Know Anything About Lawn Mowers?

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FishyItch

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Hi All,

I'm on my way to the hardware store tomorrow, but I thought I'd throw this question out there to see what you guys thought.

I've got a new Toro self-propelled lawn mower I bought in the spring. Before the drought I noticed it wasn't running as strong as it did when it was new. I started it up again last week because my grass is finally growing and I'm having trouble keeping it going. It will start up and just turn off a few seconds later. Or if it does keep running it will shut down after I push it through a few feet of grass.

I called Toro, but couldn't get a live person on the phone. How I hate that!

Anyway, I know very little about lawn mowers and I am not too mechanically inclined so I'm wondering if you guys have any thoughts. Spark plug? Air filter? Something else?

Thanks!
 
Sounds like the carb maybe clogged up. If it's new I would take it in for warranty.
 
Are you using gas with ethanol, and how old is it? Your carb could be gummed up or you are trying to run on gas and water. https://fuelschool.blogspot.com/2009/02/phase-separation-in-ethanol-blended.html

Try using fresh gas treated with Sta-Bil and you may need to run some Seafoam through the carb. Good luck
 
gillhunter said:
Are you using gas with ethanol, and how old is it? Your carb could be gummed up or you are trying to run on gas and water. https://fuelschool.blogspot.com/2009/02/phase-separation-in-ethanol-blended.html

Try using fresh gas treated with Sta-Bil and you may need to run some Seafoam through the carb. Good luck

i agree. when i bought my craftsman, they told me the same thing - also not to use gas with ethanol. i had to laugh bc that isnt an option for me where i am
 
The mower is nearly new. I bought in March, used it regularly until about the beginning of June, and then it sat in the garage because we weren't getting any rain.

The gas I have been using I believe "contains up to 10% ethanol" but I don't think there's a place near me where I don't see that sticker on the gas pump.

Through my online research I did see "clean the carb" a lot so maybe I'll try that. What kind of ticks me off though is that the mower had a "guaranteed to start" sticker on it when I bought it, and now it's not starting. Maybe I will just go for the warranty, but in the mean time my yard keeps growing :? .
 
Just take it back for warranty service. That's why there are warranties. If you do much more than work with the fuel, you could void the warranty.
 
Empty out the fuel tank add fresh gas with a few ounces of sea foam. If that doesn't work go for the warranty.
 
also drain the carb bowl. thats the first place i start when someone asks me to get a mower running. drain the water out of the screw in the bottom of the bowl. the bowl may/maynot come off when the screw is removed, most cases it will dump the bowl reaplce and fill with fresh gsa that has stabil in it.
 
+5 (or 6, I lost count) on trying fresh fuel. I've had similar problems with several of my 2- & 4-stroke yard tools and a fresh batch of fuel usually does the trick. After that, I'd open up the air filter and see how she looks. If it's dirty, give it a good wack on the ground to get some of the big stuff out, perhaps blow it out with compressed air (careful, not to high of a pressure), or replace as necessary. After that, I'd start looking at the plug (fouled?), plug gap, etc.

Worst case, take it in for warrranty. If it's been a good long off-season since it's seen regular use, I'd probably change the oil for good measure.

Hope that helps. 8)

P.S. Sta-bil or any other fuel treatment is usually a smart thing to run, but they usually only last 6-12 months. I use them to prevent gumming, but I wouldn't count on them for long term storage...at least not thinking that adding them will have your machine 'start right up' after an off season.
 
I got a email awhile back talking about this new crap gas we are getting at the pumps. It goes bad in 30 days so a fuel stabilizer is a must in our small engines.
The owner of a local lawn mower/small engine shop told me to only use 92/93 octane gas in all my small engines and I do. It don't go bad as fast as regular unleaded and mid grade. I only run Chevron gas too. And lastly buy your gas/diesel from stations that sell alot of gas.
Hope you get it going soon.
 

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