i have an old John Deere LX188 that I inherited from a previous tenant. I swapped the battery, plugs, fuel and oil filter and have ran it for a couple hours on my lawn. The other day I was mowing I stopped to empty the bags and when I tried to start the mower again it would turn over but not fire up. It has spark, the fuel pump is working, the float is not stuck on the carb, the fuel is new, and when I squirt some fuel into the air intake it fires then dies. What is the problem? I have read about about the plastic camshaft gear in these models going bad how do I know if that is the problem? Any advice is appreciated.
John Deere lx188 will turn over but not start
- Thread starter Mortenm
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reynoldston
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Seeing you squirt fuel into the carburetor and it runs its only one thing. A lack of fuel to run. That can be anything from a empty fuel tank to a carburetor problem???
This ^^
Rule out the simple and cheap first, replace the fuel filter. Fuel may be getting to the carb but an old filter may slow the flow rate so that it can't keep up.
Also make sure the battery you swapped is rated for the engine hp.
Also make sure the battery you swapped is rated for the engine hp.
reynoldston
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I agree start on the small things first. Then work up to the carburetor. Dose the carburetor have a solenoid in the bottom of the bowl and if so do you have power to it. If you are getting good fuel flow to the carb and decide its the carburetor its self I would say clean the carburetor and replace the needle valve..
Inside the bowl, it is operated by the raising and lowering of the float. Technically you could access it by removing the bowl without removing the carb but you might as well go ahead and remove the carb, save yourself some headaches, just be prepared to replace the gaskets, including the bowl gasket, which usually comes in the carb kit with a new needle valve and seat. Again though, rule out the simple stuff first. Don't try a carb cleaning yourself unless you've done it before, there are several very small jets and holes to clean that you won't see if you don't know what you are looking for.
Check for the fuel cutoff solenoid he mentioned on the bottom of the carb bowl, some have it, some don't. If you see a small metal cylinder under your carb bowl with a wire coming out from it, you have one and you need to make sure it's good and not sticking. Replacing them is not cheap.
Check for the fuel cutoff solenoid he mentioned on the bottom of the carb bowl, some have it, some don't. If you see a small metal cylinder under your carb bowl with a wire coming out from it, you have one and you need to make sure it's good and not sticking. Replacing them is not cheap.