On Aug 19, 1:46*pm, "AL_n" wrote:
Can anyone help? I have a Mountfiled Empress 4hp petrol mower that I
obtained from someone who inherited it and wasn't sure if it was working or
not. I got it home, put some unleaded petrol in the tank, checked the oil
level and cleaned the air filter. After only a few pulls of the pull-cord,
it fired up and the engine seems to run smoothly and steadily. However, it
does seem to lack power and after cutting some grass for a few feet, it
seemed to gradually lose power. This continued even with the blades lifted
off the grass, and no matter how I set the throttle.

Can anyone suggest a logical sequence of things I should check?

Clean the air filter
Flush and replace the fuel
Check that the regulator flap next to the magneto fan is not all
clogged up.

Change the spark plug
Change the condensor
Check the points, change if required.

Check the compression.
Remove head and grind in valves

"AL_n" wrote in message
...
"AL_n" wrote in
:

Can anyone help? I have a Mountfiled Empress 4hp petrol mower that I
obtained from someone who inherited it and wasn't sure if it was
working or not. I got it home, put some unleaded petrol in the tank,
checked the oil level and cleaned the air filter. After only a few
pulls of the pull-cord, it fired up and the engine seems to run
smoothly and steadily. However, it does seem to lack power and after
cutting some grass for a few feet, it seemed to gradually lose power.
This continued even with the blades lifted off the grass, and no
matter how I set the throttle.

Can anyone suggest a logical sequence of things I should check?

TIA for any help!

Al


PS... Now when I try to fire it up, it starts up OK, but then dies out
after about one second...

I had an old mountfield that did this, the magneto as it heated up lost its
magnetisms and the spark died.


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

bobharvey wrote in news:f0b70653-e130-43d4-b6ab-
:

Clean the air filter
Flush and replace the fuel
Check that the regulator flap next to the magneto fan is not all
clogged up.

Change the spark plug
Change the condensor
Check the points, change if required.

Check the compression.
Remove head and grind in valves

Thanks for that! I'll refer to that list next time I get a problem.

Al