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Hi,

Brand new user, hoping I might get some ideas!
I read through Kennykenny's post in this same forum and it sounds like mostly the same types of problems I'm having:
Although my mower is starting up OK, it runs pretty rough and weak and then peters out. I can make it run stronger by tilting it backwards, but it doesn't stay strong, and then when I return it to flat, it goes back to weak and will eventually stop running. I can restart it, but it's even weaker the second time, and then eventually it will just not start up again. If I wait 24 hours or so, I'm back to square one: starts up OK, but runs rough and weak.

I'll follow up immediately with a video that shows the behavior fresh today (hadn't tried starting it for about 20 hours).
I'll also follow up with a post containing some more details that led up to this point.

I appreciate any help in advance!

This is the main video I have of the current behavior.

It starts up OK on the second pull.
It runs weakly.
A couple of times it feels like it's going to "kick in" but it doesn't.
If I tilt it backwards it starts to run slightly better but then gets weak again when I put it flat.
It eventually just stops running altogether.
I can restart it, but it's even weaker the second and third times I go through this.
Eventually I can't restart it at all.
The self-propel works fine the whole time.
If I try to cut the grass it will stop running very quickly.

This is my last "starting" post to try to provide information I think might be useful.

History:
My mower was bought new and used for a few months in 2013, then drained of the gasoline, and stored in a garage. It moved from Ohio to Georgia on a moving truck. Did not use it again until this year.
I took it to a service shop this spring (2017) to have it looked over. I requested a tuneup but they said I should have a $40 diagnostic instead. They determined it did not need a tuneup, and was "actually in great shape". They also cleaned and cleared the carburetor.
I used it to mow the yard successfully once a week and a half ago and then half of the yard this past weekend. Upon trying to start it in order to finish the other half, it started running weakly and won't stay running to continue mowing.

Some other facts:
The gasoline was newly purchased a week and a half ago. The gas can was also new.
I took it back to the service shop and they said that I would have to start with another full diagnostic. I could insist on a tuneup at $85 but that they also wanted to diagnose the self-propel (even though the self-propel works fine). I was told to expect two weeks before they'd have a chance to look at it. The diagnostic that I had paid $40 for just two weeks ago would not be applied to any new work.

Things I've tried:
I discarded the gas that I had bought a week and a half ago and bought some new gas along with some Sta-Bil. I used 1 oz Sta-Bil along with 2 gallons of premium unleaded (89 octane) gasoline which apparently has up to 10% ethanol.
I removed the carburetor and cleaned out a very small amount of sediment. The air holes in the screw seemed fine as well.
I verified the air filter seems very clean.
I verified the oil is properly between the "Add" and "Full" on the dipstick.
I verified that the blade is turning unobstructed (and as fast as I would expect) when the engine is running.

Thanks in advance for any and all help; I really appreciate it.

It sounds like it is running rich. Actually acts like a carb issue. Possible clogged air bleed, float high too high, I have gone to just replacing the carb on those engines, because the carb repair kit plus labor is the same price as new carb, and you don't have the hassles of things not working correctly.

have you tried running it without the air filter. Sometimes an air filter can seem clean and not allow air flow through the filter media.

First, get some of the local newspapers , you know the ones with photos of the Mayor & Sherriff on every second page.
Go to the back classified section and look for a small mower repair add, the smaller the better.
That will be the real mower repair shop, the others are just a tool for the sales department.

Now get a can of starter fluid & a red neon tube inline spark tester.
Fit the spark tester to your mower, give it a SMALL Squirt of starter fluid, & pull the handle.
The neon tube should flash each revolution ( mowers have a wasted spark system ).
If it starts & runs a few seconds you have a fuel problem
If it dosen't start and the tube does not flash you have an ignition problem
Trucking mowers tends to cause wires to frett & short or connectors to fall off or debris in the fuel tank to accumulate in the outlet hole.

Once you get the mower back to running... go to the store and purchase several cans of sauerkraut,.. a few dozen eggs, several heads of cabbage and also some broccoli ... everyday of the week ... prepare several of these items and eat until you are close to passing out !!
then visit THAT mower shop & browse casually, and every time a customer gets near a register with a sales person move as close as possible and relieve some of that billowing gaseous overload in your bowels ... being sure the "fragrance" is noted by all bystanders, continue this ritual on a daily basis for as long as there are still people in the building or until the swat & hazmat teams are called in ... hopefully the flow of customers patronizing the business will decrease dramatically enough for them to go out of business because they truly deserve to ..!! ..:thumbsup:

ILENGINE said:

It sounds like it is running rich. Actually acts like a carb issue. Possible clogged air bleed, float high too high, I have gone to just replacing the carb on those engines, because the carb repair kit plus labor is the same price as new carb, and you don't have the hassles of things not working correctly.

Click to expand...

I replaced the carburetor and it's running fine now.
I really appreciate the feedback and support, and of course the diagnosis and advice by ILENGINE that confirmed for me what I thought I should probably do to fix it.

Thanks everyone!