Briggs Lawn Mower Works for 20 Minutes Then Stalls and Has to Cool Off Till Start Again

Ahhh…the smell of fresh-cut grass. There's really nothing like it. Withal, it'due south pretty frustrating to be all ready to tackle those tall dark-green blades only to accept your mower burn down upwardly then sputter out. If your lawn mower starts then dies, y'all desire a quick answer near what'southward to arraign, and what to do to prepare information technology. I'll share the four most common causes to this mower trouble and what you need to practise to address each.

When your mower starts and so dies it tin can feel like you're lonely, but this trouble is more common than you might think, and the set up can be an piece of cake ane.

Let's take a look at the 4 about mutual reasons backside that false kickoff and how to fix them.

Causes for Lawn Mower Starting then Dying

If your lawn mower starts, runs briefly, and then dies these are the four virtually mutual reasons that's happening:

• Dirty carburetor / chock-full carburetor bowl
• Old gasoline that has gone bad
• Dirty or defective spark plugs
• Too much oil in your resevoir

Below I'll get into each potential problem, why information technology can result in a mower that starts and so dies, and what you should practise to fix information technology.

Muddy Carburetor or Chock-full Carburetor Bowl

When your lawn mower starts so dies, your carburetor is most likely involved somehow.

Think about it. If yous live in a northern region, your mower sits all winter … waiting months without any activeness.

And, if you live in a more temperate zone, your mower works hard year-effectually.

In both cases, your carburetor is going to need a niggling TLC.

What's then important about the carburetor?

Your engine needs a steady catamenia of gasoline to run correctly. The carburetor is responsible for mixing gas with only the right amount of oxygen to create combustion.

This combustion supplies a continuous rotation of the crankshaft that is necessary to run the mower's engine.

If your carburetor is muddy or the carburetor bowl is chock-full, the procedure higher up is compromised, and your engine may start up, just it will not run properly and may die shortly subsequently yous pull the cord.

How do I fix it?

Your dingy carburetor needs a expert blowout with an aerosol can of carburetor cleaner. This volition cost you lot less than $ten and will last for a season or two. I use the WD-40 Specialist Fast Acting Carb/Throttle Body Parts Cleaner (Amazon link). This cleaner uses a solvent formula to breakup carbon contaminants, leaving your carburetor clean and gum-free. I give my mower a shot of that every time a mow, right earlier pulling the cord, and recommend that you lot do the aforementioned.

The simply drawback to this detail cleaner is it does non have a straw for targeted spraying. If you need a more precise application, Gumout makes a cleaner (Amazon link) that volition practice the trick with its jet spray applicator.

You can purchase either product locally, or online.

Now for the process.

Unscrew the carburetor basin and give it a once over with the cleaner. Be sure to clean the screw and hole with the carburetor cleaner too. This is where the directional spraying straw is particularly handy. When reattaching the basin, don't over-tighten the spiral. This could strip the threads enough to distort the seal.

What I Do

For carb maintenance, requite a light spray near the air intake pigsty for your mower's engine merely before y'all start it up. This is typically simply behind the air filter. Remove the filter, give the pigsty a spray, then supercede the filter.

When you outset the mower, information technology'll exist pulled into the engine and clean deposits in your carb.

Old Gasoline in Your Mower

You know your mower can't run without gasoline, but the quality of the gas is equally of import.

If the gas in your mower has been sitting inactive for a while, evaporation has about likely created a damaging remainder.

This rest leaves particles that clog your mower's internal parts.

The end result is restricted gas menstruum, which means your mower can start and die shortly thereafter. Sometimes, your mower won't start at all.

How practise I prepare it?

If your mower tank is less than half full of onetime gas, you might try adding new gas to dilute the impurities. If the former gas is more than half of a tank, it would exist best to siphon it out and fill the tank with fresh gasoline.

In both cases, adding a stabilizer such as Sta-bil Fuel System Stabilizer (Amazon link) is a smart idea. Stabilizers prevent the clogging residue for upwards to two years, and at around $10 a bottle, they are an cheap additive that tin can keep your mower running like a champ.

Always read the directions to know the proper fuel to stabilizer ratio for your mower.

What I Exercise

I used to mix Sta-bil into my fuel, but now I just pay a little extra for four-cycle TruFuel – an ethanol free gas product that can sit down for years without going bad.

It's more expensive than regular gas mixed with Sta-bil, but a couple of larger cans will go my Honda self-propelled mower (this one from Home Depot if yous're curious) through the mowing season up here in New England, and I like the peace of listen that comes with knowing my mower and snowfall blower always start on the first pull, and I don't take to worry virtually bad gas giving me problems when I'one thousand prepare to mow or need to clear the driveway.

You can buy it online, or locally at Dwelling house Depot or some local hardware stores.

Dirty or Defective Spark Plugs

Spark plugs supply the "spark" that ignites the air/fuel mixture in your engine.

This modest explosion makes your engine produce power.

The spark plugs are an essential component of your mower's ignition organisation. If they are muddy or faulty, they volition not spark, and your mower will non commencement, or may start and and then apace die.

How do I set up it?

Your mower's spark plug(southward) are easy to notice. In most walk-behind mowers they're covered with a black cablevision and right in the front end of your mower.

You'll demand a socket wrench of the right size to remove your plug (bank check your transmission to observe the correct size for your mower/spark plug).

If your spark plugs are not too heavily coated with build-up, y'all can try cleaning them. You should never clean a spark plug with a shot-blasting cleaner. A wire castor and advisable cleaner volition do the play a trick on if the plug is just dirty.

Notwithstanding, if your mower's spark plug looks filthy or appears to take a dark carbon residue, you might be better off replacing.

This is an like shooting fish in a barrel chore and it's inexpensive – a new spark plug with be $viii-9 and your size is probably available locally.

What I Do

Spark plugs should exist replaced every year or ii for problem-free mowing, and I practice mine annually every bit function of my spring mower maintenance.

I get a new air filter and change the oil in my mower at the same time. This runs me nearly $20 total, takes me about 15 minutes, and keeps my mower in perfect working condition.

Replacing Your Spark Plug

Removing your spark plug is an piece of cake job anyone can exercise. But unhook the spark plug wire and remove the onetime plug with a spark plug socket.

Replacing a spark plug can be a fleck more challenging for a commencement-timer, merely I all the same consider it an easy job.

Utilize a spark plug gauge to measure the gap between the two electrodes at the tip of your spark plug. Check for the specifications for your model to know the recommended size of the gap.

If necessary, apply a spark plug gauge to adjust the gap by gently bending the curved electrode. When the gap is correct, the gauge will drag a bit every bit you pull information technology through the gap.

Now you tin can install the new plug and adhere the spark plug lead. Exist careful non to over-tighten on installation.

If you take never done this before, there are several videos online that tin exist of nifty assistance, but my advice is that as soon every bit it starts to feel snug, give it no more than than another quarter turn to foreclose damage.

Too Much Oil in the Mower's Reservoir

If your carburetor is make clean and the spark plugs are firing, the problem might be too much oil.

I believe it's human being nature to want to over-fill a backyard mower'due south oil reservoir, especially if yous're not particularly handy. You feel so accomplished that we're doing the task yourself that you go overboard and over-fill the tank.

Information technology happens, and it's non the finish of the world (or your mower).

White smoke coming out of the engine is a tell-tale sign that excessive oil is the culprit.

If a lot of smoke is coming out, your mower might be running, but non for long. In this instance, the excess oil will eventually drown out the engine and cause it to dice.

How do I prepare it?

This is actually an easy gear up. If you accept too much oil, yous just need to bleed some. You tin use a siphon, or (if you have a walk-behind mower) you can tip your mower and drain the oil from the hole where you add it.

What I Exercise

I'grand guilty of overfilling the oil tank sometimes too, so I've learned to go tiresome when I add oil. I bank check, and check once more with the dipstick and gradually bring the level upwards to the proper identify.

If you accept overfilled your oil tank, I propose that you utilise a dipstick to measure the amount of oil in the reservoir earlier removing information technology, and then again after to make certain you get the right level.

Not plenty oil is another (and more serious) problem, and you would not desire to inadvertently merchandise 1 consequence for another.

After draining some oil and checking to run into if you have an adequate amount, start the mower once again.

If the mower fires and stays running without the billowing puffs of white smoke, you accept corrected your problem.

Backyard Mower Starts And so Dies: When it'south Time to Telephone call a Professional person

If y'all have tested all of the methods I've shared for fixing your lawn mower that starts and and then dies, hopefully your problem is solved.

Just if not, information technology might be fourth dimension to throw in the store towel and call a professional.

The post-obit are other issues that could be keeping your mower from running properly.

More Serious Reasons Your Backyard Mower Starts And so Dies

1. Worn out carburetor:  If your carburetor is more than dingy, it might be time to replace it.
2. Faulty asphyxiate: Unless you are extremely handy, identifying this trouble and restoring the delicate rest necessary to get your engine purring like a kitten is another consequence for the experts.
3. Gas tank or gas line blockage: Anytime your gasoline is non getting to the engine, your mower volition non run properly. A blockage of whatsoever kind that prevents the constant period of gas is a problem that might have a trained eye to place and set.

The average weekend warrior with limited knowledge on the thing will probably feel more than comfortable hiring someone with the feel and the tools to become the task washed right.

I recommend that yous showtime past checking your mower's warranty. If information technology's covered, a repair may not cost you annihilation. Some companies volition send someone correct to your home, or come up to option upward your mower to salve you time.

If your mower isn't covered by warranty, find a local small-engine repair store that has good reviews. These guys can fix almost anything, and their prices are typically lower than you'd expect.

Preventing Mower Problems

The best way to ensure your mower will fire up and run like a champ is to put preventative measures in place.

I take tips for winterizing your mower, and a spring maintenance checklist that you can cheque out if you lot'd like to larn more.

To summarize those here, even so:

1. Make clean your air filter regularly (replace it annually).
2. Alter your spark plugs every ane-two years.
3. Keep stored oil and gasoline clean. Use a stabilizer in your gas to keep it fresh for upward to two years, or pay actress for four-bicycle TruFuel.
4. Keep your engine make clean with an engine degreaser.
5. Use the dipstick and don't overfill your oil reservoir.
6. Go on your carburetor make clean with a carburetor cleaner spray.

Performing regular maintenance on your mower is the best mode to go along it running smoothly, and investing a few bucks per year in this is worth information technology.

Yous'll avoid headaches, repair costs, and your mower will last a long fourth dimension, starting right up when you need it.

If you do come across a problem with your lawn mower, decide if you are comfortable with trying to fix it yourself.

If the consequence seems to be something beyond the basics, don't hesitate to call a professional. At that place's no shame in this, and sometimes do-it-yourself repairs are just not worth the time, energy, or frustration.

Only if you are up for the challenge of fixing the trouble yourself, the above guidelines provide a good starting identify, and online videos may also exist useful. I think YouTube is a great resource.

The main thing is that you get your mower fixed so you lot tin get out at that place and make your lawn the green-eyed of the neighborhood.

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