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Not sure what a restricted carb is, but a lot of time it is due to gas sitting for awhile in the carb. On my tiller, I added a gas shut-off valve. When I am done with it for the season, I turn the gas off and let it run dry. Always starts on first or second pull the next season.
Have had my fair share of cleaning out carbs, it's a tedious pain. I know a lot of people do this, I may do add a valve to my tiller this year. You can add Sta-Bil to the gas, but I think that running the carb dry is a much better idea. My Honda snowblower has a shutoff valve already.
As far as riding mower failure points, for me it's been the deck system first. Decks are made cheaply these days, relative thin steel, poor quality bearings, poorly designed suspension components and so on. Once they get misaligned or tweaked you can't keep belts on.
If you can afford it, the better brands like Kubota have much more durable deck systems.
Haven't had many push mowers in recent years so can't really comment about those, but for any small equipment engine, the fuel system is always the most vulnerable.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arktikos
Ethanol free gas is also a good idea, right?
Yes, I use it in my 1974 Nova and all of my gas engine equipment. It's a little bit more expensive, but we have a Centex station available just 5 miles away at the Grange. For the 2 cycle machines such as the chainsaw I use the canned pre-mixed ethanol-free from Home Depot or Lowe's.
As a small engine mechanic......almost 50 years ago, I always checked to make sure there was gas in the tank first. And then smelled it to see if it was fresh. Next was check for spark. No spark, made sure the flywheel wasn't rusted and the flywheel key wasn't sheared. If no problems there, put a new spark plug and give it a try. After that it would typically be a carb issue and probably a rebuild.
Also, when checking the gas, make sure there isn't water in the tank. Unbelievable how many lawn mowers and even gas cans are left outside to the elements.
I usually come across free lawn equipment on the side of the road. I don't look for it, but if i pass a free snowblower or free lawnmower, i toss it in the back.
9 times out of 10, the carb is gunked up and jets are clogged. An hour in the ultrasonic with a little disassembly and reassembly and the equipment fires right up with fresh gas.
Common reasons? A hot sunny day and a recently purchased six pack. Interpersonal relationships. Lack of an available offspring and $10 to spare.
(You asked)
Not sure what the $10 means (the kid next door?) but the rest of it pretty much nails it. I have recently seen videos where you can tie the mower to a stake, fire it up and round and round she goes until the rope is wound around the stake. This can be done while the interpersonal relationship thingy is engaged.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arktikos
Ethanol free gas is also a good idea, right?
My BIL talks about water in his fuel tanks ad nauseum, and how you just have to use ethanol free fuel if you want to stand a chance with carbureted motors.
Personally, i run my small motors on a mid-grade fuel, keep it fresh, and add a little bit of Stabil at the end of each season with the snowblower and the lawn mowers. Never had a hint of a problem with either of the machines the next season: Add some fresh fuel and fire them off. Literally first time, every time.
I change plugs every year along with fresh oil. Air filters are changed at that time as well. It is a little more costly but in the end there is no yanking your guts out and fiddling with carburetors (which are the most likely culprit for problems if the plugs and fuel are fresh).
The crap you pick up along side of the road/from "friends" (who can't get things to run) invariably just need a good carb cleaning. Take it apart, wash it all down, put in fresh gaskets/jets as necessary, and that solves the majority of small engine problems (which are generally brought on by not doing the seasonal maintenance mentioned above).
1.Defective spark plug
Due to carbon buildup and a weakened electrode, the spark plug will degrade over time which can prevent the engine from starting. You should inspect the spark plug for damage or wear and you can also use an ignition tester to help determine if the spark plug is defective. Generally, we recommend replacing the spark plug with a new one once a year.
2.Restricted carburetor
The residue that results from old fuel being left in the tank can create a restriction in the carburetor. This is why you should always use fresh fuel when filling the tank and a fuel stabilizer to help maintain the quality of the fuel. You can try cleaning the carburetor with carburetor cleaner to eliminate the clog. If cleaning is not effective, you can often purchase a carburetor repair kit to replace some of the components or install a new carburetor altogether.
3.Clogged fuel filter
Old or bad fuel can also crate a clog in the fuel filter which can prevent the engine from starting. We recommend replacing the filter with a new one.
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Common reasons why your lawn mower won't start
