Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member

discord

Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Threads
2
Messages
13
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
Thanks. I saw this when putting the box back on. I'm not sure what's wrong with the mower. Again it was running fine, then just stopped. Attempts at starting it, and it sounds a little funny to me when I pull the starting line. I hear a loud 'pop', but it doesn't sound the same as when it was working fine. I'm attaching a video I took, but I'm not sure the audio captures the 'pop' all that well.[video]https://goo.gl/photos/mM3hVJqH2UteCyPE9[/video]



If you are talking about the elbow tube toward the bottom, it is the breather tube, and connects to a nipple on the back of the air filter rear box.
 

ILENGINE

Lawn Royalty
Top Poster Of Month
Joined
May 6, 2010
Threads
39
Messages
10,041
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
Is it possible that you picked up some water/ethanol mix in the carb, and it can't quite run on it. it sounds like it is attempting to start, but just can't ignite the fuel. Also I can't tell what spark plug is in it. It just looks longer than the stander j19lm or b2lm I am used to seeing.
 

BlazNT

Lawn Pro
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Threads
28
Messages
6,973
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
Sounds like you dropped a push rod. Time to pull the valve cover off and take a look.
 

discord

Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Threads
2
Messages
13
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
Regarding the fuel, it was fresh gas, but contains ethanol. I was able to get it started, and it ran fine. Stopped it after running for a couple minutes. Started back up again 1-2 pulls. Started heading down hill and it died, can't start it again. The plug in it was J8C. I had a shorter plug, think it was CJ8 just put it in. Still can't start again. I've been trying to manually close the "throttle body" or whatever the brass flap is on the carb thinking that's the choke.

Is it possible that you picked up some water/ethanol mix in the carb, and it can't quite run on it. it sounds like it is attempting to start, but just can't ignite the fuel. Also I can't tell what spark plug is in it. It just looks longer than the stander j19lm or b2lm I am used to seeing.
 

discord

Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Threads
2
Messages
13
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
I got it to start a couple times, but died with the same issue. Would I be able to start it with a dropped push rod? I will need to read up on the push rod procedure before I begin. It's a learning experience for me.

Sounds like you dropped a push rod. Time to pull the valve cover off and take a look.
 

discord

Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Threads
2
Messages
13
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
It doesn't look like that much work to pull the valve cover off and on again, with a sealant. Just a little hesitant to do so. Would it have started and run fine for a few minutes with a bent pushrod?


The video is the reference I'm using for a different mower. I assume that the two "threaded rods with nuts" you see with the cover off are the push rods.


Sounds like you dropped a push rod. Time to pull the valve cover off and take a look.
 

cpurvis

Lawn Addict
Joined
Aug 25, 2015
Threads
21
Messages
2,256
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
That's an overhead cam engine. It has no pushrods.
 

discord

Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Threads
2
Messages
13
  • / Owner of model 987.388122 , B&S 650 series 21" push mower. New Member
Ok, thanks for the clarification. Anybody have a suggested set of tasks I should preform to troubleshoot the mower given that it can start and run infrequently? I looked at the owners manual but I think I've looked at the basics like changing the plug.

That's an overhead cam engine. It has no pushrods.
 
Top