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Toro 6.5 GTS Won't Keep Running

#1

D

DatacomGuy

Lawn mower was given to me by a friend.. Ran great for about a month or two, and seemingly out of nowhere this problem began.

When its cold, it starts right up and runs solid. I'll get about 10-12 minutes out of it, and then it cuts off abruptly (as if i ran out of gas, yet.. i haven't..) Then, it wont restart until its completely cold. Typically hours later or the next day.

Grr.

Thus far i've done the simple tune up items of spark plug replacement, oil change, air filter replacement. I have not cleaned the carb or taken the motor apart yet.

What gives???


#2

C

chance123

DatacomGuy said:
Lawn mower was given to me by a friend.. Ran great for about a month or two, and seemingly out of nowhere this problem began.

When its cold, it starts right up and runs solid. I'll get about 10-12 minutes out of it, and then it cuts off abruptly (as if i ran out of gas, yet.. i haven't..) Then, it wont restart until its completely cold. Typically hours later or the next day.

Grr.

Thus far i've done the simple tune up items of spark plug replacement, oil change, air filter replacement. I have not cleaned the carb or taken the motor apart yet.

What gives???
Click to expand...

Check your fuel filter and when the engine starts to die out, try loosening the fuel cap. The fuel cap's vent might be blocked.


#3

B

BrokenTiller

DatacomGuy said:
Lawn mower was given to me by a friend.. Ran great for about a month or two, and seemingly out of nowhere this problem began.

When its cold, it starts right up and runs solid. I'll get about 10-12 minutes out of it, and then it cuts off abruptly (as if i ran out of gas, yet.. i haven't..) Then, it wont restart until its completely cold. Typically hours later or the next day.

Grr.

Thus far i've done the simple tune up items of spark plug replacement, oil change, air filter replacement. I have not cleaned the carb or taken the motor apart yet.

What gives???
Click to expand...

Could be that your coil is starting to go bad. Run it until it shuts off again, then pull the plug out and check the spark. When it gets hot your coil might not be generating spark if it is on its way out.


#4

A

angellonewolf

DatacomGuy said:
Lawn mower was given to me by a friend.. Ran great for about a month or two, and seemingly out of nowhere this problem began.

When its cold, it starts right up and runs solid. I'll get about 10-12 minutes out of it, and then it cuts off abruptly (as if i ran out of gas, yet.. i haven't..) Then, it wont restart until its completely cold. Typically hours later or the next day.

Grr.

Thus far i've done the simple tune up items of spark plug replacement, oil change, air filter replacement. I have not cleaned the carb or taken the motor apart yet.

What gives???
Click to expand...

not that i know a lot poss a coil problem ? when it heats up the resistance drop and shorts out ?


#5

D

DatacomGuy

chance123 said:
Check your fuel filter and when the engine starts to die out, try loosening the fuel cap. The fuel cap's vent might be blocked.
Click to expand...

Can i do any maint to the cap? Should i try replacing it?

As far as when its dying out.. it just dies. There isn't much time to mess with it. Similar to it running out of gas, or when i let go of the handle.

Where is the fuel filter at? I googled, but found nothing..


#6

D

DatacomGuy

BrokenTiller said:
Could be that your coil is starting to go bad. Run it until it shuts off again, then pull the plug out and check the spark. When it gets hot your coil might not be generating spark if it is on its way out.
Click to expand...

Will test this over the weekend.


#7

C

chance123

DatacomGuy said:
Can i do any maint to the cap? Should i try replacing it?

As far as when its dying out.. it just dies. There isn't much time to mess with it. Similar to it running out of gas, or when i let go of the handle.

Where is the fuel filter at? I googled, but found nothing..
Click to expand...

Well if there is not enough time to loosen the cap, after it quits, loosen it, wait a minute, tighten it and try to start it again


#8

D

DatacomGuy

chance123 said:
Well if there is not enough time to loosen the cap, after it quits, loosen it, wait a minute, tighten it and try to start it again
Click to expand...

I follow.. Will test this also over the weekend. Thanks guys.


#9

T

thacman

A common cause of the engine to not stay running is the holes in the screw holding the float bowl are clogged. This is a simple thing to fix if that's what it is. Just follow these steps:
1.) Remove the spark plug wire from the spark plug.
2.) If there is gas in the tank, clamp off the gas line hose by wrapping with a rag and clamp with a vice grips.
3.) The float bowl (silver container below the carbureter) has a screw holding it on from underneath. Place some paper towel underneath the bowl since some gas will still be in the line and in the float bowl. Remove the screw holding the float bowl.
4.) Pull off the silver float bowl and check for any debri that may be in it. Clean out the bowl.
5.) Next, clean out the vent holes in the screw. Take a fine peice of wire like a piece from a wire brush and stick it in the holes. There's 3 places to clean out: two holes at bottom, one very small one near the top, and the main one down the middle. Just slide the wire in and out to clearn out any blockage.
6.) Slide the silver bowl back on and tighten the screw back on.
7.) Take off the clamp on the gas line hose and put the spark plug wire back on.
8.) Prime the engine and start it up and see if that helps. Good luck - Let me know.


#10

D

DatacomGuy

chance123 said:
Well if there is not enough time to loosen the cap, after it quits, loosen it, wait a minute, tighten it and try to start it again
Click to expand...

This didn't help.. no go.

thacman said:
A common cause of the engine to not stay running is the holes in the screw holding the float bowl are clogged. This is a simple thing to fix if that's what it is. Just follow these steps:
1.) Remove the spark plug wire from the spark plug.
2.) If there is gas in the tank, clamp off the gas line hose by wrapping with a rag and clamp with a vice grips.
3.) The float bowl (silver container below the carbureter) has a screw holding it on from underneath. Place some paper towel underneath the bowl since some gas will still be in the line and in the float bowl. Remove the screw holding the float bowl.
4.) Pull off the silver float bowl and check for any debri that may be in it. Clean out the bowl.
5.) Next, clean out the vent holes in the screw. Take a fine peice of wire like a piece from a wire brush and stick it in the holes. There's 3 places to clean out: two holes at bottom, one very small one near the top, and the main one down the middle. Just slide the wire in and out to clearn out any blockage.
6.) Slide the silver bowl back on and tighten the screw back on.
7.) Take off the clamp on the gas line hose and put the spark plug wire back on.
8.) Prime the engine and start it up and see if that helps. Good luck - Let me know.
Click to expand...

This didn't fix the issue :(

Still need to test the spark plug, forgot to check that one.


#11

D

DatacomGuy

Bump :( Hope someone can help. :(


#12

Carscw

Carscw

As soon as it shuts off test for spark.

This does not mean wait for it to shut off then go look for your tools.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))


#13

T

tybilly

thacman I was the new guy,and that stupid little hole in that bowl screw cost our shop a customer...ive never made that mistake again..lol...but I think he needs to buy a spark tester and watch the spark at the time it dies.


#14

D

DatacomGuy

Carscw said:
As soon as it shuts off test for spark.

This does not mean wait for it to shut off then go look for your tools.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))
Click to expand...

Apologies for the delay.. I checked this a few weeks ago but have been SO busy haven't been able to come back and update.

So i immediately unscrewed spark plug, grounded it on the chassis (and tried the block too) and no spark at all.

What should i check next?


#15

T

tuit

I didn't think I had spark either, I couldn't see the plug spark arch and get a good pull at the same time. I have a good heart or at least think I do. I just bit the bullet, as soon as it died I removed the plug and slid spark plug cover back so I could hold the end of the coil wire then short pulled the rope to see if it was producing any kind of voltage. Didn't take much of a pull to feel I was producing a weak spark, I was expecting a arm jerking spark. Went to the mower shop to get a new coil and a plug. The mechanic/parts/owner told me that he doesn't see many bad coils and doesn't replace but maybe one coil a year. Also told me that the coil doesn't produce a hot spark until about 1700 rpm. I went ahead and bought the new coil and spark plug then also picked up a carb kit while I was there. Sure enough he was correct, new coil didn't help change anything. After taking carb off several times and cleaning, finally replaced needle and seat that came with the carb kit. That fixed my dying problem. I would think that the vibration of a single cylinder would shake the needle loose from the rubber seat if it stuck closed, but mine didn't.


#16

D

DatacomGuy

tuit said:
I didn't think I had spark either, I couldn't see the plug spark arch and get a good pull at the same time. I have a good heart or at least think I do. I just bit the bullet, as soon as it died I removed the plug and slid spark plug cover back so I could hold the end of the coil wire then short pulled the rope to see if it was producing any kind of voltage. Didn't take much of a pull to feel I was producing a weak spark, I was expecting a arm jerking spark. Went to the mower shop to get a new coil and a plug. The mechanic/parts/owner told me that he doesn't see many bad coils and doesn't replace but maybe one coil a year. Also told me that the coil doesn't produce a hot spark until about 1700 rpm. I went ahead and bought the new coil and spark plug then also picked up a carb kit while I was there. Sure enough he was correct, new coil didn't help change anything. After taking carb off several times and cleaning, finally replaced needle and seat that came with the carb kit. That fixed my dying problem. I would think that the vibration of a single cylinder would shake the needle loose from the rubber seat if it stuck closed, but mine didn't.
Click to expand...

Sounds good. I'll give this a try.


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