I have a Lawnboy mower of which I'm not sure the model. It does however say "Solid state 21" on the side, maybe that is the model name. I purchased it used in 2010 and have no idea how old it is.
I've often had problems with finicky starting, but now I have a bizarre problem. This morning I went out to start it, with my usual routine thats always worked. Press primer button 5 times while tipping lawnmower about 60 degrees to right side until I can hear fuel squirt. Pull string and start. Often it will start on the first pull this way.
Again it did today. However despite the throttle being set to "light" the engine raced off to what sounded even faster than what it does at full throttle. Switching the throttle between "light" and "normal" had no effect. I thought it might be stuck and kind of jiggled the mower up and down tapping the wheels on the ground. The engine then dropped down to what sounded like its usual "light" speed then slowed to a stop in less than a minute. Nothing I could do would get it to restart or so much as a pop of ignition.
I pulled the plug, cleaned it. Checked air filter, pulled whatever I could out of that. No change. So I took apart the carburetor, cleaned every bit of it with carb cleaner, inspected it. I don't see anything obviously wrong. Re-assembled it all.
I went through my usual starting routine and... It started! For awhile. It ran full speed again then 15 seconds after starting the engine again slowed to a stop and nothing I could do afterwards could make so much as a single combustion event.
I'm at a loss here. Any ideas before I have to borrow the neighbor's mower? :biggrin:
I don't know if this is related but I have never been able to start this machine while hot, not that it really was hot in this case. When I do my lawn I have to make dam sure I got everywhere because if I turn it off there is no hope in a restart for 30 min afterward.
I've often had problems with finicky starting, but now I have a bizarre problem. This morning I went out to start it, with my usual routine thats always worked. Press primer button 5 times while tipping lawnmower about 60 degrees to right side until I can hear fuel squirt. Pull string and start. Often it will start on the first pull this way.
Again it did today. However despite the throttle being set to "light" the engine raced off to what sounded even faster than what it does at full throttle. Switching the throttle between "light" and "normal" had no effect. I thought it might be stuck and kind of jiggled the mower up and down tapping the wheels on the ground. The engine then dropped down to what sounded like its usual "light" speed then slowed to a stop in less than a minute. Nothing I could do would get it to restart or so much as a pop of ignition.
I pulled the plug, cleaned it. Checked air filter, pulled whatever I could out of that. No change. So I took apart the carburetor, cleaned every bit of it with carb cleaner, inspected it. I don't see anything obviously wrong. Re-assembled it all.
I went through my usual starting routine and... It started! For awhile. It ran full speed again then 15 seconds after starting the engine again slowed to a stop and nothing I could do afterwards could make so much as a single combustion event.
I'm at a loss here. Any ideas before I have to borrow the neighbor's mower? :biggrin:
I don't know if this is related but I have never been able to start this machine while hot, not that it really was hot in this case. When I do my lawn I have to make dam sure I got everywhere because if I turn it off there is no hope in a restart for 30 min afterward.