honda GVC 160 OHC mower not starting

[Tom_Holdom]

Hello
My honda GVC 160 OHC mower no longer wants to start.
Its been running fine, and now won't start.
If I put a teaspoon of fuel in with the spark it'll run fine for a few seconds, so it looks like a petrol supply problem.
Everything ok up to carburetor, so I guess that leaves the carburetor itself?
Had it apart, and cleaned (it looked clean before), and still wont start.
Any ideas appreciated
Thank, Tom

 

[Rich M.]

Is the carburetor getting gas through the fuel line? Clogged line/fuel filter?

Okay, got to ask. Is the fuel valve open?

 

[Tom_Holdom]

Hi thanks for the swift reply.
Yes fuel is good up to the carb.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

Are you putting the fuel in the plug hole or in the intake?

 

[Rich M.]

Okay, when you had the carburetor apart, did you remove and clean the main jet and main nozzle? Float seat look okay? Did you remove the screw and clean the slow speed jet? Just a small piece of debris can cause this.

With the cheap price of replacement carburetors, I find it best to replace the carburetor instead of cleaning one.

 

[Tom_Holdom]

Update 1: Strange thing just happened, got the mower out to have another look at this problem having cleaned the main jet and nozzle (and removed the screw and cleaned the slow speed jet) yesterday.

On trying to start again this morning I had what looked like water (but a bit black) spluttering from the exhaust, and then it started and ran for around 3 minutes - not a full power; it threatened to stall when I tried to cut grass.

When it finally stopped I looked in the tank and it was empty..?
Which means almost a full tank had leaked out yesterday/overnight (I did wonder why it smelling so much....)

So why should it only run on a nearly empty tank, and I need to find where the petrol leaked from.

I put a little more petrol in, but now nothing again - spark plug dry....?

 

[Tom_Holdom]

Are you putting the fuel in the plug hole or in the intake?

fuel into plug hole - I get a similar result when I spray carb cleaner into the intake (though obviously doesn't run for as long)

 

[Rich M.]

Top of my head, possible stuck float. Usually if this happens, gas will leak around the carburetor and out the air cleaner, etc.

 

[CaptFerd]

Those carburetors are notorious for floats sticking. Engine might be full of gas. check the oil level if its to high. get a new carb.

 

[Tom_Holdom]

Resolved - thanks everyone.
On my second carb clean I found a tiny fleck which could have been stopping the float needle bedding in so fuel was not be stopped (at least on the occasion it ran dry over night).
Still not sure why this would have been causing fuel not to get through to the spark though...?

Thanks again
Tom