Something different - broken mower
Discussion
Hi folks
I have a Westwood S1400 ride on mower with a Briggs and Stratton 14.5 i/c engine. I acquired it last year, it's a 2005 model from what i can work out and has been running just fine. Over the winter i gave it a full overhaul, stripping and cleaning all the deck and repainting etc. I changed the plug, oil, fuel and air filters. I've used it for 5 or so cuts, 40 minutes each since the winter refurb.
I came to use it at the weekend and it wouldn't start. I eventually traced this to a switch on the brake pedal that was corroded. This switch cuts power to the magneto from what i can work out, cleaned that up and it started fine. During the course of the troubleshooting I:-
Removed the tank and fuel line, cleaned/ blew it all out.
Removed the magneto/ coil that sits by the flywheel and generates the spark.
Now, it will spin up and run fine for a minute or so, but eventually it will just die. I have a lovely stripe on the middle of the long lawn.
I have removed and re-gapped the megneto several times, I'm fairly confident this is right as it runs and idles fine. I have this morning pulled the carb off, emptied out from the top (can't get a spanner in to take the bottom jet off), no discernible crap seemed to come out, fuel was clean.
After re-fitting, once i got the float bowl full again it started and ran the same as before. idled fine for a minute, then dies.
I'm now totally perplexed. where next?!
I have a Westwood S1400 ride on mower with a Briggs and Stratton 14.5 i/c engine. I acquired it last year, it's a 2005 model from what i can work out and has been running just fine. Over the winter i gave it a full overhaul, stripping and cleaning all the deck and repainting etc. I changed the plug, oil, fuel and air filters. I've used it for 5 or so cuts, 40 minutes each since the winter refurb.
I came to use it at the weekend and it wouldn't start. I eventually traced this to a switch on the brake pedal that was corroded. This switch cuts power to the magneto from what i can work out, cleaned that up and it started fine. During the course of the troubleshooting I:-
Removed the tank and fuel line, cleaned/ blew it all out.
Removed the magneto/ coil that sits by the flywheel and generates the spark.
Now, it will spin up and run fine for a minute or so, but eventually it will just die. I have a lovely stripe on the middle of the long lawn.
I have removed and re-gapped the megneto several times, I'm fairly confident this is right as it runs and idles fine. I have this morning pulled the carb off, emptied out from the top (can't get a spanner in to take the bottom jet off), no discernible crap seemed to come out, fuel was clean.
After re-fitting, once i got the float bowl full again it started and ran the same as before. idled fine for a minute, then dies.
I'm now totally perplexed. where next?!
Blocked fuel tank breather not allowing air in to replace the fuel as it drops causing a vacuum in the fuel tank?
Come across this a few times with cars.
Sticking float valve in the carb?
Check for a spark straight after it cuts out to check if something is failing as it warms up. Again, this can also be a car problem.
Come across this a few times with cars.
Sticking float valve in the carb?
Check for a spark straight after it cuts out to check if something is failing as it warms up. Again, this can also be a car problem.
Edited by paintman on Monday 27th April 11:13
thanks for the replies. i have run the engine with my spark plug tester in-line and it SEEMS to be ok to me. The light is still there, just flickering as it runs down and stutters.
Just now, when it was about to stall, i sprayed some brake cleaner straight into the intake (running without the filter for now) and it ran again at idle before stalling.
The fuel line doesn't appear kinked, and when i turn the inline tap with the fuel hose disconnected at the carb it dribbles through nicely. So i don't suspect the hose unless a "dribble" isn't enough? Could be collapsed inside.
Bit more progress just now, i took the carb off, separated the bowl and it's all clean in there. i will blow the fuel ways etc out. The float moves freely, the electro magnet pin at the bottom moves to stop the fuel flow. One thing i did find was a small gap in the o-ring between the carb and the bowl, there is an extra gasket in the bowl lining too so i wonder if that's likely to be the problem or just a red herring.
Just now, when it was about to stall, i sprayed some brake cleaner straight into the intake (running without the filter for now) and it ran again at idle before stalling.
The fuel line doesn't appear kinked, and when i turn the inline tap with the fuel hose disconnected at the carb it dribbles through nicely. So i don't suspect the hose unless a "dribble" isn't enough? Could be collapsed inside.
Bit more progress just now, i took the carb off, separated the bowl and it's all clean in there. i will blow the fuel ways etc out. The float moves freely, the electro magnet pin at the bottom moves to stop the fuel flow. One thing i did find was a small gap in the o-ring between the carb and the bowl, there is an extra gasket in the bowl lining too so i wonder if that's likely to be the problem or just a red herring.
paintman said:
Blocked fuel tank breather not allowing air in to replace the fuel as it drops causing a vacuum in the fuel tank?
Come across this a few times with cars.
Sticking float valve in the carb?
Check for a spark straight after it cuts out to check if something is failing as it warms up. Again, this can also be a car problem.
I ran it with the fuel cap off and got the same issue, so this should rule out the breather?Come across this a few times with cars.
Sticking float valve in the carb?
Check for a spark straight after it cuts out to check if something is failing as it warms up. Again, this can also be a car problem.
Edited by paintman on Monday 27th April 11:13
eltax91 said:
paintman said:
Blocked fuel tank breather not allowing air in to replace the fuel as it drops causing a vacuum in the fuel tank?
Come across this a few times with cars.
Sticking float valve in the carb?
Check for a spark straight after it cuts out to check if something is failing as it warms up. Again, this can also be a car problem.
I ran it with the fuel cap off and got the same issue, so this should rule out the breather?Come across this a few times with cars.
Sticking float valve in the carb?
Check for a spark straight after it cuts out to check if something is failing as it warms up. Again, this can also be a car problem.
Edited by paintman on Monday 27th April 11:13
The brake cleaner squirt making it idle properly again says the issue is the fuel supply.
You mentioned that the fuel just dribbles through the fuel line. Doesn't sound right.
Can you disconnect the fuel line at the tap & compare the flow rate?
Hi guys.
Yes a tap on the fuel line. It was a dribble. Now it’s a drip! I think I isolated my problem at least. I managed to mow the lawn, in 7 bounds by filling the bowl each time from a bottle!
The order of things:- tank > pipe > cut off > pipe > filter > pipe > carb.
I’ve tested the pipe by pulling it at the carb. It was a dribble it’s now a drip. Pulled the filter. Slightly fast drip/ very slow dribble. I didn’t have time to drain the tank so I can pull the cut off.
I guess for the price I may as well just replace the pipe, cut off and filter. See how it fares. A new carb is only £25, but 3 weeks on the slow boat from China.
Yes a tap on the fuel line. It was a dribble. Now it’s a drip! I think I isolated my problem at least. I managed to mow the lawn, in 7 bounds by filling the bowl each time from a bottle!
The order of things:- tank > pipe > cut off > pipe > filter > pipe > carb.
I’ve tested the pipe by pulling it at the carb. It was a dribble it’s now a drip. Pulled the filter. Slightly fast drip/ very slow dribble. I didn’t have time to drain the tank so I can pull the cut off.
I guess for the price I may as well just replace the pipe, cut off and filter. See how it fares. A new carb is only £25, but 3 weeks on the slow boat from China.
Just to update/ round this one off. It seems that in my quest to locate the issue, pulling the tank has forced serious amounts of crap into the fuel line, where it jammed up in the shut off tap.
I had chance to drain it off today and found bits of grass etc in the tap. Once I pulled that the fuel flowed very quickly into the container. Along with a host of crap that wasn’t in the recently cleaned tank!
Upon sieving and inspecting, lots of the material was of rubbery consistancy, which leads me to believe the pipe is breaking up inside.
Length of pipe, filters and a new shut off tap on order. Pretty confident this will sort the problem. Yesterday I mowed the lawn in around 7 bounds, removing the carb bowl each time it stalled to fill it from a bottle.
Many thanks paintman and greenv8s as Your posts narrowed the thought process down.
I had chance to drain it off today and found bits of grass etc in the tap. Once I pulled that the fuel flowed very quickly into the container. Along with a host of crap that wasn’t in the recently cleaned tank!
Upon sieving and inspecting, lots of the material was of rubbery consistancy, which leads me to believe the pipe is breaking up inside.
Length of pipe, filters and a new shut off tap on order. Pretty confident this will sort the problem. Yesterday I mowed the lawn in around 7 bounds, removing the carb bowl each time it stalled to fill it from a bottle.
Many thanks paintman and greenv8s as Your posts narrowed the thought process down.
Edited by eltax91 on Wednesday 29th April 09:44
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