Replies

1. 
   calvin | Dec 07, 2003 02:05pm | #1

   old gas?

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   jdivito001 | Dec 07, 2003 02:46pm | #3

   Ran the tank dry at the end of last year.  Very new gas.  Plug was installed last year (I recall having a similar problem last year).  Not sure that it has a filter.  I'll need to look.

1. 
   junkhound | Dec 07, 2003 03:40pm | #5

   You didn't say if it was 2-cyle or 4 cycle engine.

   4 cycle would likely be sticking valve, when you last stopped it last year, I'll be you did not pull the rope so that you first felt compression and then left it like that.   If the engine was left over sumer with a valve open, often that valve gets a little stickey and does not close soon enough.  At idle, enough 'ooph" is left to run, but you don't get the full compression cycle. 

   Pull the plug, look into the chamber with light, watch the valves, squirt in some WD40 or equiv, and try it again.  Depending on engine make and mfg, you may have to take the head off to clean the valve.

   If 2-cyle, you likely lost a carb to engine seal or the seal is leaking.

   A shovel always works until the handle braeks <G>

2. 
   MisterT | Dec 07, 2003 02:12pm | #2

   +/or dirty air filter (if it has one)

   Mr T

   Do not try this at home!

   I am an Experienced Professional!

3. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Dec 07, 2003 03:35pm | #4

   You're getting enough gas at idle to keep it running, but as soon as the vacuum increases under load you're not getting enough gas.  Even though you ran it dry, did you drain the float bowl?  If not, you may have gummed up the jet or one of the small passages in the carb.  Could also have water in the bowl, which happens to me all the time.  Unscrew the drain and drain the float bowl.  Put some carb/injector cleaner in the tank and let it idle for an hour.  Maybe a tenth of a bottle in a gallon tank.  Less in a smaller tank.

1. 
   PhillGiles | Dec 07, 2003 07:25pm | #9

   As Bob has said, plus change the fuel filter (it'll have one) and check the inside of the tank where the fuel line is (sometime there's a screen there that gets partially covered up with "stuff").

   Last, do a visual on the wee springs that adjust the butterfly/mixture on top of the carb to see if one is blocked by a dead bug or some random debris..

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

4. 
   KRettger | Dec 07, 2003 04:18pm | #6

   Joe,

   Check your spark plug, I've experienced the same problem you have with a 2 stroke engine. Seems sometimes if you just let the engine warm up sometimes the plug will foul and when you go to use the throttle the engine just bogs down and quits. Checking to see if your spark plug is fouled can't hurt.

   If that ain't it seems like you need to resort to the old backup plan and breakout the shovel until you get a mechanic to fix the little rascal.

   Good Luck,

   Cork in Chicago

5. 
   BossHog | Dec 07, 2003 04:50pm | #7

   Based on your description, I'm guessing it's the high speed mixture is out of adjustment.

   There should be 2 screws on the carb - One that says "idle" or "low". The other should say "high", or something like that.

   I'm guessing your high speed mixture isn't rich enough when you apply a load.

   One other thing - I wouldn't suggest running the carb dry every yer. Use "Stabil" in the gas instead. My mowers often start on the first pull after they've been stored over the winter.

   If I remembered your name, I would have asked you where I left my car keys.

1. 
   reganva | Dec 07, 2003 11:07pm | #13

   I was told at the repair shop that gas stabilizer is not effective in oil/gas mixtures, that I should never use gas that is more than a month old in my two stroke snowblower.  Therefore, I should run the tank dry at the end of the season.  Any thoughts on this?

1. 
   BossHog | Dec 08, 2003 01:49am | #16

   "I was told at the repair shop that gas stabilizer is not effective in oil/gas mixtures"

   I've never heard anything like that. The mixture is 95%+ gasoline, so I don't know why it wouldn't work.It's not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on. [Marilyn Monroe]

1. 
   deadmanmike | Dec 08, 2003 09:17am | #17

   I'm with you on that one. And actually if it's a typical 32:1 premix then it's 96.666~%gas.

   The only problem is that the premix oil will separate after a while and settle. Fuel is drawn out through the bottom, so the carb'll get loaded with more oil than gas unless you shake the bejeezus out of it first.

   Mike

1. 
   PhillGiles | Dec 08, 2003 09:37am | #18

   While we had 2-strokes, I used to use a paint mixing wand (the kind with a wavey disk at the end of a long piece of rod) in a 3/8 drill to stir the gas in the tank if it had been sitting for a while..

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

2. 
   bobl | Dec 08, 2003 04:03pm | #19

   "I was told at the repair shop that gas stabilizer is not effective in oil/gas mixtures"

   sthil oil comes with stabilizer, if i understand what is ment by stabilizer, helps keep gas freshbobl          Volo, non valeo

6. 
   MrBill | Dec 07, 2003 05:59pm | #8

   Joe,

    If it ran fine the last time you used it, I doubt that anything is "out of adjustment" I have the same exact problem with my lawn mower and it is always the small jet that is screwed into the bottom of the float bowl, actually, it holds the float bowl in place. If you take it out and look real close, there is a small hole through it that meters the fuel. Take some carburator cleaner and spray through the hole to clean it . If you have to use a small piece of wire. If this fixes the problem....the next thing you need to do is go to Home Depot etc, and buy a fuel filter that is designed for mowers and other small engines. That is what finally fixed mine !

   Hope this helps,

   Bill Koustenis

   Advanced Automotive Machine

   Waldorf Md

7. 
   goldhiller | Dec 07, 2003 07:49pm | #10

   And one more of us chimes in…….<g>

   Frequently enough the load needle located on the bottom of the float bowl will vibrate out of position during use. And oddly enough, I find that they usually vibrate against the spring pressure, closing themselves far enough that you end up with a lean mix. Result can be what you've described.

   Other causes for your symptoms can include (most if not all already mentioned), gummed up carb, water in carb or dirt and rust in carb pick-up.

   If just gummed up, I've always had good success using Carb Medic in the gas (run it enough to get some in the carb and let sit for as long as an hour).

   If water, you may or may not be successful draining it out through the provided drain valve. Sometimes these drains are offset far enough from the actual bottom of the bowl that the offending culprit is still in there when you finish. I usually just loosen the bolt on the bottom and drain thru there, then retighten. (Load needle is frequently integral to this bolt, so try not to alter its setting when you do this)

   Sometimes the float bowl itself starts to rust and throws off rust flakes (cheap metal and plating these days). If this stuff gets picked up, it can partially plug the metering valve resulting in your symptoms or totally plug the jet preventing the engine from running at all. Take the float bowl off along with pickup tube and clean everything well.

   I don't recommend using the soaking type auto carb cleaner on the newer small carbs these days because many of them have a plastic coating on them that if removed or loosened will either flake crap off that will plug you up again or will not run properly once this coating has been removed. (This info from my friend who does small engine repairs for a living everyday and has for the last 30 years.)

   Have you pulled the air cleaner and looked to see if the choke is actually doing its job when you operate that cable?

   Edit: The choke cable thing is a long shot, but I've had one that moved enough to start easily, but left me with too lean of a mix for a loaded engine.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/7/2003 11:53:53 AM ET by GOLDHILLER

1. 
   ProBozo | Dec 07, 2003 09:14pm | #11

   Last similar problem I had was a mud dauber in the little vent hole in the gas cap -- as soon as it got up to speed, there'd be a vac in the tank, and carb couldn't draw fuel.

8. 
   deadmanmike | Dec 07, 2003 10:10pm | #12

   Tooo many choices.

   If it's a 4 stroke, does it sound like the governor is kicking up the idle when you load it? If not.........

   If so, you may just have an ignition problem(flame out da muffler tells me you probably have enough gas) and may just have a bad/wrong plug or poor spark from magneto/coil.

   Mike

   PS: Like others have said, pull the plug. If it's light colored or white, no fuel; if it's black or wet, too much fuel or not enough spark.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/7/2003 2:13:20 PM ET by Mike Gabriel

9. 
   WorkshopJon | Dec 07, 2003 11:41pm | #14

   Joe,

   I got a similar call today from my  Dad back East. I agree somewhat with GOLDHILLER when he said,

   "Frequently enough the load needle located on the bottom of the float bowl will vibrate out of position during use."

   Assuming your carb has one (nowadays most don't) turning the run mixture screw counter clockwise (out) can make the problem go away, but IMO, it has more to do with gum accumulating and restricting the fuel flow, than the screw tightening itself.

   BTW, usually a 1/2 turn will do it.

   Jon

1. 
   bobl | Dec 08, 2003 12:06am | #15

   our $%^ snowblower died today after onr pass (18")

   #$%^&  mouse chewd thru the spark plug wire.

   ran for a while then died.bobl          Volo, non valeo