milehighxr
Member
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2012
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 19
I have an old 1978 Lawn Boy 2 stroke. Model R8237AE S/N 8362854. Up until a few years ago she ran like a champ, when she wasn't eating pinion gears. Had to replace the recoil spring this season, and she started and ran well enough. Got to the backyard and was probably trying to cut it shorter in one shot than I should have and she stalled out. She absolutely would not restart, even after letting her cool down some(she has had hot restart issues for a while). So I did the following:
cleaned exhaust ports(they were really clogged)
Removed carb and cleaned it out, all passages free and clear, checked float adjustment and got her ready to make sure altitude setting is right.
Filled tank with last seasons gas that I added "Start Your Engines" to. This stuff revived a snow thrower that was running poorly after leaving gas in it all season(not I've needed a snowthrower for the last 3 years).
She absolutely will not start. She almost caught once, tried starting fluid in carb, and nothing. Starting fluid has always worked in the past if she needed it, but up until now, I could leave fuel in her all off season and it was the only small engine that would start in 2 pulls or less the following season. Spark plug is clean and gapped a bit closer than the service manual says, but I've never had an issue with small engine plug gaps up to now. In fact when I've asked dad what to gap them at he's always don't worry about it.
We've always run her with 32:1 gas oil mix, though I just noticed the service manual and the remaining sticker on the back of shroud say 32:1 if Lawn Boy lubricant, 16:1 if all other 2 stroke oils.
What else could I possibly be missing?
My next step is to read the service manual to see what I need to look at but I thought I'd check the brain trust first.
Other issues of less importance:
Starter doesn't work, I'll have to rebuild the battery pack again, as I did it in 2009-2011 when I thought the starter was good.
She eats pinion gears like that is her job. When she ran well back in 2009-2016 I had to replace the pinion gear at least once per season, sometimes 2x. Dad does not seem to know why this is. I had another lawn boy, steel deck, that was also supposed to be an F engine and it never once chewed up a single gear. I was going to swap the motors between the 2, but the bolt pattern on the decks, and a tang prevented it. It also had the pull rope mounted thru to the right side of the handle. The 8237 has the best self propelled when compared to the steel deck one I had. I had to replace the driving key every season on the steel deck mower. I sold the steel deck mower 2 years ago, as I don't have room for 3 mowers, and the 3rd is my step dads corded electric. I absolutely hate it, partly the cord, but mostly the non-staggered deck.
I really wanna get this old girl running again, as we've had her since she was new in 1978, the year after I was born:wink: That and with my bad back she'll be great to chase around the yard once the electric start is fixed. Seriously, you have to chase this mower when she in high speed, it makes mowing the yard fun.
cleaned exhaust ports(they were really clogged)
Removed carb and cleaned it out, all passages free and clear, checked float adjustment and got her ready to make sure altitude setting is right.
Filled tank with last seasons gas that I added "Start Your Engines" to. This stuff revived a snow thrower that was running poorly after leaving gas in it all season(not I've needed a snowthrower for the last 3 years).
She absolutely will not start. She almost caught once, tried starting fluid in carb, and nothing. Starting fluid has always worked in the past if she needed it, but up until now, I could leave fuel in her all off season and it was the only small engine that would start in 2 pulls or less the following season. Spark plug is clean and gapped a bit closer than the service manual says, but I've never had an issue with small engine plug gaps up to now. In fact when I've asked dad what to gap them at he's always don't worry about it.
We've always run her with 32:1 gas oil mix, though I just noticed the service manual and the remaining sticker on the back of shroud say 32:1 if Lawn Boy lubricant, 16:1 if all other 2 stroke oils.
What else could I possibly be missing?
My next step is to read the service manual to see what I need to look at but I thought I'd check the brain trust first.
Other issues of less importance:
Starter doesn't work, I'll have to rebuild the battery pack again, as I did it in 2009-2011 when I thought the starter was good.
She eats pinion gears like that is her job. When she ran well back in 2009-2016 I had to replace the pinion gear at least once per season, sometimes 2x. Dad does not seem to know why this is. I had another lawn boy, steel deck, that was also supposed to be an F engine and it never once chewed up a single gear. I was going to swap the motors between the 2, but the bolt pattern on the decks, and a tang prevented it. It also had the pull rope mounted thru to the right side of the handle. The 8237 has the best self propelled when compared to the steel deck one I had. I had to replace the driving key every season on the steel deck mower. I sold the steel deck mower 2 years ago, as I don't have room for 3 mowers, and the 3rd is my step dads corded electric. I absolutely hate it, partly the cord, but mostly the non-staggered deck.
I really wanna get this old girl running again, as we've had her since she was new in 1978, the year after I was born:wink: That and with my bad back she'll be great to chase around the yard once the electric start is fixed. Seriously, you have to chase this mower when she in high speed, it makes mowing the yard fun.