Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Lawn mower won't start...?

I have a craftsman Briggs & Stratton 550 series model lawn mower. It is only about a year old and used a handful of times however it has been sitting exposed to the elements for the last eight months or so. I have tried starting it repeatedly but it just won't bite...even after using quick start and replacing the spark plug though I knew it was unlikly a problem caused by a rusty spark plug...what should I do? And how do I do it??? Please help, aline

9 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    8 Months is a long time for gas to be sitting in a fuel tank. The Gas begins to break down and turns into a gum. If there was fuel left in the carburetor there will be a problem there also. Your Solution is to soak the carburetor in a cleaning solution and fill the tank with the same solution. this will eliminate the problem there and you can start over by using fresh gas. Tip always drain your fuel after the seasons over. http://www.12scearn.com/SmallEngineGo.html

  • delisi
    Lv 4
    4 years ago

    you do no longer grant sufficient counsel. Did the engine supply up once you hit the rock? Is it a sparkling mower? Push or rider? Hitting a rock will injury the engine yet there's a key between the crankshaft and flywheel it fairly is there to stay away from inner injury to the engine in situations like this. If that key's sheared from hitting the rock the engine won't run. The flywheel will must be bumped off and the main replaced. you need to additionally verify the blade for injury. do away with the sparkplug cord earlier you attain under the mower and constantly tip the mower with the air filter out up so which you are not getting oil into the carburetor/cylinder.

  • 5 years ago

    Start Lawn Business Success!

  • 1 decade ago

    take the bowl off the bottom of the carb, one bolt in the center bottom of the bowl holding it on, may have to pull the bowl down after bolt out because of the oring seal. look as see if you have water in the bottom of the bowl. gas a water doesn't mix so it will be easy to see. if so dump it out. with the bowl off there should be a trickle of gas coming out of the carb, thats a good thing. that means your float is not stuck. if no gas trickling and you don't have a fuel pump jiggle the float up and down and see if you can free up the float. if not you may have to take off the float and clean it. if you have good gas a good spark, no reason it shouldn't crank with starting fluid. you can check the spark by taking out the spark plug, plug wire back on, lay the the spark plug against steel on the engine and metal side of the spark plug touching, plull rope or turn key and you'll see spark at bottom of plug. just make sure you don't have any spilled gas around.

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • Danny
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Try emptying out the old stale fuel and add fresh fuel. It will still take sometime before fresh fuel is delivered to the combustion chamber so be patient. If it starts, then the next time you put your mower up for the winter or any extended period of time add some “Stabil” to the fuel tank to prevent the fuel from going stale.

  • 1 decade ago

    use an eye dropper ,or something similar and remove sparkplug and pour a small amount of gas into cylinder ,put sparkplug back in and try to start.If it fires or runs for a few seconds you know its a fuel problem,if not its a electrical problem.

  • Tina S
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    When it's been sitting for a long time, believe it or not, the gas goes bad.

    Empty the tank completely, and put fresh gas in it.

    This has happened to me. - And to my amazement, it started easily once fresh gas was put into it. :)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Lawnmower in Feb?...come to Canada man, last thing I am thinkin bout is a lawnmower ..now if you had a snowblower problem okay..chill out man

  • 1 decade ago

    take tank off flush ;probly water in the tank. 65

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.