Small engine guru needed:

[Peter Guy]

I have two lawn implements (lawn mower, leaf blower) that my local shop says aren't worth bringing in for repair. HOWEVER, I would like to try to fix them.

They both start and run if fuel (in particular, starter fluid) is put directly into the air intake -- but then after a few seconds they sputter and stop.

I've taken the carb off each, sprayed carb cleaner where ever I could and blown it dry (aren't that what old 72's are for?) -- put it back on and -- yes, it will start but then sputters and dies.

Fuel line is clear.

What am I missing? What is (are) the likely culprit(s)?

 

[redacted]

I am not a small engine guru but I have wrestled a couple back to life. The symptoms you describe point to a carburetor problem I have experienced a few times. In the bottom of the carburetor bowl, reasonably accessible usually without removing anything more than perhaps the air filter, there is a nut that needs to be removed and cleaned. There is a channel in this nut that is easily clogged as gas evaporates from the carb. I sprayed mine with carb cleaner until the spray passed thru the openings. You may want to get some help to keep all the gas from running out of the fuel tank while you do this.

I usually have had to end up removing the bowl and giving the rest of the interior of the carb a thorough spraying to clean out the rest of the deposits and get the float working correctly. But you may get lucky.

If the only way that you can get it started is with starter fluid or gas poured into the throat of the carb, then the float is probably stuck also so you will probably have to pull the bowl to clean the float and valve it operates. If it starts on gas that is flowing from the tank into the carb and then dies after a few seconds, that is the channels in the nut blocked.

Good luck.

BTW, that bowl on my small engines has pulled off once the nut is removed. You might get away with reusing the gasket but don't count on it.

 

[In10se]

Sounds like the motor is okay, but the carb needs cleaned/rebuilt/replaced. Not hard on a mower carb. Just pull it, break it down and clean every little crevice and pin hole you see. Put some eye wear on as carb cleaner is a b@#$$ when it gets diverted back in your face and hits ya in the eye. Mower carbs are soooooo basic, but do be methodical in your approach and all will be fine. Google the mower you have and ad carb cleaning and you'll probably find a video of exactly how it's done, or at least a step by step explination.

 

[sandmanz32]

im no small engine expert, but a internal combustion engine guru so to speak. you definitely have a fuel delivery problem. id star by removing the carb and letting it soak in a tub of carb cleaner. you can buy these at advance auto. napa, etc. after throughly cleaning the carb after the soak, make sure that the float has no holes in it, and actually "floats". if thats all good, reassemble the carb, put a new gasket on there, and reinstall. most mowers use a gravity feed fuel system so make sure the fuel line has no soft spots in it and is as straight as possible going into the carb from the fuel tank. also, if your mower is stored for long periods insure the gas in the tank is clean, and if it has had nasty gas in there clean all the gunk out of the tank with some carb cleaner and let it dry throughly and you should be good to go.