like loss of spark for whatever wrote in message

ups.com...

Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

Hey guys... thanks for the replies.

I tried two brand new spark plugs with same effect. Checked for spark
- she's there too.
I thought about trying to do it without the gas cap but it was too
late as I was already on the way home.
I can understand the clogged cap but how would that explain the wet
plug though?
In any case, anything is worth trying and I'll get at it next weekend.
I'll even swap out carbs with a spare one I have here to see if that
is causing the problem.

I should have mentioned that the gas in there is over 6 months old
(was not stabilized over the winter), but my parents are telling me
that it ran ok two weeks ago on the same gas.

On 15 May 2007 13:08:31 -0700, wrote:

On May 15, 3:29 pm, "jacko" wrote:
If your spark plug is wet then fuel starvation is not the problem . Have you
tried a new plug. The old one may be breaking down. In any case it sounds to
me like loss of spark for whatever wrote in message

ups.com...

Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

Hey guys... thanks for the replies.

I tried two brand new spark plugs with same effect. Checked for spark
- she's there too.
I thought about trying to do it without the gas cap but it was too
late as I was already on the way home.
I can understand the clogged cap but how would that explain the wet
plug though?

Did you gap the plug correctly? A minor change in the gap can make a
difference.

Plugs can vary. One might burn hotter than another. The right plug and
gap are important.

The power stroke is not burning the fuel.

(A bad valve/seat?)


In any case, anything is worth trying and I'll get at it next weekend.
I'll even swap out carbs with a spare one I have here to see if that
is causing the problem.

I should have mentioned that the gas in there is over 6 months old
(was not stabilized over the winter), but my parents are telling me
that it ran ok two weeks ago on the same gas.
--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

At least try some new gas.
wrote in message
ps.com...
On May 15, 3:29 pm, "jacko" wrote:
If your spark plug is wet then fuel starvation is not the problem . Have
you
tried a new plug. The old one may be breaking down. In any case it sounds
to
me like loss of spark for whatever wrote in
message

ups.com...

Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

Hey guys... thanks for the replies.

I tried two brand new spark plugs with same effect. Checked for spark
- she's there too.
I thought about trying to do it without the gas cap but it was too
late as I was already on the way home.
I can understand the clogged cap but how would that explain the wet
plug though?
In any case, anything is worth trying and I'll get at it next weekend.
I'll even swap out carbs with a spare one I have here to see if that
is causing the problem.

I should have mentioned that the gas in there is over 6 months old
(was not stabilized over the winter), but my parents are telling me
that it ran ok two weeks ago on the same gas.

On May 15, 6:21 pm, "jacko" wrote:
At least try some new wrote in message

ps.com...

On May 15, 3:29 pm, "jacko" wrote:
If your spark plug is wet then fuel starvation is not the problem . Have
you
tried a new plug. The old one may be breaking down. In any case it sounds
to
me like loss of spark for whatever wrote in
message

roups.com...

Hi all...
Hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

My parents' Toro gas lawnmower doesn't want to operate.... it will
start running but dies within a second.
I checked the float in the carb and it works just fine, the needle
valve is not stuck and the reservoir has plenty of gas in it.
The engine will only start if I prime it about 5 or so times, if I try
to start the motor without priming it - it won't budge.
I tried different plugs to no avail. However, I noticed that once the
motor starts and dies, the plug is wet, which tells me that the mixure
is too rich.

Couple of questions at this point:
- what does the prime button do? Does it only fill up the float
chamber with gas? Or does it also pump some gas into the engine for
quicker starts?
- do lawnmower carbs have an adjustment somewhere where I can reduce
the amount of gas sucked into the combustion chamber?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

Hey guys... thanks for the replies.

I tried two brand new spark plugs with same effect. Checked for spark
- she's there too.
I thought about trying to do it without the gas cap but it was too
late as I was already on the way home.
I can understand the clogged cap but how would that explain the wet
plug though?
In any case, anything is worth trying and I'll get at it next weekend.
I'll even swap out carbs with a spare one I have here to see if that
is causing the problem.

I should have mentioned that the gas in there is over 6 months old
(was not stabilized over the winter), but my parents are telling me
that it ran ok two weeks ago on the same gas.


I did not gap the plugs... probably should have.
Also, will try the gas....
Quickie question though: what does the prime bulb do? Does it pump the
gas into the carb from the float reservoir for quicker starts?
Looks like the gas is gravity fed from the tank so that's the only
purpose of the prime bulb that I can see.
This may explain why the motor will start after about five presses of
the bulb and then dies.... it might have something with gas
starvation. Hmmmm..

I think the mower gap is either 025 or 030. I'd try 025 first.

I've seen mowers wtih water in the gas. They behave just like
this. Please try taking off the float bowl from the carb, and see
if you've got water.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

wrote in message
oups.com...

: I did not gap the plugs... probably should have.
: Also, will try the gas....
: Quickie question though: what does the prime bulb do? Does it
pump the
: gas into the carb from the float reservoir for quicker starts?
: Looks like the gas is gravity fed from the tank so that's the
only
: purpose of the prime bulb that I can see.
: This may explain why the motor will start after about five
presses of
: the bulb and then dies.... it might have something with gas
: starvation. Hmmmm..
:

Most of these small engines "prime" by spraying gas into the mouth of the
carb. If they start and run for a few seconds you have spark and gas.

The "running gas" comes from the bowl. Since you have gas in the bowl, it
looks like the tube that lets the flowing air suck the gas out of the bowl
is clogged.

You have to take the carb apart to the point where you can either blow this
tube clear or run a fine wire through it.

On May 16, 5:52 am, "John Gilmer" wrote:
Most of these small engines "prime" by spraying gas into the mouth of the
carb. If they start and run for a few seconds you have spark and gas.

The "running gas" comes from the bowl. Since you have gas in the bowl, it
looks like the tube that lets the flowing air suck the gas out of the bowl
is clogged.

You have to take the carb apart to the point where you can either blow this
tube clear or run a fine wire through it.

Thanks John... that's pretty much the conclusion I came to last night,
though I wasn't sure what the prime bulb did. I'll have a go at the
mower this weekend.

Thanks again.
Alex