lawn mower help

[Parr8hed]

Got an older MTD riding mower. Tires were flat and dry-rotted so I put in tubes and they are fine. New fuel line and filter. New plug. (old one black). New battery. Has been sitting for 8 years inside. Fuel tank was empty. Filled with fresh fuel. Will turn over and even run for about 15 seconds with starter fluid sprayed into the carb. Can't get it to run without a spray of starter fluid though. Not getting gas?????? Clean the carb? I know that gas is flowing TO the carb. Thoughts anyone?

By the way the mower was free!!!! It is an 11 hp brigs and stratton.

[SanDiegoMike]

Had the same problem with an old push mower that I had to put back in service. I ended up going through the carb to get rid of as much varnish as I could and clear the passages. Bolted it back on, primed it, and it's been firing on the first pull and running great ever since.

[Ken Talbot]

Sounds like it needs a triple clean! Must be some wee orifices blocked with spooge. Sound familiar?

[prometheus578]

Very little difference between a Briggs and Stratton and a Harley. should be an easy fix.
Ken is correct again.
(My, how he is improving!)
I'd change the oil, too.
Yeah, it's carb.
I can't recall if it has a vacuum diaphram fuel pump or a gravity feed.
Probably gravity, as the tank I can imagine sits above the engine on a rider.
Check the choke mechanism.

[johnrobey]

Mine has a solenoid in the fuel bowl of the carb to turn the fuel off when the motor is not running. Might not getting power or may be plugged.

[Parr8hed]

Not sure why I even posted really, I knew that it was the carb. I guess that I was trying to find a way out of cleaning it. I do not know why though, it was very easy. Only took 15 min or so. Put it all back together and it started the first try. Then I broke the nipple on the bottom of the gas tank where the fuel line hooks to. It is old and plastic. Now I find myself in the market for an old gas tank that will fit on this mower.

[80mdnt11]

old nipples

Very Delicate!
Travis, You may be able to drill out & install brass with some sort of compresion nut? Just a thought.

[HobbyMan]

Its not like you wil be riding it to your favorite resturant. bolt on any gas tank that works. I like Briggs&Stratton because you can still get parts. I just bored one. I "own/operate" a lawn buisness in my neghborhood and I only use good equipment. My old 1950's reel mower, old craftsman riding lawn mower, and my old 3 wheel edger use B&S engines. All of my other lawn equipment is stihl. (weedwhacker, edger #2, and hedge trimmer). I have used other equipment and there is no other competition.

[prometheus578]

Parrot Head, here is one solution, but this would only be feasible if the nipple's hole can be seen, and accessed looking through the fillercap area. I mean, if you can look into the gas tank and see where the nipple was.
Check the local bike shops for tire valve stems. specifically Triumphs. some of their mag rims use an appropriate type of valve stem.
Basically, a threaded tube with a large flat round flange at on end. To assemble the stem, a rubber washer is slid on the threaded part next to the flange and that is pushed into the rim from the inside. then another rubber washer is placed on the outside, with a nut then compressing the whole thing making it seal. If you could find something similar, and can access the broken nipple area through the gas cap area, this should suffice. You'd just have to drill the nipple area large enough for the valve stem.
Pull out the valve core, slip the fuel line back on, and go on your merry, mowin' way.
(can't you steal some cranial shunts or something from work?)

[Parr8hed]

I tried getting a 1/4 inch nipple made for flexible tubing. This nipple had a compression nut on the other end. tried to bolt it down from inside the filler cap with a 12 inch extesion on the socket, I just could not get it to work. After about an hour of cussing/swearing/cyring (wellmaybe not the crying) I decided to go with hobbymans suggestion and am going to find an old gas tank that will work. Even went to Basspro shops to see if they had a boat tank that would work. They were all too big.

[HobbyMan]

Do you have some photos? MAby we can point you in the right direction on what to look for. If you do find a tank that will work, you will still have the old one to play with. I don't know if you could plug the hole or not but if you could just drill a second hole and put another nipple in.

[Parr8hed]

Yea good call, that was a thought as well. HOWEVER; dad had an old gas tank almost just like the one that I need. Had it sitting in his basment. (who has old lawn mower tanks just sitting in their basement, I mean really?) I am going out to try it right now.

[Parr8hed]

I am now among those who do not have to work to mow their lawn!!! Just finished mowing the front yard with the new rider. Works great now. A little stumble or hesitation now and then, but that is to be expected after sitting for 8 years. Nice cut though. the front yard here took about 5 min to cut. The yard at the new place will take a couple of hours I imagine. 3/4 of an acre. I sold all of my electric stuff and upgraded to gas. John Deere blower, homelite trimmer and have an older John Deere 6 hp push mower that will now be used for trimming around the house. The next addition will be to ditch the little scott push fertilizer spreader and buy something that I can pull behind. that will have to waith though. I can push the spreader a couple of times a year for now. Maybe will get an aerator too????? I close on the new place in 10 days!!! Cant wait.

[HobbyMan]

riding mowers are awesome. As long as you take care of them they will last forever. Our craftsman is just over 10 yrs old and it runs well with no problems. Its best to clean off the old grass and grease everything. Don't forget the oil too. THe number one issue with blown mowers is that the users don't change the oil. A clean air filter helps too.

[tommystinson]

HobbyMan, what's the make of your old reel mower? A reel is the best way to cut grass. Shears clean, no brown tips.