I was given an older Hustler mower that had been sitting for a while. The Engine was not seized up but it was in pretty rough shape. I tore this thing all the way down to the frame, sanded, painted replace several parts but I did not take anything apart as far as the engine goes. It looked i really good shape so other than a new carb and plugs air filter fuel pump/lines. etc.etc. Nothing was done with the inner workings of the engine. WHEN I get the mower started it runs perfectly fine with about 20 hours on it after the rebuild. Getting it started is a constant battle. I was thinking carb issues but it is really not that old. The problem seems to be it floods real easy or something. I will crank on this thing and let it sit crank on it and let it sit for a dang hour before I can get it started. I am running out of ideas on what the trick is because eventually it just starts. I will always kill the petcock to make sure even though I am fairly confident fuel does not continue to flood from the carb bowl due to something stuck. I have replaced the plugs again because they did look a little burnt. Today trying to start it i fooled with it for about an hour choke/no choke...throttled up / throttled down....it will even crank crank and then backfire but wont start. I take the intake hose off and I do see some fuel in the intake but not an excessive amount to be completely pooled up or anything. Any Ideas on this I have not thought of or has anyone had similar issues and have a fix?
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Starting Issue 07 Hustler Fastrak with Kawasaki Engine.
- Thread starter Dale221
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2024
- Messages
- 3,268
WAG
The vacuum pulse pump is not working properly, or a fuel supply line is collapsed or blocked internally. Fuel lines typically fail from the inside.
The vacuum pulse pump is not working properly, or a fuel supply line is collapsed or blocked internally. Fuel lines typically fail from the inside.
after a little more investigating. It is definitely flooding before it will start. Even if i have the fuel turned off and I let it die the last time I used it to make sure all fuel was out of there... I turn on the fuel and try to start and it will flood before it will start. It is 100% getting fuel to the intake and intake side of the carb. So fuel is definitely making it through the fuel lines and vacuum pump.WAG
The vacuum pulse pump is not working properly, or a fuel supply line is collapsed or blocked internally. Fuel lines typically fail from the inside.
You say you installed a new carb ?
Might still have a carburator problem , even new ones give trouble at times , pull it and check to see if the needle and seat are not leaking , flip it upside down and blow into the fuel supply with the float down , it should not let air pass, if it does , you have a leaking seat
Might still have a carburator problem , even new ones give trouble at times , pull it and check to see if the needle and seat are not leaking , flip it upside down and blow into the fuel supply with the float down , it should not let air pass, if it does , you have a leaking seat
Yeah I did install a new carb when i rebuilt it. only about 20 hours on it and it was a cheapy of amazon no an OEM so Im going to take it off tomorrow, blow some air through it and soak with some carb cleaner. I appreciate it. I will update after.You say you installed a new carb ?
Might still have a carburator problem , even new ones give trouble at times , pull it and check to see if the needle and seat are not leaking , flip it upside down and blow into the fuel supply with the float down , it should not let air pass, if it does , you have a leaking seat
Yeah I did install a new carb when i rebuilt it. only about 20 hours on it and it was a cheapy of amazon no an OEM so Im going to take it off tomorrow, blow some air through it and soak with some carb cleaner. I appreciate it. I will update after.
Well turns out it was plugs... I just changed them out because they had looked a little fried... I don't know why but I didn't check the gap on them when I installed them... i probably didn't check the first ones either so who knows if this wasn't a problem for a while. So I looked up the Engine Spec for gap on these and it was .025 - .030. I pulled mine out and they were at like a .040. I adjusted both of them and torqued them down the 16ft lb per spec and it started almost immediately and runs fine. Something so simple. Thanks guys.You say you installed a new carb ?
Might still have a carburator problem , even new ones give trouble at times , pull it and check to see if the needle and seat are not leaking , flip it upside down and blow into the fuel supply with the float down , it should not let air pass, if it does , you have a leaking seat
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2024
- Messages
- 3,268
Hopefully the coils have not been overheated by the excessive gap for too long.
I thought about that... I looked at them and they looked ok. I thought about spending the extra 40 bucks and just replacing them but I ran it for about an hour tonight to see if I would lose power or die on me or something and they seem ok...nothing getting too hot. I got lucky maybe : )Hopefully the coils have not been overheated by the excessive gap for too long.
mikefc2026co
Forum Newbie
Nice work Dale — getting a free machine running again is the best feeling. My old walk-behind did the exact same thing after sitting for two seasons: hard starting and flooding. New plugs helped, but what finally fixed it for me was swapping the cracked fuel line and a gunked-up fuel filter before the carb — the float needle was letting fuel pour right through. Fresh gas with a splash of stabilizer too. If it ever acts up again, give the pulse pump line a close look for cracks. Enjoy the mower!