the Lawn Mower thread.

[Ranger850]

First. I can't beleive there's no LAWN MOWER section. Or i couldn't find it.

Second. My lawn mower won't start. i did a full run through in March. new fuel and oil filters, battery, blades, drive belts, spark plag and oil change. Today would have been the first time using it since then. i got on it, crunk it, and mowed, for about 15 -20 minutes. It died. checked everything. the plug was black and wet with gas. I let it sit for a few ours and it crunk, but spit black smoke and putter'd out. threw in a new plug, and nothing. i couldn't find a replacement plug wire, but i did grab a solenoid. I haven't put it on yet, bit want to know what my problem is before i start down the wrong path.

The motor is a Briggs & Stratton 17.5 on a Craftsman 42" Riding Mower Tractor.

 

[adsm08]

Check for spark, it sounds like you might not have any.

 

[Craig0320]

Yes check for spark first. If you have that then check the clearances on your valves while engine is cold for that model engine. If the one or both is out of spec then it will cause fuel buildup in the cylinder and flood it out. Once you do get it started spray carb cleaner around all gaskets on the carb and intake. These engines are very eratic with a small air leak. Pop the black piece of plastic off the idle enrichment screw once running to fine tune.

 

[adsm08]

Yes check for spark first. If you have that then check the clearances on your valves while engine is cold for that model engine. If the one or both is out of spec then it will cause fuel buildup in the cylinder and flood it out. Once you do get it started spray carb cleaner around all gaskets on the carb and intake. These engines are very eratic with a small air leak. Pop the black piece of plastic off the idle enrichment screw once running to fine tune.

Better yet, get rid of the Briggs and put a Kohler in it.

 

[Craig0320]

Better yet, get rid of the Briggs and put a Kohler in it.

I ran through a couple of new kohlers last year. Eating a quart of oil a day after 50 hours. Usually they stop around 25 and they only use a half quart a week until then. I have been running them on certain equipment since 2005. They all have there ups and downs. I currently have briggs, kohler, honda, subaru, and kawasaki small enignes. No real problems on any of them.


850 Let me know what model you have. I have a couple thousand pages of briggs and stratton service manuals

 

[pjtoledo]

Better yet, get rid of the Briggs and put a Kohler in it.

A-hem,,,,the "classic" 3.5 BS on my super cheapie that I bought over 25 years ago for $89 started on the first pull this spring. all I did was put gas in it.

 

[adsm08]

I ran through a couple of new kohlers last year. Eating a quart of oil a day after 50 hours. Usually they stop around 25 and they only use a half quart a week until then. I have been running them on certain equipment since 2005. They all have there ups and downs. I currently have briggs, kohler, honda, subaru, and kawasaki small enignes. No real problems on any of them.


850 Let me know what model you have. I have a couple thousand pages of briggs and stratton service manuals

I didn't say a new Kohler. K series.

 

[G8orFord]

Sounds like a bad coil, but it's been a while since I've worked on any small engines other than cleaning a carburetor or the like.

 

[Curious Hound]

BTW, we have another lawn mower thread. It's title says something about wheels and horses. ?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Bring back the old tecumseh engines.

If I wasn’t an absolute moron when I was younger. I’d still have the mower deck assembly to my 1962 Springfield 36 tractor. And I’d be cutting my grass with that.

Instead I have a newer yard machine that is deciding to throw the damn belt at random.

I gave her the size 13 treatment. But to no avail. Might have to have a chat with the BFH

 

[Curious Hound]

Bring back the old tecumseh engines.

If I wasn’t an absolute moron when I was younger. I’d still have the mower deck assembly to my 1962 Springfield 36 tractor. And I’d be cutting my grass with that.

Instead I have a newer yard machine that is deciding to throw the damn belt at random.

I gave her the size 13 treatment. But to no avail. Might have to have a chat with the BFH

I think our old (early 70's?) Craftsman had a Tecumseh. That thing ran forever. Dad gave it to me in the early 90's and I used it another 10 years at least. It finally died with a bent shaft.

 

[adsm08]

BTW, we have another lawn mower thread. It's title says something about wheels and horses. ?

That one seems to have gone more to the big tractors.

Bring back the old tecumseh engines.

If I wasn’t an absolute moron when I was younger. I’d still have the mower deck assembly to my 1962 Springfield 36 tractor. And I’d be cutting my grass with that.

Instead I have a newer yard machine that is deciding to throw the damn belt at random.

I gave her the size 13 treatment. But to no avail. Might have to have a chat with the BFH

Juan used to do that too. The Wheelie Horse doesn't do that unless I dump the PTO.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I second the old Tecumseh powered Craftsman push mowers. had one from the early 80s that belonged to my dad that I learned to mow on. Dad gave it to me when I got my first house and I used it every week, and it started first pull *every* time during mowing season until 2008. Then two things happened. it wouldn't start ( i figure bad coil after a quick check of the basics), and I had a 6 horse power Craftsman from the 90s to replace it, and I got a new job in a different state. Since I was moving and moving into an apartment, I just set that mower out to the curb. stupid, stupid, me... should have thrown it int he storage unit... that was a damn good mower.

AJ

 

[Ranger850]

Check for spark, it sounds like you might not have any.

yes. no spark. like i posted. i could not find a replacement coil wire, only a generic solenoid from HD.

850 Let me know what model you have. I have a couple thousand pages of briggs and stratton service manuals

Intek 17.5hp
8BSXS.
build date 09 08
Is this enough info

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Should be Model Type and Code numbers on the fan housing. Pretty much all Briggs have them, might be actually stamped into the cover, might be on a tag/sticker.

Most small engines have the plug wire(s) attached to the ignition model so to replace a wire you have to change the module. And there is a certain air gap you have to maintain between the flywheel and the module too.