Lawn mower help...

I've allowed my yard to grow (3 weeks?) and went out yesterday to mow.  The mower ran for a minute then petered out.  I let it sit for a minute, then it restarted, ran for about four seconds and petered out again.  I figured it had some crud in the carb preventing it from continuing to run or the float might be stuck.  I got it restarted then literally rotated (rolled?) the mower 360 degrees in the hope the crud would fall from the bottom of the carb/float would unstick while it continued to run.  Once it was back to right side up it ran for a few seconds and died.  I repeated that procedure two more times with identical results.  

I really do not want to try and disassemble/clean the carb as the last time I tried that I wasn't able to fix it and had to buy a new mower.  On the other hand, at this time of the year the local repair shops are 4 to 6 weeks behind.  

Any suggestions?

Make sure the vent hole in the gas cap is clear.  When they get plugged, negative pressure in the tank will starve the engine for gas.

Does it have a fuel shut-off?  Is it open? 

Probably though, there's crap in the carb.  Most of the float bowls are held on with a single bolt.  Pull it off, verify fuel flow, dump accumulated crap.  Maybe get lucky?

These carbs are usually unfixable, but pretty cheap on Amazon. I would def buy a new carb before buying a new mower!

MiniDave said:

These carbs are usually unfixable, but pretty cheap on Amazon. I would def buy a new carb before buying a new mower!

Hey, that's a good thought.  I've already put one on my Predator 5 hp.  It was like 14 bucks.

Remove the air filter and see if it runs better or worse.
 

Drain out the gas tank, put new gas in, keep pulling till it cleans itself out?

Keep us posted. 

Shotgun?

That usually fixes any small engine problems I have 

When it starts to stumble give it a couple squirts of carb cleaner or starting fluid to verify that fuel is actually the problem.

Get it running and put your hand over the air intake on the carb, that can suck the crud out. 

If that fails go for the Amazon carb.

I would do this order:

1. Check the springs and cables for the throttle and the choke. Make sure they're not catching on anything.
2. Starter fluid, and rev the piss out of it once it's going
3. Drain gas, new gas in
4. New carb. Make sure no lines are fouled. 

If it worked fine 3 weeks ago, I'd lean toward there being water in the carb, and the only way to get it out is going to be to drain is. 

I would do the following

• Remove and clean the float bowl
• Spray some carb cleaner into any ports/jets you can get to without removing the carb. 
• flush some gas through the fuel line while checking the float/needle action
• Reinstall float bowl
• add fresh gas with a heavy dose of marine stabil (green stuff) to the tank. 

Fire it up and mow.

The brass screw that holds the fuel bowl on is the main jet, it will have a hole through it from side to side that connect to a very small hole down the center.  Make sure that is not plugged, spray some cleaner in the hole that the brass screw came out of and make sure that the spray makes it into the carb where it mixes with air.

Amazon carburetors are so cheap, and those tiny carbs are so finicky to get clean. I'd spend the $10 on a new one and see if that solves it. 

Folgers and No Time got it.  Water in the gasoline from ethanol.  There's prolly a lesson for everyone there...

In reply to stroker :

Glad to hear you solved it. 

I run Marine Stabil in my gas cans year round, since living in NE I never know when will be the last time the mower or snowblower is used for the season. 

Every spring, I chuck the carb from the mower into my ultrasonic cleaner with the aluminum-safe formulation of simple green, then I cut a new gasket on the cricut and send it for the season.  I also added a fuel shut-off and run it until it starves out.

I used to have the same trouble, now the only troubles I have are the sun dry-rotting the recoil starter's cord.