jewing3227
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- Joined
- May 14, 2013
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- 6
I have a Grasshopper 329B with the Vanguard. Just purchased it this past late spring. It currently has 39 hours on it. I have run nothing but 93 octane in it. For about the past 15 hours I have been noticing when I first start it up after it sits for a week it has been getting harder to start............until about 3 days ago. I could not get the thing to start. My usual routine is to full choke and 1/3 - 1/2 throttle. After about 10 seconds of cranking, I reduced it to half choke. Nothing. I let the starter rest in between cranks so I would run into no issues there. This went on for about 15 minutes and I could tell the battery was about done so I hooked the charger up to it for a few hours. Tried again about 4 hours later and had no success. I then pulled both plugs and found there to be not one drop of fuel on the plugs. Checked the spark. Both plugs had a strong spark. I put the plugs back in and gave it another whirl..........still nothing.
I did a little reading online and found out at one point n time, Briggs had a issue with their mechanical fuel pump. If let sit for so long, they would more-or-less allow the fuel to drain out of them and back into the tank. The fuel pump would lose it's prime and the engine would take forever, sometimes never starting until fuel was introduced into the intake track. The other issue I read was concerning vapor lock.........that of which I feel isn't my problem.
I spoke with the dealer and gave them all the above info listed and they double checked with Briggs. Briggs said they updated the fuel pump issue a year or so ago with a pump that has a check valve. Briggs told the dealership I should bring the mower in for further investigation.
Needless to say, I was not "ok" with that so I came home, tried starting it again with no success. I them pulled the clear plastic plug out of the top of the intake boot, dropped a small amount of fuel into the hole while simultaneously trying to start it and what do ya know........it fired up like nothing. I let it run for a little bit, messing with the throttle and it ran like tops. I shut it off and let it cool for about 3-4 hours and tried starting it again. Choked it with the throttle half ways and she fired up with no issues.
The current temperature here in Sothern Indiana is around 30 degrees during the day and in the lower to mid teens at night. The only thought I have on this is the fuel pump is possibly faulty. The other possibility I have heard to aid in helping the issue is to add an inline 1.5-3 PSI electric pump before the filter to keep pressure. I am not 100% sure that this is the issue though. Has anyone every had a similar problem or issue with their big block vanguard??? Thank you for any ideas or help you have to offer.
I did a little reading online and found out at one point n time, Briggs had a issue with their mechanical fuel pump. If let sit for so long, they would more-or-less allow the fuel to drain out of them and back into the tank. The fuel pump would lose it's prime and the engine would take forever, sometimes never starting until fuel was introduced into the intake track. The other issue I read was concerning vapor lock.........that of which I feel isn't my problem.
I spoke with the dealer and gave them all the above info listed and they double checked with Briggs. Briggs said they updated the fuel pump issue a year or so ago with a pump that has a check valve. Briggs told the dealership I should bring the mower in for further investigation.
Needless to say, I was not "ok" with that so I came home, tried starting it again with no success. I them pulled the clear plastic plug out of the top of the intake boot, dropped a small amount of fuel into the hole while simultaneously trying to start it and what do ya know........it fired up like nothing. I let it run for a little bit, messing with the throttle and it ran like tops. I shut it off and let it cool for about 3-4 hours and tried starting it again. Choked it with the throttle half ways and she fired up with no issues.
The current temperature here in Sothern Indiana is around 30 degrees during the day and in the lower to mid teens at night. The only thought I have on this is the fuel pump is possibly faulty. The other possibility I have heard to aid in helping the issue is to add an inline 1.5-3 PSI electric pump before the filter to keep pressure. I am not 100% sure that this is the issue though. Has anyone every had a similar problem or issue with their big block vanguard??? Thank you for any ideas or help you have to offer.
