push mower not running right

[outlawram]

My mower is a small 21" yard machine with a 5hp briggs motor. Junk I know, but this season it has been starting different. I prime it 3 or 4 times and then it starts right up and runs for about 10-20 seconds and kills. I have to do this about three times before it will stay running and then it runs fine till next time i mow. I changed the spark plug and took the bowl off and cleaned the parts with carb cleaner, the air filter seems fine also. If i know it is about to kill on start up, I can push the primer in a few times and it will stay running. Kind of wierd but i thought maybe someone on here has had the same experience before. Thanks in advance.

 

[bmoeller]

It's a Briggs, what can I say?

Are you able to keep it running by playing with the choke? Is the fuel screen/filter clean? Is it getting gas at first, or is it just cold blooded? Did it do it last year?

 

[outlawram]

it does not have a choke it just has a primer on the side and yes if i keep priming it it will stay running. It has to be getting gas or it would not start right away. It has never been cold blooded before , last year it started fine. I drained the gas and ran it till it stopped last fall.

 

[TowPro]

When you removed the bowl, did you remove any jets and clean them out?



It sounds like there might be some gunk inside one of the jets causing a lean condition. I have a brand new one and I have to prime it, start it, it stalls, then prime/start again.



In fact my log splitter also has one of these style chokes, same thing, its hard to start in the summer, and even harder to start in the winter, "but there clean burning"

 

[wcaldwell]

I have one of these little $85. 00 B&S Murray push mowers that my wife bought at Service Merchandise before we met. It's about 20 years old. I changed the blade once. I also changed the spark plug once. I think I even changed the oil a couple times. I've even removed the air filter cover to see if it's clogged yet. I've forgotten to drain the gas when I put it away for the winter. I've taken this little mower, cleaned the area around the oil fill before opening it to ensure there was enough oil, filled the gas tank and pumped the prime button a few times, pulled the rope and that thing fires right up the first couple pulls.

Here in NM, I don't have grass, but I get freshly grown tumble weeds. I've taken this little thing and gone out and cut down tumble weeds that are 3 and 4 feet tall. It may bog down and die, but I pull the rope again and it fires right up. I use it to mow my dirt lawn weeds. It sits ignored for 10 months then is expected to run perfectly for the other two cutting things like these weeds.

I've considered a new mower that might cut the tumble weeds a little easier. But when that's all I'm going to use it for, I just can't justify it when this little Murray just keeps on going.



Wayne

 

[outlawram]

i never did check the jets. I will see what they look like.

 

[KBennett]

Did you check for codes? Just kidding.



It sounds like it's starving for fuel. I would take TowPro's advice and take the carb apart again and double check the jets. You may have a vacuum leak somewhere like a bad gasket on a mating carb to engine surface making the engine run lean until you give it a shot of fuel from the primer. Is the primer button mounted on the carb or is there a hose going to it? I have seen the hoses crack and create a vacuum leak. Maybe a PCV hose? My father in law had a Briggs that was doing a similar thing. It turned out that one of the grandkids was using it and stood on the carb housing for some reason. It bent the sheet metal flange that the carb mounted to causing a vacuum leak.



Good Luck!

 

[outlawram]

KBennett Saves the day! It was a cracked rubber vent hose. I replaced it and it runs like a champ. Thanks for everyones help at this. I have been mowing three times a week, with all of this rain not to mention all the fertilizer i put on i can barely keep up with it.

 

[Kurt Henzler]

briggs

i guess i got here to late. i am a briggs and stratton dealer along with many other brands. good job guys!