I have a riding lawn mower that I can get it to start, but it won't stay running. What could it be?
Question:I have replaced the spark plug and the breather. It is a craftsman electronic ignition, 11 HP.
Answers:
There are a couple of things this could be. The most obvious is that gas is not getting to the engine in the proper fashion. This could be water in the gas, or a bad filter or kinked hose and more.
Another thing is that the spark plug is not firing consistently. That could by your electronic ignition.
Something I'm not as familiar with came from a website:
If the engine starts fine but stops suddenly, the most common problem is a sheared flywheel key. The flywheel key is designed to break when the mower blade hits a hard object. This feature protects the crankshaft and engine components from damage but it also renders the mower inoperable until you replace the flywheel key. You can replace it yourself or take it to a mower repair shop, but before you do, also check the mower blade. It may be bent from the impact. Never use a bent or damaged mower blade.
Check the exhaust pipe for grass or debris blockage. Clean out debris with a dowel or other instrument. Also, check the muffler for rust or damage. A sure sign of a damaged muffler is an extremely noisy engine. Many universal replacement muffler kits are available.
If the mower vibrates excessively as you operate it, stop immediately. Turn off the engine and disconnect the spark plug. While wearing gloves, check the blade for damage or balance. If the blade is out of balance, remove it and use a file to sharpen the heavy side until proper balance is restored. Replace the blade if it is damaged.
I don't know if this is applicable to your riding mower.
Finally, but less likely, there is a limit switch malfunctioning somewhere. For instance, most riders have a switch on the seat so when you get up the engine or the blades stop. There are other limit switches as well. If you get it to start and don't change anything else, the limit switches don't sound like the problem unless they are malfunctioning.
Hope this helped and good luck
If it starts, it's got fire, fuel, and compression. Usually if it won't stay running or if it dies after "revving" the motor, it's starving for fuel. A fuel filter or a diaphragm in the carburetor are the likely culprits especially if it's been sitting with fuel over the winter time. Gasoline will turn to varnish over time. Both are easy fixes and inexpensive with a little elbow grease.
It sounds like your choke could be sticking. Follow your choke cable to your carburetor. Then move your choke lever up and down to see if it is working properly. If that is OK you could have some bad gas or your float could be sticking in your carburetor in which you will need a pro to repair.
Loosen the gas cap. If that solves the problem, get a cap that allows air to replace the gas as it's used.
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