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About Eric A. Jones
Expertise
Lawnmower Repair . Certified Master Service Technician from B&S. Have 13 years experience on B&S, Lawn Chief, Weed Eater, Echo, Peerless, Wheel Horse, Snapper, Atlas, MTD, McCulloch, Homelite and many other numerous brands. Specialize in electrical repair.
Experience
Born and raised in the midwest. Started tinkering with engines when I was about 14 on my Suzuki RM-80. I began lawn mower repair at a small hardware store. I knew absolutely nothing. I read lots of repair manuals and met an older fellow who taught me many lessons. I continued working on small engines through high school and paid my way through college working on mowers at the same hardware store. Decided to get away from the midwest and mower repair so I joined the Air Force. I repaired air traffic control electronic equipment and ended up in Hawaii where I got a part time job at Small Engine Clinic. I gained a lot of experience from the Small Engine Clinic and had a blast repairing small engines. I then took the Briggs and Stratton Master Service Technician test and earned my MST. I then traveled to Wisconsin where I attended the factory update training seminar and received formal training. I received a scholarship from the Air Force and am currently pursuing another degree.
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You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Home Appliances > Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.) > Trouble Starting Lawn Mower
Expert: Eric A. Jones - 10/26/2009
Question
I own a Power Pro self propelled lawn mower equipped with a 5.5HP Briggs and Stratton Quantum engine (129802-0894-01-9509195). The mower has never burned any oil and does almost everything I want. I’ve owned the unit for over five years and received it from a relative, who could never start the mower, which is probably 15 years old. If you start the mower with a little shot of ether directly through the spark plug chamber it starts on the second pull. If you prime and choke the carburetor it won’t even cough. If you spray ether into the carburetor after removing the two air filters it will not start. If you shut the engine off after it’s been running it will not restart without ether.
I took another carburetor, primer bulb and filter housing from a perfectly working (it actually is a bit of an oil burner) 6HP Briggs and Stratton Diamond engine (12J802-2815-01-97021468) and swapped it out and the problem still exists. I use the mower only as a trimmer and it probably gets 10-15 hours of usage a year. I’m just curious what you think is the problem.
Answer
Have you checked the valve clearances? Is the intake pipe broke/cracked or is the intake gasket leaking?
With the air filter housing removed exposing the carb, with the engine start if you place your palm of your hand over the carb throat? Basically you are cutting off all air forcing the engine to pull full into the intake system.
Is the head gasket leaking? Do you have a cylinder leak down tester?
Let me know.
Eric
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