Hi,
I've been working on trying to get my dad's mower going but I'm running out of ideas so I'm looking for tips on what to try next.
Engine/Mower Details:
I'm working on a LV148EA-334036B engine mounted on a MTD push mower model 11A-413F516.
Symptoms:
I'm not getting any action at all when I try to start it up. I'm not even sensing any initial combustion happening.
What I've tried:
So that's where I've gotten to so far. I'm still new to small engine repair so I'm well out of my depth now. I'm looking for suggestions on any tests I can perform that can narrow down where the problem is so that I can focus in on the right area. I don't like blindly just trying fixes without some other test telling me that I'm on the right track.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Denis
I've been working on trying to get my dad's mower going but I'm running out of ideas so I'm looking for tips on what to try next.
Engine/Mower Details:
I'm working on a LV148EA-334036B engine mounted on a MTD push mower model 11A-413F516.
Symptoms:
I'm not getting any action at all when I try to start it up. I'm not even sensing any initial combustion happening.
What I've tried:
- At first I wasn't getting any spark from the plug. I tried replacing the plug but that didn't work.
- I then I used a spark tester and confirmed that there was no charge getting to the plug.
- Then I replaced the ignition coil and still there was no spark getting to the plug.
- Then I looked at how the main controller cable was pulling on the brake lever and figured it wasn't pulling it back far enough. I clamped the lever back farther and found that I was starting to get a spark from the ignition coil. On this mower, the controller cable is not adjustable so I replaced it with a new one and now I can reliably get a spark from the plug. Still, the engine won't start.
- Next, I took the carburetor off and opened it up for cleaning and visual inspection. It was actually quite clean and the bowl had fresh gas in it. Still I cleaned it up with carb cleaner.
- Before taking the carburetor off, I noticed that the choke plate would get stuck when I pulled it back and then it would spring back to its default position when I gave it a little tap. So, when I took the carburetor off I also looked around the governor lever and found that it was caked pretty thick with soot and dirt. So I cleaned it all up with carb cleaner as well. After reassembling and reinstalling the carburetor I found that choke plate was now moving freely with no guming up. Still, I had no action from my attempts to start the motor.
- The only other thing I observed was that there's a hole in the breather tube just before the breather tube elbow. I haven't done anything to patch or replace it because I didn't think that would explain my symptom of not getting any turns out of the motor.
So that's where I've gotten to so far. I'm still new to small engine repair so I'm well out of my depth now. I'm looking for suggestions on any tests I can perform that can narrow down where the problem is so that I can focus in on the right area. I don't like blindly just trying fixes without some other test telling me that I'm on the right track.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Denis