Relatives MTD 4 stroke push-me 5 HP petrol rotary lawnmower, about 12 years old (Though not used for the last three), will not start. I suspect no spark when I inspected it today and attempred to start it. Whilst the soark plug has been replaced with a fresh one, relative tells me that there was no spark when it was taken out and shorted against the cylinder head - but HT lead looks in good condition. Oh yes, although its been used 15-20 times a year in the past (With the exception of the last three yesrs) it is in good condition but has never been serviced. Oh yes, I,m also told that some oil may have been inadvertently mixed with the petrol at somesrage, but a small quantity decanted from the tank today looked clean.

Any ideas as to the cause of the fault and the cost of parts ?

Also, a good service agent (MTD approved) in the Newton Abbot area of Devon ?

Lastly is there a web source where a electronic version of the user manual can be downloaded ?

Don't know the model nane/number but the following details are inscribed on the top casing:-

12B-698C611. 2K278N4 01879 38457k

Many thanks in advance.

Nick

My honda is very fussy regarding what petrol it has. I have to use fresh premium unleaded, so has the petrol gone off over the winter? Worth trying some fresh stuff if you haven't already done so including draining old stuff out of the carb

As above try fresh petrol and lots of pulls. Remove the air filter and try a lot of pulls. Petrol goes off and gums carbs.

Look on You tube. Mine was running rough and a £3 diaphragm and a you tube how to fixed it.

Thought this was a thread about a Rapid, Sorry

Thought this was a thread about a Rapid, Sorry

Ouch!

Relatives MTD 4 stroke push-me 5 HP petrol rotary lawnmower, about 12 years old (Though not used for the last three), will not start. I suspect no spark when I inspected it today and attempred to start it. Whilst the soark plug has been replaced with a fresh one, relative tells me that there was no spark when it was taken out and shorted against the cylinder head - but HT lead looks in good condition. Oh yes, although its been used 15-20 times a year in the past (With the exception of the last three yesrs) it is in good condition but has never been serviced. Oh yes, I,m also told that some oil may have been inadvertently mixed with the petrol at somesrage, but a small quantity decanted from the tank today looked clean.

Any ideas as to the cause of the fault and the cost of parts ?

Also, a good service agent (MTD approved) in the Newton Abbot area of Devon ?

Lastly is there a web source where a electronic version of the user manual can be downloaded ?

Don't know the model nane/number but the following details are inscribed on the top casing:-

12B-698C611. 2K278N4 01879 38457k

Many thanks in advance.

Nick

I used to work in a petrol station a few years ago, and petrol can separate and you end up with a jelly/paste, so try fresh fuel first.

Might be worth getting it serviced.

Is it a Briggs engine or a Tecumseh?

Is it a Briggs engine or a Tecumseh?

I wouldn't know the difference and at the moment most of the engine is under a cover plate which I am unable to remove due to lack of righg size sockets -the retaining bolts seem to have heads which are slightly less than 9mm or is this 3/8 imperial - would this be a clue as to engine type ? Unfortunately, there are minimal tools to hand ?

Presume that ignition is based on some kind of magneto ? I wonder what the usual faults are with these ? If ignition is magneto based then I presume that there is no capacitor involved ?

Nick

I have tinkered with mowers for years and fresh petrol and cleaning out the carb is key. Also if you have a compressor blowing that through any hole you can find will clear most rubbish. When you do get it up and running when you store it up again for the winter run it out of fuel, stops the problems of fuel going off etc. also off fuel smells different almost like white spirit in a funny way. If the engine is imperial nuts/bolts then is either very old or yankee.

Mower looks like this :-

The one I'm dealing with hasn't got the logo on the top and the fuel primer is onthe leading face of the engine. Does that + imperial sized bolts make make it a Briggs ?

As said,owner reolaced plug this year (Don't think it was gapped for the machine), fuel was left in over winter but seemed OK when some was decanted from the tank, owners said primer bulb needed to be pushed 3 times, choke bar on the handle was held in the open position i.e. Flush to the handle, but wouldn't start after half a dozen pulls of starter cord. Tried several times with the mixture set at the " Tortoise" setting rather than the "Hare" and/or with the choke closed - still no joy .

My only experience with petrol lawnmowers has been 2 stroke Flymos of thirty years ago and they would start OK despite bad mixed fuel or fuel left in over winter as long as the air intake was clear of grass and debris and the plug was clean and properly gaped.

Nick

Recalcitrant Flymos coming out of storage for a first start of the year could always be made to run using a shot of aerosol ether in the cylinder with the plug out.

Can you still get ether in a can - I think the brand I used to use was called "Quick Start" or have the H & S monkeys banned it ?

-Used to make the Alfa Sud with a worn carb fire up first time as well.

Nick

Looks like a briggs and stratton engine on that mower, so the slightly under 9mm will be 5/16". For the amount of time the mower has be stored and not used I would clean the carb as others have said. If the fuel is getting through the plug should get wet after a period of time when trying to start it.

Most mower engines I have worked on have had a set of points running on a lobe directly from the crankshaft, so the set up is coil, points, condenser and HT lead to the plug.

Recalcitrant Flymos coming out of storage for a first start of the year could always be made to run using a shot of aerosol ether in the cylinder with the plug out.

Can you still get ether in a can - I think the brand I used to use was called "Quick Start" or have the H & S monkeys banned it ?

-Used to make the Alfa Sud with a worn carb fire up first time as well.

Nick

Bradex Easy Start. Asda has it.

Thought this was a thread about a Rapid, Sorry

Watch that your cam tensioner don't break on you Auric...

I've just fixed sis in law's mower, Briggs and Stratton engine. Googled symptons, watched a couple of UTube videos. Took tank and carb off (2bolts). Found carb diaphragm perished as suggested on Google.

New part delivered next day for £2.45 from EBay.

All sorted, dead easy.

I've just fixed sis in law's mower, Briggs and Stratton engine. Googled symptons, watched a couple of UTube videos. Took tank and carb off (2bolts). Found carb diaphragm perished as suggested on Google.

New part delivered next day for £2.45 from EBay.

All sorted, dead easy.

Just about to say this as well

Thought this was a thread about a Rapid, Sorry

Never seen a "RAPID" wheel less cab or shovel minder .( Soz- AURIC- couldn't resist- sort of ST/ PLATEMAN/DRIVER JOKE).

Edited 1 June, 201313 yr by VWD

Drain the old fuel out of put some fresh in and see if it will go, might run abit rough to start with but just run a tank through it and it should be fine,

Parents sell them at garden centre and we have just had 3rd one back with customers kicking off because they won't run and every time its took me 10 minutes to get them running again,

last one i tipped it on its side and drained fuel tank and filled with fresh fuel and it kicked straight up and after 10 minutes once it had run all rubbish fuel off it ran ok,

As others have said, fresh petrol is an absolute must - and a new diaphragm is easy to fit.

Spark plug gap is probably 0.030" (0.76mm)

On mine, the primer bulb needs to be pressed half a dozen times for an easy start.

Edit: Does the lawn mower have a lever that the operator has to keep depressed in order to keep the engine running? Does it appear to operate correctly? On mine, it is all too easy to trap the operating cable when folding up the handle.

Never seen a "RAPID" wheel less cab or shovel minder .( Soz- AURIC- couldn't resist- sort of ST/ PLATEMAN/DRIVER JOKE).

Auric- saw you liked it- thought you might.

Thanks for all the advice. As it was left Monday it was going to be taken in for Service - I was told it had been 10 years without a service, so other things being equal (Which of course they are never permitted to be ), it probably needed a good going over. I susoect that after 10years of use, the carburettor to manifold gasket and the float chamber gaskets wouldn't have come away cleanly, and if the diaphragm was oerished . . . .....plus the possibility that there were ignition problems and 10 years worth of crap in the air filter then there was probably more work than could be completed in a flying visit (I saw the machine Sunday and bailed Monday). Further, with the tools that were made available, I couldn't even get the metal engine cover off (This is from somebody who's reasonably well versed in car maintenance-. I've had engine's out, stri ped and rebuilt, clutches replaced at home etc etc) needed the leverage of a reversible ratchet/t-bar/torque wrench to get the foward facing bolt to move-one wasn't available. So probably best left to the pros, after 10 years, the machine didn't owe 'em anything.

Nick

1. Check for spark, if not there sort out electrics first

2. When pulling the cord, does it turn really easy or do you have to use some force to turn it? If very easy compression is gone and untill sorted it will never run. Most common are gaskets, then valves then piston rings - full engine rebuild

3. If above all well and good take the carb out and clean properly using compressed air after taking it apart. Replace air filter.

4. New fuel and oil are a must as well after 10 years.

If you got to point 3 without needing any work with points 1 & 2 it should run sweet as a nut. Those engines are industrail units and can take increadible amount of abuse.

Once you get it back, the following may be of help.

1) Use clear fuel pipe and put a dip in the fuel line so the lowest point is below the carb spigot. This gives you a crud catcher without the need to buy a fuel filter!

2) After doing the "last cut" before Winter, leave the motor idling until it runs out of petrol. This avoids most gelling issues.

3) Before doing the first cut of the new year, change the oil. IME a Briggs & Stratton will run ok on most oils, so a multigrade mineral oil is probably the easiest choice.

I drain everything for storage.

Another trick is to disconnect plug lead and with fuel drained but oil still in keep pulling the starter cord. This will lubricate all parts without introducing any fuel into the cylinder and thinning the oil .

I need a mower , petrol are these Briggs ok ?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7305203.htm#pdpFullProductInformation