my lawnmower wont start eh I thought my PC throubleshooting could fix it....doh

Forums › Off topic › my lawnmower wont start eh I thought my PC throubleshooting could fix it....doh

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439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#548895 23-Nov-2011 13:59

Bung: I have not hit anything with this thing it has been well looked after with regular scaning and defragmenting... but maybe the registry is out of order..."timing" omg I hope is not that.

Gordy7: Solid ten year lawnmower but only 3 year briggs&stratton engine though. I did stick the finger in there and yep and sucks like a flipping new born and pushes hard like a dvd rom when does not want to take the flipping DVD in. But once I put the carburator back I will try Microsoft CRC second edition. but I hope I dont have to fiddle with the BIOS.

Bung: Yep Brigg&Stratton is the windows operating system of most mowers so I guess is about time I give "Star Ya Bartard Linux 64bit" a try and it according to the reviews it looks like it has very infamable speed. here is the review from OverclockingyourMower.au http://www.nulon.com.au/products/Aerosols/Start_Ya_Bastard_Instant_Engine_Starter/

thanks for replies,

Andy

GamerOC

439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#548897 23-Nov-2011 14:06

The Ungeek: Good point it maybe that the problem. I get so busy with looking after the hardware and forgot to run windows update last night. "dodgy lead " yeah could be a faulty molex. What part of the PC is the Magneto then...Good troubleshooting guys,

cheers

Andy

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#548898 23-Nov-2011 14:08

I'm not a lawnmower expert, but it needs something to make a spark. In the absence of a battery it will have a magneto. Follow the plug lead back from the plug to find it.
But I would check the lead first and your carb before pulling that out. Also make sure your spark test procedure is correct.

rphenix

985 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#548905 23-Nov-2011 14:21

If you decide the spark is all good.

Then have you changed the fuel? Old petrol can be nasty and/or have water in it. The carb is usually pretty easy to remove (with the petrol tank still attached to it), so I would be tempted to lift it, drain the old petrol out of it and the fuel tank, but I wouldnt play with the carb itself though they are basic on a mower.

Make sure air filter is nice and clean (use petrol to clean it and wring it dry).

When you finish each time with it, put your foot in front of the lawn mower, and then push the mower up on its front wheels for a little then put it back down (get your foot out of the way before starting) This primes the carb so you dont end up pulling a million times to try and get it working.

The very last thing to do is to tweak the fuel mixture screw around the carb, count your turns either way so you can undo whatever you set. Its common for it to like starting on one position, to then die out when its warmed up, just means you need to back off on the richness of the mixture a half turn or so.

jonherries

1396 posts

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#548910 23-Nov-2011 14:31

I have the '87 Briggs and Stratton model, still boots on the first pull. Looking a bit worse for wear, so I took it to the repair guy in Miramar, Wellington on the corner of Hobart and Devonshire Road.

He replaced some heatsink lubricant, and did a bit of work on the ctrl and x buttons, and it is loved me since.

He was cheap. Maybe $100?

Jon

GamerOC

439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#548958 23-Nov-2011 15:37

rphenix: the priming the carb sounds good thanks
Yes spark is new, new petrol in, I took the fuel tank and I clean that up too and the little hose. I also cleaned the air filter. so later on I will put carb back and see if boots or if I get blue screen.

jonherries: Cheap repair at Miramar...I wish I was living back in Welli. Anyway If non of these works it will have to go to the repair guy or trademe and buy anotherone.

Andy

jaymz

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#548985 23-Nov-2011 17:36

Internal combustion engines need three things:
- Oxygen
- Fuel
- Spark

One of those three things isn't happening.

It is now troubleshooting one-o-one!

You mentioned that the spark was weak, so you changed the spark plug. Did the spark get better after changing the spark plug?

If you pour a small amount of fuel directly into the spark plug hole, and replace the spark plug, does the engine fire? If it does then cuts out, that will tell you that you have plenty of spark and the problem lies with the fuel or oxygen supply.

If you pour a small amount of fuel directly into the carb does the engine fire? If it does then the issue lies with the fuel supply from the tank to the carb. If not, then the issue lies with the carb or the air intake.

If you remove the air filter, and do the above, it will test whether the issue is with the carb or air intake.

Basic troubleshooting mate! break it down into logical steps and tackle each step on its own to eventually come to a conclusion!

Good luck!

P.S. if you are in Hamilton i would be happy to come have a look with you.

P.P.S - forgot one step, if the engine doesnt fire when putting fuel directly into the spark plug hole, then your issue lies with what generates the spark. Probably a replacement part at that point.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#548994 23-Nov-2011 17:54

Note a small amount of fuel would be about 1/4 teaspoon!

GamerOC

439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#549078 23-Nov-2011 21:42

jaymz: thank you so much for your reply. What an simple and easy to follow troubleshooting steps. I tried putting petrol in the spark hole and the engine fire but died. but then started to rain so much and I need it to go to friends party so tomorrow will follow rest of steps. Thanks again for the offer to come and have a look but unfortunately for me Im in Palmerston North.

TheUngeek: I did not measured the petrol but i put just enough to get a combustion with the spark. thanks

thank you so much,

Andy

jaymz

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#549442 24-Nov-2011 15:13

GamerOC: jaymz: thank you so much for your reply. What an simple and easy to follow troubleshooting steps. I tried putting petrol in the spark hole and the engine fire but died. but then started to rain so much and I need it to go to friends party so tomorrow will follow rest of steps. Thanks again for the offer to come and have a look but unfortunately for me Im in Palmerston North.

TheUngeek: I did not measured the petrol but i put just enough to get a combustion with the spark. thanks

thank you so much,

Andy

No problem, I love to learn new things, and i spent a lot of time mucking around with an old weedeater that had a similar problem. Faulty carb in it, but too expensive to replace so ended up getting a whole new one.

Let us know how you get on with it!

stuzzo

534 posts

Ultimate Geek

#549491 24-Nov-2011 16:58

I may have missed through the thread but did you say how old it was?

Often when a mower just won't start like this it is because the motor has lost compression.

If you pull the cord there should be good resistance back from the motor. If it pulls too easily it may not be providing enough compression. This is usually the first thing a mower guy will check.

Doing the valve up etc is not that expensive and can be worthwhile if it is a quality built mower.

blakamin

4431 posts

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Inactive user

#550498 27-Nov-2011 08:40

jaymz: Internal combustion engines need three things:
- Oxygen
- Fuel
- Spark

4 things

- compression

and that is one of the leading causes of small engines failing, as mentioned above.

Jaxson

8043 posts

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#550502 27-Nov-2011 08:46

By the way it turns out you don't need a lot of the outside bits on a lawnmower either. I have a collection of things that have fallen off and mine still starts eventually. One of those things is the entire muffler, so the kids cry and run inside and any nearby animals bolt, but yeah, it still works, kind of....

GamerOC

439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#552648 2-Dec-2011 14:22

Hi there I apologise for the delay in answering this post but I got very sick and finally I bounced back. this is what I did and I still have a motor that does not start.

1-I test compression with putting finger in the plug hole and I get strong both pressure and sucktion and also when I pull to start it it has some good resistance.

2- sparkplug replaced then removed air filter then I placed a bit of petrol in the sparkplug hole then replaced the spark plug and it starts and sounds great but then shuts off.

3- I removed the carburator and after taking rubber and plastic parts off I left it submerged in the petrol and next day looked clean. carb back on and did not start even when airfilter was on. but when I look at the reservoir at the bottom of the carb it is full of petrol but when I check the top of the carb where the air rushes in dry and no sighns of petrol going there?

4- I will take the carb to clean little tubes with high pressure air and see if helps.

and yes the petrol shut off or on was on.

thanks

I will get this going today either going around my lawn cutting it or going down a clift at the manawatu gorge. ahaha,

cheers,

Andy

Jaxson

8043 posts

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#552659 2-Dec-2011 14:34

Got a fuel blockage between tank and carb?

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