knute_m
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2005
- Messages
- 408
- Tractor
- Down to my lovable little red Mahindra with FEL, and backhoe.
This spring I inherited an Arens 927 series rear-engine mower with an 8.5 hp Briggs and Stratton engine.
Although it is probably about 10 years old, I doubt it has 75 hours on it. For the past three or four years I'd use it a couple of times per year with the dual bagger to clean up my in-law's yard. After each use, I'd either run all the gas out of the engine, or add Sta-bil to it. I also changed the oil each October.
Anyway, I brought it to a 2nd home we own where I have about an acre-and-a-half lawn to mow. Each time I've used it, the engine has died after it has been running about a half-hour, or so. It acts like it runs out of gas. If I try to start it, it will run for a couple of cycles. The longer I let it set, the longer it will run. If I wait about five minutes, it will usually start and run for another half hour, or so. On Saturday, it did its usual routine once. When I was almost all done, it died again, and would not restart even after about a half hour. I put it in my truck. When I got it home, I decided I'd try to work on it. It sat in the truck for maybe an hour or so before I tried to start it. It started instantly, and I mowed with it for about 45 minutes without problem.
From working on it about five or six times since May, this is what I know:
It has great spark (including, when the engine will not start). The spark plug looks like the carburetor must be set properly -- not fouled, not white, just right.
About the second time this happened, I pulled the carburetor off, and pulled it all apart. I couldn't find anything that even looked suspicious. I put it back together. I had the same problem the next time I mowed.
When cold, it starts instantly. I idles perfectly. It has plenty of power and does a great job of mowing when it is running.
I've pulled the muffler. Everything is clean.
On Saturday when it quit, I loosened the screw at the bottom of carburetor float housing. The gasoline that came out was really hot. It may be that the black gas tank was just heated from the sun (it was sunny and close to 90), but the gas line runs through a bracket that it part of the muffler. The carburetor is right next to the muffler. I'm wondering if I'm experiencing some kind of vapor lock -- but even after I ran gas out the float housing, it still would not start.
Does anybody have any ideas? I'm already bald, so I have no hair to pull out.
Thanks in advance,
Knute
Although it is probably about 10 years old, I doubt it has 75 hours on it. For the past three or four years I'd use it a couple of times per year with the dual bagger to clean up my in-law's yard. After each use, I'd either run all the gas out of the engine, or add Sta-bil to it. I also changed the oil each October.
Anyway, I brought it to a 2nd home we own where I have about an acre-and-a-half lawn to mow. Each time I've used it, the engine has died after it has been running about a half-hour, or so. It acts like it runs out of gas. If I try to start it, it will run for a couple of cycles. The longer I let it set, the longer it will run. If I wait about five minutes, it will usually start and run for another half hour, or so. On Saturday, it did its usual routine once. When I was almost all done, it died again, and would not restart even after about a half hour. I put it in my truck. When I got it home, I decided I'd try to work on it. It sat in the truck for maybe an hour or so before I tried to start it. It started instantly, and I mowed with it for about 45 minutes without problem.
From working on it about five or six times since May, this is what I know:
It has great spark (including, when the engine will not start). The spark plug looks like the carburetor must be set properly -- not fouled, not white, just right.
About the second time this happened, I pulled the carburetor off, and pulled it all apart. I couldn't find anything that even looked suspicious. I put it back together. I had the same problem the next time I mowed.
When cold, it starts instantly. I idles perfectly. It has plenty of power and does a great job of mowing when it is running.
I've pulled the muffler. Everything is clean.
On Saturday when it quit, I loosened the screw at the bottom of carburetor float housing. The gasoline that came out was really hot. It may be that the black gas tank was just heated from the sun (it was sunny and close to 90), but the gas line runs through a bracket that it part of the muffler. The carburetor is right next to the muffler. I'm wondering if I'm experiencing some kind of vapor lock -- but even after I ran gas out the float housing, it still would not start.
Does anybody have any ideas? I'm already bald, so I have no hair to pull out.
Thanks in advance,
Knute
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