I do have a notoriously short fuse, I must admit. Today, a Tecumseh
engine-based Ace Hardware self-propelled mower created a "that's the
last straw" situation. It ran almost out of gas, and then when I put
more gas in it (gas I purchased probably 30 days ago or so), it just
flat-out wouldn't start. Some 20 minutes of priming with that
bulb-thingie, sweat dripping off of me by the bucket-load, my allergies
kicking in to such an extent that I developed asthma-like symptoms, all
because I had a small patch to mow that wouldn't have taken me more
than 3 minutes to mow. (I had just got an Intex easy-set pool and
wanted to mow the designated spot once again to make sure it was "pool
ready.")

Some 20 minutes later, having added some gasoline and primped that
thing numerous times, and it STILL wouldn't start. Oh sure it would
sometimes "fake start" for maybe 1 second, only to then cut right off.

It had been running just fine barely 5 minutes before all of this, but
once it ran out of gas--forget it.

I became so enraged, I took a large wood-log and smashed the lawn mower
into a million pieces.

OK, so that was childish, at least it was a $35 yard sale lawn mower
(but it was self-propelled, making it something of a bargain). But man,
20 some minutes and it STILL wouldn't start, even with more gasoline
added, even with it having ran just fine minutes previous?

I am not just writing to vent and rant/rave, and hear people reply
"wow, that temper of yours, how silly of you" (not that I blame anyone
for saying that, I understand). I am writing for a reason, namely--are
lawn mowers as a group this picky? Is there someway, without it
requiring multiple servicing efforts at a repair shop, to make lawn
mowers less picky? Are Tecumseh engines as a group worse than
Briggs/Stratton engines? Any method of storage (outdoors, we don't have
a garage) that helps with this? Any tricks that can "kick start" a
stubborn-as-a-mule lawn mower into starting?

Also, I do recall when I used to cut grass as a teenager some 20 years
ago or so, it was common we'd run the lawn mower until it ran out of
gas, then just add more and it would fire right back up and we'd carry
on. It seems like now lawn mowers are much pickier--if you dare run out
of gas, there's hell to pay. Is this true, and if so, why?

Thanks for the tips.

LRH

Get a push mower.

wrote:
I do have a notoriously short fuse, I must admit. Today, a Tecumseh
engine-based Ace Hardware self-propelled mower created a "that's the
last straw" situation. It ran almost out of gas, and then when I put
more gas in it (gas I purchased probably 30 days ago or so), it just
flat-out wouldn't start. Some 20 minutes of priming with that
bulb-thingie, sweat dripping off of me by the bucket-load, my allergies
kicking in to such an extent that I developed asthma-like symptoms, all
because I had a small patch to mow that wouldn't have taken me more
than 3 minutes to mow. (I had just got an Intex easy-set pool and
wanted to mow the designated spot once again to make sure it was "pool
ready.")
{snipped for brevity}

I would've suggested some simple things to check that might possibly
have helped, but now that it has been violently disassembled the point
is moot. If you decide to continue to buy used mowers being discarded
for that price, be aware that they probably had owners with the same
amount of patience that you do. For your own sanity and the safety of
others, I suggest you bite the bullet and get something new (not a
Tecumseh). The chances are better that it will run a while before it
needs repair. Either that, or invest in some Valium.

GrtArtiste

said:

I do have a notoriously short fuse, I must admit. Today, a Tecumseh
engine-based Ace Hardware self-propelled mower created a "that's the
last straw" situation. It ran almost out of gas, and then when I put
more gas in it (gas I purchased probably 30 days ago or so), it just
flat-out wouldn't start. Some 20 minutes of priming with that
bulb-thingie, sweat dripping off of me by the bucket-load, my allergies
kicking in to such an extent that I developed asthma-like symptoms, all
because I had a small patch to mow that wouldn't have taken me more
than 3 minutes to mow. (I had just got an Intex easy-set pool and
wanted to mow the designated spot once again to make sure it was "pool
ready.")

Sorry, but I'm trying to figure out how it matters how the grass under a
pool is mowed. And 20 minutes of priming most likely flooded the engine.


Some 20 minutes later, having added some gasoline and primped that
thing numerous times, and it STILL wouldn't start. Oh sure it would
sometimes "fake start" for maybe 1 second, only to then cut right off.

Sounds starved for air, yup.


It had been running just fine barely 5 minutes before all of this, but
once it ran out of gas--forget it.

5? I thought it was 20?


I became so enraged, I took a large wood-log and smashed the lawn mower
into a million pieces.

OK, so that was childish, at least it was a $35 yard sale lawn mower

"You get what you pay for."

(but it was self-propelled, making it something of a bargain). But man,
20 some minutes and it STILL wouldn't start, even with more gasoline
added, even with it having ran just fine minutes previous?

You were almost done cutting the grass (3 minutes more, you say), so the
engine was obviously hot. You said, "It ran almost out of gas", which leads
one to believe that you manually shut it off. If the fuel system still had
some gas, it was already primed and there was no need to do anything other
than pull the rope. 20 minutes of dumping fuel in the cylinder did nothing
but flood the engine. Too much gas and no air just won't work. _


I am not just writing to vent and rant/rave, and hear people reply
"wow, that temper of yours, how silly of you" (not that I blame anyone
for saying that, I understand). I am writing for a reason, namely--are
lawn mowers as a group this picky?

No. They all require a mixture of fuel and air in order to function.

Is there someway, without it
requiring multiple servicing efforts at a repair shop, to make lawn
mowers less picky? Are Tecumseh engines as a group worse than
Briggs/Stratton engines? Any method of storage (outdoors, we don't have
a garage) that helps with this?

A good tarp? A small "carport"?

Any tricks that can "kick start" a
stubborn-as-a-mule lawn mower into starting?

Yes, patience and common sense. Some anger management classes may be in
order, too. I'm not so sure that it's the mower that's
"stubborn-as-a-mule", here.


Also, I do recall when I used to cut grass as a teenager some 20 years
ago or so, it was common we'd run the lawn mower until it ran out of
gas, then just add more and it would fire right back up and we'd carry
on. It seems like now lawn mowers are much pickier--if you dare run out
of gas, there's hell to pay. Is this true, and if so, why?

Again, I'm confused. Did you run out of gas, or "almost" run out of gas?
Did you prime and pull for 5 minutes, or was it 20?

--
Eggs

-My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.