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How to Identify and Fix Common Gardening Problems ?
We provide a variety of viewpoints on how to identify and fix common gardening problems. Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced gardeners :
By far, the most common issue that causes a stalled motor is a dirty carburetor. The carburetor on your engine is the thing that draws in air and mixes it with the fuel. Contrary to what the movies might make you think, gasoline itself is not very flammable.
If you find that your lawnmower keeps dying, or keeps stalling while cutting grass, then inspect the spark plugs. Look for signs of damage or wear. Something as simple as a cracked porcelain insulator can mean an electrode has been damaged or burned away.
It is one of the most common problems that cause lawnmowers to sputter. The mowers take the air from the surrounding through air filters and mix it with fuel inside the engine. So, if the air filter is clogged or dirty, it will affect the flow of air into the carburetor.
Fortunately, you can generally do this without even taking the carburetor out of the engine. Start by purchasing some commercial lawnmower carburetor cleanerOpens a new window, which comes in a simple spray can and will make it easy to clean the inside and outside of the carb.
If you find that your lawnmower keeps dying, or keeps stalling while cutting grass, then inspect the spark plugs. Look for signs of damage or wear. Something as simple as a cracked porcelain insulator can mean an electrode has been damaged or burned away.
Fortunately, you can generally do this without even taking the carburetor out of the engine. Start by purchasing some commercial lawnmower carburetor cleanerOpens a new window, which comes in a simple spray can and will make it easy to clean the inside and outside of the carb.
Discover Relevant Questions and Answers for Your Specific Issue
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Add a couple of ounces of 100% acetone (available at Walmart) to some fresh fuel. Attempt to start for several pulls. Let sit for several minutes and repeat until it sounds like it wants to run.
Then watch this video and do it:
http://www.alamia.us/mantis_parts_s/148.htm
It didn't seize, and the pull starter never became more or less difficult than normal. The engine would continue to start if I pressed the prime bulb and engaging the choke, but stall again after 10-20 seconds. The temperature that day was about 50 degrees F and I was running the saw with the “cold plug” installed (per warm weather running).
When it refused to keep running I did the following:
Flushed the fuel tank (that's when I saw the gas had no oil in it).
Ran hardware wire through all of the fuel lines.
Replaced the fuel filter and spark plug.
Cleaned the air filter with a nylon brush and compressed air.
Same behavior (start then stall in less than 20 seconds). I made at least 20+ attempts to start it.
I removed the carburetor and, though it looked perfectly clean, I took off the top and bottom covers then sprayed everything with automotive carb cleaner and blew out the passages with compressed air. The gasket and diaphragm looked new. No pinholes in the diaphragm when held against a bright light. I reinstalled the carb but got the same behavior (start then stall in less than 20 seconds). I again made at least 20+ attempts to start it.
I disassembled the short block and saw that the piston has some slight scoring on it. The ring is clean and I verified that the piston ring has .001 clearance between it and the piston ring groove all the way around with the ring held tightly in place (I was thinking that the piston might have become deformed if it did indeed get too hot when run without any oil premix).
The cylinder wall has no scoring and there isn't any signs of melted aluminum anywhere. The crank is clean as was the inside of the crank cover.
I reinstalled the crank cover using permatex non-hardening gasket goop and torqued the cover bolts to 10 inch pounds. I reassembled everything else per the exploded diagrams in Echo's “parts manual” for the CS400.
During assembly I took note that both the carb gasket and intake boot look like new.
Still the same result: press prime bulb once, engage choke, pull a few times and it starts but stalls after 10-20 seconds.
I'm stumped.