Mower Won't Start

My lawnmower won't start. I turn it on and it just keep spinning. I put a new spark plug in it. I checked the gas for water plus I drained it. Please help. Thank you.

Kimberly

Answers:

Mower Won't Start

Put a teaspoon of gas in the spark plug socket and it worked fine, Thanks (05/03/2008)

By Randy

Mower Won't Start

FYI I have a 6.0 HP Briggs motor on my Snapper self-propelled mower. Engine model 12H802.

Thanks for these extremely helpful suggestions. After all of them I was still having issues and finally resolved this afternoon.

Replaced spark plug
Replaced air filter
Checked fuel line
Put gas into the spark plug hole and the engine fired up for 2 seconds with thick black smoke and then died.
Put gas into the carburetor after taking off the air filter. Same result. Engine started and died. So I knew that I had a fuel delivery problem. Took off the air filter plastic holder (3 screws). Be careful not to twist the hoses too much.

When the air filter holder is off then you can see the carburetor. I took off the carburetor (2 bolts) and flipped it over. You will see a metal bowl with a bolt in it. This 'bolt' is called the 'bowl nut'. Don't ask me why a bolt is called a nut. Take off the bolt carefully and slowly. Drain all the fuel out. Clean the holes in the bolt (one through from side to side and one from top to bottom which meets the side-to-side hole. Clean with a sewing needle very carefully.

Also look into the carburetor area where you took the bolt out of and you will see two holes. Pierce those with the sewing needle and very carefully clean out all the gunk. If you have carburetor cleaner or can buy some, soak all these pieces in carb cleaner overnight (I did not do this). If you are feeling very adventurous take apart the entire carburetor, clean with carb cleaner overnight and then put back together (again, I did not try this).

Then finally put the bowl nut back and put the carburetor back. Fill fresh fuel, prime and it should all work.

The problem that I had was the very narrow (0.25mm) vertical shaft in the bowl nut was clogged (I had not used the mower in 2 years).
(05/19/2008)

By burluasr