Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:09 +0100, Matchman
wrote:


Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks

Loosen the gas cap a turn or so. See if it continues. Use a paper
clip/wire to clear the small vent hole in the cap. It could be
clogged.

Of course, make sure the fuel tank is nearly filled. Not familiar with
the engine, but I had this problem once and it was the fuel cap not
venting.

on 7/15/2008 3:04 PM Oren said the following:
On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:09 +0100, Matchman
wrote:


Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks


Loosen the gas cap a turn or so. See if it continues. Use a paper
clip/wire to clear the small vent hole in the cap. It could be
clogged.

Of course, make sure the fuel tank is nearly filled. Not familiar with
the engine, but I had this problem once and it was the fuel cap not
venting.


Yes, but he says it only happens when mowing across the hill with the
left side down, and not the right side down.
The cap venting may have nothing to do with it. I would suspect fuel
level in the tank, and maybe an off center fuel line hole.
I fill my tank before starting to mow, and mow across the driveway hills
first, even though my fuel hole is in the center of the tank.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

"Matchman" wrote in message
...

Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks


Does it have a safety interlock switch in the seat?

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:09 +0100, Matchman
wrote:


Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks

I'd say its a fuel problem. As this is an older mower and assuming
this problem grew progressively worse, I'd say it's time for a
carb rebuild. If there is some sort of float in the carb, I'd suspect
that.

Otoe

Hi! Hairy 804140-Yes it does, engine stops when seat rises, but why would it only cause a problem if the mower is leaning right?

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:20:25 -0400, willshak
wrote:

on 7/15/2008 3:04 PM Oren said the following:
On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:09 +0100, Matchman
wrote:


Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks


Loosen the gas cap a turn or so. See if it continues. Use a paper
clip/wire to clear the small vent hole in the cap. It could be
clogged.

Of course, make sure the fuel tank is nearly filled. Not familiar with
the engine, but I had this problem once and it was the fuel cap not
venting.


Yes, but he says it only happens when mowing across the hill with the
left side down, and not the right side down.
The cap venting may have nothing to do with it. I would suspect fuel
level in the tank, and maybe an off center fuel line hole.
I fill my tank before starting to mow, and mow across the driveway hills
first, even though my fuel hole is in the center of the tank.

OP: mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when
I turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and
then stalls.

I agree with the off center fuel line. The engine is starving for
fuel--by the lack of venting for the tank or lack of fuel...

Matchman wrote:
Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up. I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks





It's got water in the carb. Drain it and the tank and refill with fresh
fuel.

--
Art

"Matchman" ...
Hairy;804140 Wrote:
"Matchman" ...-

Hi!
This is my first post to this site. I have an old Lawnflite 548 ride
on
mower.Starts Ok and runs but when I mow my sloping field it plays up.
I
mow across, and it is ok if leaning slightly to the left, but when I
turn and it is leaning to the right it splutters, won't rev and then
stalls. As a result I have to mow forwards then backwards which is a
nuisance. It has only recently starting doing this. Can anyone help?
Thanks

Does it have a safety interlock switch in the seat?

Hi! Hairy 804140-Yes it does, engine stops when seat rises, but why
would it only cause a problem if the mower is leaning right?

If the switch is on the left side of the seat, when your buttocks moves to
the right it might be torqueing the seat a bit and opening that switch. I
would try bypassing the switch for a short while to see if it has an effect.
Tomes -who has bypassed this switch entirely