My mower has a motivational issue - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

spence · 05-12-2007, 08:47 AM

Bought a new Craftsman mower last summer...worked fine.

Started right up this spring no problem, but the engine just feels like it's running at 70%.

It's all new gas, clean underneath and the air filter is fine.

I didn't remove the spark plug, but I can't believe it's corroded already. Also thought about a clogged fuel line.

Any ideas???

thanks,

-spence

UserRemoved1 · 05-12-2007, 09:14 AM

Did you change the framistanic filter?

thortum · 05-12-2007, 10:05 AM

It's a sign from above-put mower away and go fishing! There here.

stripersnipr · 05-12-2007, 10:29 AM

Is it the 6.5 hp Tecumseh?

leptar · 05-12-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spence

Bought a new Craftsman mower last summer...worked fine.

.........

Any ideas???

thanks,

-spence

Ya it's a Craftsman... fix it, sell it and buy a Honda.

fishaholic18 · 05-12-2007, 10:53 AM

Take the bowl off the bottom of the carb and clean it out. Bet it's full of crap, I do mine at least 2 times a year.

Swimmer · 05-12-2007, 11:09 AM

Spence if you didn't put Stab-l in the gas last fall its probably the fuel. I'd empty the tank or run it more until all the fuel is gone and then change plug. Then put new fuel in. If its that new the problem is minor.

UserRemoved1 · 05-12-2007, 12:25 PM

And while ya at it add a inline filter...I got sick of finding pieces of leaves in my carb jets..later found out the little screen at the bottom of the tank was fubar and rolling around the bottom of the tank...so a inline filter does wonders now and never runs crappy anymore.

Spence trace the whole fuel line visually too...something to remember is this new ethanol crap eats the rubber...and you could have a soft area that could be letting air in there...

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishaholic18

Take the bowl off the bottom of the carb and clean it out. Bet it's full of crap, I do mine at least 2 times a year.

spence · 05-12-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stripersnipr

Is it the 6.5 hp Tecumseh?

It's a 6.5, but I think the Briggs & Stratton. Got it cheap at the Sears Outlet in Fall River.

I'll check all dat.

Thanks,

-specne

Nebe · 05-12-2007, 01:30 PM

is your blade spinning free under the deck?? sometimes grass builds up like cement.

BMEUPSCOTTY · 05-12-2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leptar

Ya it's a Craftsman... fix it, sell it and buy a Honda.

Or get another craftsman w/honda motor. You can get one right now for 329 with frontwheel propel and the big rear wheels. You'll replace wheels and levers and cables and blades before you kill that motor.

Slingah · 05-12-2007, 02:07 PM

same here spence....6.5 b&s...
new filter...gas...oil and blade...
feels weak.....gonna clean the cup like F-18 says....

Slingah · 05-12-2007, 02:59 PM

6.75 B&S
just did 1/2 the lawn.....runnin' well....
soooo much to do....
mulch next weekend.....then fences and house trim to paint....rot repair and new dowmspouts.....plus more.....on goes the battle

Mike P · 05-12-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leptar

Ya it's a Craftsman... fix it, sell it and buy a Honda.

CRAPsman

Slingah · 05-12-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike P

CRAPsman

u got that right.....sears aint what they used to be.....

Joe · 05-12-2007, 07:00 PM

I read that Briggs & Stratton was forced to produce a line of lower quality motors because they could not compete on price at Wally-world where price is the prime determinate of sales....

Raider Ronnie · 05-12-2007, 07:10 PM

Do like F18 said.
Take the carb bowl off and clean the carb.
The new E10 gas has been causing a LOT of problems!

Smokey14 · 05-13-2007, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leptar

Ya it's a Craftsman... fix it, sell it and buy a Honda.

I have a 3 year old Crapsman snow blower that never ran right even from day one. I have a 14 year old Honda mower that I never winterize, never put stabilizer in the fuel and it ALWAYS starts on the first pull. Guess how many Crapsman products I'm going to buy in the future.

spence · 05-13-2007, 08:50 AM

Yea, I know...but the Honda was out of my price range at the time. We had a Honda growing up that was a champ...very nice.

-spence

Diamond Tackle · 05-13-2007, 10:16 AM

Not a big fan of Craftsman, very noisy too, which gets really annoying and is very bad for you hearing.
Ever notice that the Lanscaper guys all wear earmuffs, there is a reason for that.
I agree , Get a Honda. But I would put a little gas stabilizer in it before storage this fall and run that thru the carb , a little prevention goes a long way.

HighTide · 05-14-2007, 10:23 AM

Looks like I'm not the only one that hates Crapsman. Chainsaw=POS, Weedwhacker=POS, and other people I know bought Crapsman equipment only to return it for something else.

The weedwhacker is somewhere in the woods behind my house if anyone wants it.

WoodyCT · 05-14-2007, 11:35 AM

Mine is 4 years old, has never been tuned up, never burns oil, cuts like a champ, and has started on the FIRST FRIGGEN PULL EVERY SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buy one.

daceman63 · 05-14-2007, 11:41 AM

put some stabilzer in your tank on your last mow and run the mower out of gas in the fall. always store it dry...from what I've heard this new e-10 will not run anything after sitting for months...

The Dad Fisherman · 05-14-2007, 11:58 AM

Check for Mice.....seriously.

Little bastards used to build nests in my lawn mowers and ruin everything

MakoMike · 05-14-2007, 01:13 PM

Just give it a nasty talking to

Diamond Tackle · 05-14-2007, 01:19 PM

I think its Bush's Fault.

fishsmith · 05-14-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinman

I think its Bush's Fault.

W did introduce 10% ethanol (burns faster and costs more

)

JFigliuolo · 05-14-2007, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leptar

Ya it's a Craftsman... fix it, sell it and buy a Honda.

Honda mower... one of the BEST purchases I made, had 2 crapsman's before it. NO COMPARISON.

spence · 05-26-2007, 03:23 PM

The problem?

Bad throttle spring.

-spence

bmartinson · 05-29-2007, 02:40 PM

I have a new Troy-Built mower with Honda engine that I bought just last fall. Only used it a half-dozen times, then out of ignorance stored it for the winter with E-10 fuel still in the tank. This spring it worked just fine once or twice, then this past week it failed. It will start up and run for about 60 seconds, then die; after that, I can't start it at all until several hours later or the next day, where it will maybe run for less than a minute again. I drained the fuel, bought new gas, added a dash of STP, checked the filter, changed the spark plug -- still no go. Incidentally, I also noticed that while cranking, my choke returns to the initial position more slowly than it used to.

Is there anything else I can try before I pay somebody half the price of the mower to fix it for me? This has been a great mower and I'm just sick at the thought that maybe I've killed it.

Thanks,

-Bill