Greetings! I noticed from some of the posts that there are lawn mower repair
savvy folks that monitor this group. I'm looking for some help with my
mower. I have mowed 3 times with it this season. Each time it has run like
new. The other day, I decided to spray it down with the garden hose to clean
it up. I have mowed with it one time since the cleaning, and it ran great.
The other day, I tried to start it up, and after I prime it, it runs for
about 3 seconds and dies. I can continue to pump the prime bulb and it will
stay running. I drained the gas tank, pulled the carb off and blew it out
with compressed air, inspected the float and needle valve--good, put it all
back with new gaskets, put on a new air filter, installed a new spark plug,
checked the main vacuum hose going from the block to the top of the carb and
it looked new, filled the gas tank with fresh fuel, and after all that, the
mower still only runs 3 seconds after I prime it. It is a pos Tecumseh
engine with no obvious carb adjustments. The mower is probably 3 years old.
I can keep it running by taking the air filter off and partially closing the
rear air inlet hole on the carb with my fingers, but that makes it tough to
mow with. Anyone have any ideas?

Obviously not getting enough fuel thru the carb.
I wonder if your main port is partially blocked
You could try raising the fuel level in the float bowl by adjusting the
float.

"Bill" wrote in message
news:uBZxa.890292$3D1.510169@sccrnsc01...
Greetings! I noticed from some of the posts that there are lawn mower
repair
savvy folks that monitor this group. I'm looking for some help with my
mower. I have mowed 3 times with it this season. Each time it has run like
new. The other day, I decided to spray it down with the garden hose to
clean
it up. I have mowed with it one time since the cleaning, and it ran great.
The other day, I tried to start it up, and after I prime it, it runs for
about 3 seconds and dies. I can continue to pump the prime bulb and it
will
stay running. I drained the gas tank, pulled the carb off and blew it out
with compressed air, inspected the float and needle valve--good, put it
all
back with new gaskets, put on a new air filter, installed a new spark
plug,
checked the main vacuum hose going from the block to the top of the carb
and
it looked new, filled the gas tank with fresh fuel, and after all that,
the
mower still only runs 3 seconds after I prime it. It is a pos Tecumseh
engine with no obvious carb adjustments. The mower is probably 3 years
old.
I can keep it running by taking the air filter off and partially closing
the
rear air inlet hole on the carb with my fingers, but that makes it tough
to
mow with. Anyone have any ideas?

it is a fuel problem , 1st check to see if you have any fuel is the carb
(see where carb been reassembled and the float got stuck) and if that is not
the problem then double check the carb see if any dirt or water is still is
contaminating the system. but you definitely have a fuel supply problem.

Welp, the little red soda straw fell out today. Can that thing be shoved
back in the hole, or does it require some type of adhesive (or replacement)?
Anyone know?? I have no idea what it is for. I thought fuel would come out
of it if I pushed in the primer bulb, but it doesn't. The primer bulb blows
up like a balloon though if you blow into the tube. Can anyone provide an
explanation here?

"Bill" wrote in message
news:uBZxa.890292$3D1.510169@sccrnsc01...
Greetings! I noticed from some of the posts that there are lawn mower
repair
savvy folks that monitor this group. I'm looking for some help with my
mower. I have mowed 3 times with it this season. Each time it has run like
new. The other day, I decided to spray it down with the garden hose to
clean
it up. I have mowed with it one time since the cleaning, and it ran great.
The other day, I tried to start it up, and after I prime it, it runs for
about 3 seconds and dies. I can continue to pump the prime bulb and it
will
stay running. I drained the gas tank, pulled the carb off and blew it out
with compressed air, inspected the float and needle valve--good, put it
all
back with new gaskets, put on a new air filter, installed a new spark
plug,
checked the main vacuum hose going from the block to the top of the carb
and
it looked new, filled the gas tank with fresh fuel, and after all that,
the
mower still only runs 3 seconds after I prime it. It is a pos Tecumseh
engine with no obvious carb adjustments. The mower is probably 3 years
old.
I can keep it running by taking the air filter off and partially closing
the
rear air inlet hole on the carb with my fingers, but that makes it tough
to
mow with. Anyone have any ideas?

I have rebuilt two such carbs in the past year. The second one that I did I
rushed the job and I had the same problem you originally had, so I did
everything over. Turns out that the bolt holding the carb cover on which
has a small hold in it was blocked, so I sprayed some carb cleaner on it and
my problem was solved. I am not sure what straw you are talking about in
your repost.



"Bill" wrote in message
news:rz7ya.904216$F1.111979@sccrnsc04...
Welp, the little red soda straw fell out today. Can that thing be shoved
back in the hole, or does it require some type of adhesive (or
replacement)?
Anyone know?? I have no idea what it is for. I thought fuel would come out
of it if I pushed in the primer bulb, but it doesn't. The primer bulb
blows
up like a balloon though if you blow into the tube. Can anyone provide an
explanation here?

"Bill" wrote in message
news:uBZxa.890292$3D1.510169@sccrnsc01...
Greetings! I noticed from some of the posts that there are lawn mower
repair
savvy folks that monitor this group. I'm looking for some help with my
mower. I have mowed 3 times with it this season. Each time it has run
like
new. The other day, I decided to spray it down with the garden hose to
clean
it up. I have mowed with it one time since the cleaning, and it ran
great.
The other day, I tried to start it up, and after I prime it, it runs for
about 3 seconds and dies. I can continue to pump the prime bulb and it
will
stay running. I drained the gas tank, pulled the carb off and blew it
out
with compressed air, inspected the float and needle valve--good, put it
all
back with new gaskets, put on a new air filter, installed a new spark
plug,
checked the main vacuum hose going from the block to the top of the carb
and
it looked new, filled the gas tank with fresh fuel, and after all that,
the
mower still only runs 3 seconds after I prime it. It is a pos Tecumseh
engine with no obvious carb adjustments. The mower is probably 3 years
old.
I can keep it running by taking the air filter off and partially closing
the
rear air inlet hole on the carb with my fingers, but that makes it tough
to
mow with. Anyone have any ideas?