Fixing A Murray Mower That Won't Start

[@curtite]

When I was a lad, a teacher (an ole timer) would rhetorically tell us in trade school, "that's how we won the war in the south Pacific". Now think I get this watching your videos and listening to your candor😁

[@HomeGaragechannel]

LOL!! I really appreciate that

[@gradyhernandez4699]

Yes they won because of the Navajo ":code talkers" history "teachers" made sure they omitted that part of WW2 history

[@butler386]

I will only buy an electric mower when I can't buy or fix a gas mower. Instead I might get a few donkeys or goats. Looks like a great mower to me. Thanks for the videos.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Great point!

[@donsurlylyte]

in a tough time, you can eat a goat, you cant eat a mower

[@gradyhernandez4699]

Battery operated mowers,? N0 way

[@gradyhernandez4699]

Good job

[@themowerman]

Thanks for the video mate .. that mower has had a hard life

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure has, thank you Mick!

[@e.scottdaugherty8291]

35 years ago I ran a small engine repair shop in Cape Carteret NC. I used to tell my customers the same things you have mentioned, I ran a special at the end of the season of $20, drain it, run it & sharpen the blades, lube controls & tell them "add gas in the spring and your good to go ".

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice!

[@my2cents945]

wipe some oil on the O ring before reinstalling the float bowl. It will prevent the O ring from binding resulting in a fuel leak.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes very good advice

[@mjg263]

Wow, i’s only from 2019 and it looks like that? That little guy sure has had a rough life!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I know right

[@fhsjr]

We have a gas powered push mower and trimmer that I bought when we moved into this house 8 years ago. I really love them and enjoy using and maintaining them. However, a couple years ago I started having issues with really bad hip and back pain. Our yard is small, about a fifth of an acre, but we sit on a hill with a really steep rise on one section in the back. Steep enough to stall the gas mower if left at that angle for a minute. The gas equipment started to be too heavy and rough for me to use, especially on that hill and especially when I could feel it t just vibrating every joint in my body. So, I went to the orange big box place and bout the lime green 18v mower and trimmer. They’re very lightweight and run well on our property. Invested in some extra batteries during lime green days and we’re all set to cut everything while using three chargers to keep them topped up. I kept the gas equipment, and now that I’m on the mend I’ve been considering pulling it out and using it again, but I just don’t see a need when the electrics are lighter and work just as well in our situation. I think I’ll save the gas for heavier work. Oh, and I live in PA. Ethanol free fuel is mainly available by the can at supply stores and it runs close to $30 a gallon. I use it in my gas equipment because I hate needing to take carbs apart when I forget to drain the fuel, but I can understand how a normal homeowner could decide to just cheap out on gas.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you for sharing your experience

[@weast6388]

I just wanna say thanks for these videos. It made me want to go out and work on my own mower with issues, ive since gotten jt running well and im about to buy a used craftsman mower with a flathead Briggs engine so i can learn how it works and build up my own knowledge of small engines.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice, I'm glad to see your interest in working on these. good luck to you.

[@appelmac1]

I will never own a battery mower! Still using my snapper from the 90’s!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

very nice

[@Turningwrenches85]

Nice work getting that murray mower back up and running i have yet to try just taking the bowl off the carb still on the mower Maybe 1 time ill try it and see how that works.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it's much easier and less risk of things to go wrong

[@CarlGerlach]

Thank you for the videos. I think I have watched just about everyone you posted over the past couple years. I have a question not related to this specific video but that I thought you might have a suggestion on how to troubleshoot. About a week ago I was out cutting back some trees and weeds on our property. I used our Troybilt Super Bronco XP (8 years old) to pull a small utility trailer with the tools I needed. I came in through a pasture gate near our barn and turned it off. I was cleaning up some downed branches and went to start it and there was nothing. no click, no starter spinup, nothing. I checked my 3 yo battery. 13.2 volts. I checked safety switches etc all good. I jumped the two terminals on the starter solenoid and the started kicked in. Ok, need a new starter solenoid. Picked one up at Lowe's. Installed. turn the key and it started. Since then eused it three times. I parked it by the barn to unload the trailer. Went to start it to pull it into the barn, and nothing happened. just like before. Could something else be killing the solenoid? I never had replaced it since we purchased the tractor so it hasn't been a problem until a week ago. Any thoughts would be appreciated. -Carl

[@Huntersprojects]

Maybe the battery is cooking the solenoid or you need a new starter? Or it’s not making a good connection to activate the starter hope this helps

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Loose wire on the ignition or a safety switch. Or a short/bare wire.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure, I'd use a multimeter to check that the "key switch" is working to make contact. That's the part the key goes in and you turn. sometimes the contact inside it wear away. Might considering replacing it.

[@CarlGerlach]

@@HomeGaragechannel Thank you all for your suggestions. I've ordered a new key switch. I will also trace the cables. Worst case a new starter.

[@sparky1044]

For someone with a small yard in the city, i usually recommend they get battery equipment...especially if they don't know how to fix an engine. Also easier to store an electric mower (hang it on a wall) for those with limited space. That said,i have no use for them personally.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you Yard Dawg

[@ramadinsookhoo6141]

Hey bro, whats up? I don't think that I'll ever use much battery powered equipment for landscaping purposes except maybe in a domestic setting.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

that makes sense

[@daig1984]

Hg could also stand for honest guy! Keep these brilliant videos coming from wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Much appreciated!!

[@dagorithe]

I don’t know if some one else mentioned that the water was visible in the jar. For the future, you could emphasize the outline of the water in the jar with the gas if you have the software, time, knowledge, and gumption. If not, I appreciate the videos you do put out in the current format/style. Keep up the good work.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

oh I see what you're getting at, yes that would be a good idea, however that would require more work than I might not have to get it to work. Thanks though

[@timcolton4680]

What cleaner do you spray on your trimmers, saws and mowers before you rinse it off with a house, sure comes clean.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thanks I'm using the only degreaser Harbor Freight sells, they come in gallon jugs

[@tjclarke4604]

Those engines have a flaw in them, the main jet has little o-rings on it that often swell up and cover fuel intake holes. I used to do micro surgery and trim the o-rings to reveal the holes, but now I don't waste my time. I just order the replacement jets in bulk for cheap and whenever I see a B&S EXi engine come in with a no-start issue, I just swap the jet. I just wish that Briggs stayed with the Quantum, you just can't beat them.

[@mattwickert736]

I'll admit, it's been awhile since I had one of those to work one and I do the same with the jets. They're like $2 each in bulk, and isn't worth the time or effort to remove and clean the old ones. The o-rings you refer to, they're the ones on the actual jet itself, right? I've never paid them much mind, but now that you mention it....I could see those causing problems.

[@warpig372]

I don't think I will ever switch over to battery mowers. Almost all my repairs are pretty basic and my mowers last an average of well over 10 years. I just maintain the heck out of it every year .

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it certainly a hard choice for some

[@999thenewman]

I figured you adjusted the valve lash, cleaned the spark plug and serviced the blade to smooth out the performance. Good profit for Home Garage.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you know I probably should have looked at the lash, but if you hadn't guessed it, the blade was the issue.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@HomeGaragechannel I was going to add 'Balance The Blade' but forgot. See what you get to look forward to!

[@markrabinowitz7070]

12:35 I briefly switched to a battery-powered mower a few years ago after a few failed attempts at fixing a gas-powered mower that I had owned for a few years, which started but kept stalling. I didn't know what I was doing back then, and when you try a few different approaches to solving the problem and you still keep getting the same undesirable result, you tend to go insane. What didn't occur to me at that time, though, was that I might have more success fixing mowers I picked up out of the trash than I had with that aforementioned mower. I switched back to gas-powered mowers--long story short, there's no substitute for gas power--but I did find a purpose for the battery-powered one: It's great for chopping and bagging the weeds that grow out of the cracks in my driveway (less time and hassle than using my weed wacker and then having to sweep up the mess). I plan on switching back to gas power for my next snowblower this coming winter as well (I have used electric and battery-powered ones for the last five seasons).

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice tank you for Sharing that

[@markrabinowitz7070]

@@HomeGaragechannel You're welcome! One more thing--at the 6:46 mark, you mentioned that switching from gas-powered to battery-powered mowers amounts to trading one set of problems for another. I couldn't agree more. You already mentioned battery capacity as one issue. There's one other issue that occurred to me: Replacement part availability. With gas-powered mowers, all sorts of parts are generally easy to come by, and many online retailers have exploded parts diagrams that show the names and item numbers for each part for easier shopping. With battery-powered ones, if a blade gets damaged or a wheel breaks or a switch goes bad, good luck.

[@jameshedrick605]

I have actually used a folded up sock as an air filter before. It worked till i could order the right one

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice !

[@georgepruitt637]

Buy an extra air filter. keep in drawer/hanging on wall. I buy 5-paks of B&S filters, so I don't run out.

[@billmaxfield7831]

or the left lol

[@mr1pearl]

That thing is practically new thank you is right 💰

[@HomeGaragechannel]

that's what I thought too

[@Subieboy58]

Hahaha I got that mower for free in my neighborhood it’s a yard machine the guy said it didn’t start and went and bought a new one I put gas in it and it started but luckily I put oil in it Bc it was low but change it and change the air filter and everything works!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

very nice find!

[@jimplosay8352]

Love the videos and watch them all! You explain things really easy to understand. I am dealing with a carburetor issue for a Powermate PFTT142 tiller. Yea, I know it is ancient, but I need it to do a job. The issue is the carb (I have replaced it with an aftermarket one) needs to have the governor arm pulsed around back and forth to keep it running while it warms up and then the tiller has to be primed (air only line into carb) every time to restart it if it stalls. There is no throttle, and no choke. You did a video on an almost identical carb but I saw no choke or throttle on that assembly either. What am I missing? Thanks!!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

The only thing I need to make sure is that you purchased the correct carb for it. The carb for this engine will fit many different sized engines, I just want to make sure got the right one that's jetted for your engine.

[@jimplosay8352]

@@HomeGaragechannel I keep replying with the eBay and Amazon links to the carb that I bought, but they keep disappearing.

[@NotAdam8]

Hi Home Garage, Just a question that im unable to find answers anywhere else. I recently sold a friend a mower I fixed and after just a few weeks it started surging for a few seconds on startup then it would go away, and its been getting worse since. I cleaned the carb before selling to them so I dont think its the carb, but I could be wrong. Any suggestions? The engine is a 2015 Briggs 300 series.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure, it's the carb or more specifically the diaphragm under the carb. I needs to be replaced

[@emort6]

You must be a hefty guy to have such meatballs for hands! Love your videos, keep it up.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I appreciate the observation

[@jesussantibanez6711]

Thank you for sharing great video 👍👍👍

[@HomeGaragechannel]

No Problem and thank you for your time!

[@gearhead366]

Re: pulling strength of a 6 yr old... many owners have similar pulling strength, and getting a mower to crank without the need for a bodybuilder is a good thing. How many people have kids who claim, "I can't get it started... it's TOO HARD TO START"? Of course, this channel shows that there ARE a bunch of mowers that have been neglected, and ARE hard/impossible to start. How bad would my mower have to get for me to switch to battery power? Gas would have to be outlawed. Battery power IS nice for never having starting problems, but that's about where the benefits end.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

well said, when I was younger I too thought the harder I pull the more likely it was for the mower to start, now I realize what the issue was. And I like batteries but as far as starting using it, a new set of problems will begin.

[@TheOutdoorPowerGuy]

Professional of 23 years and also certified in small engine repair - ethanol isn't that big of a problem in my opinion gas is gas which will degrade and go bad over time, adding ANY additives in a small engine is a recipe for possible problems such as gelling of the additives which WILL clog up the carburetor - ever pull a float bowl and see this jelly like substance in there? that's 9/10 times from adding fuel stabilizer or any additive, and it separates and causes issues, best advice i can give anyone, use regular 87 octane gas from a reputable store and don't leave it in your equipment longer than 60 days or it will turn bad, if you plan on not using your equipment, run the unit completely dry of any fuel.

[@busyboy7635]

I have noticed that the cover on the self-propel is dingy. I have found a product by Maguires called Black Magic that all it takes is putting it on 1 times brings it back to life. It looks great after you use it.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I agree, but I'm was only interested in making them clean, and not new looking, but I appreciate it.

[@martindesmarais7158]

The best is to remove these beauty covers n never put it back (until you sell the machine!), that's the way to protect all propelling components as belt, cable n even trany: all used machines I opened this cover were ALL full of clogged hard grass. But it's up to you to decide choosing esthetic than an efficiency to last !

[@TargaWheels]

"Lack of motivation" = Lazy. You can say it. Call it what it is, call them what they are.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you got the hint right , I was trying to be "nice" about it.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Entitled. Same thing, sort of.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

I've never had a mower too bad to give up on. I might be using parts on other mowers but nothing has left here intact and un-fixed in one degree or another. I'm down again the the wife has been doing the yard. The battery hand mower is doing great BUT it's almost new too. The rider I went through is still running and we'll see what becomes of the other mower(S) AND we'll also see who laughs last. I get overruled on a lot of stuff but my health puts me in a position where there is no arguing. We shall see. Thanks and BLESSINGS

[@HomeGaragechannel]

well said and a true fixer!

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@HomeGaragechannel Remember poverty and desperation!

[@10forthebigguy753]

A 15 year old gas mower can usually be fixed. After three years the electric needs a new battery that cost hundreds of dollars.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

$190 now. Charger is $180

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes you are correct

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@HomeGaragechannel That's what ours were just a little bit ago and that's what the package dealer deals are going for.

[@TheDronzDr]

How do you like the plastic carburetors?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

actually it's fine so far, don't think I've ran into one that couldn't be saved

[@georgepruitt637]

They are worth the metal that they are made of !!!!!!!!!!!

[@SA-iw4ci]

Kinda surprised that you don't have or use a ratcheting combination wrench to remove the float bowl screws.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it wasn't in the bag at the time, so I used what I had

[@SA-iw4ci]

@@HomeGaragechannel I hate tool bags. Digging to find something and everything just falls right back into the spot from where you just moved them.

[@rickthelian2215]

True fuel can be expensive or have bad batches😡

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes you are correct

[@lewiemcneely9143]

It's expensive but one bad batch a long time ago. You could smell something wasn't right.

[@watermanone7567]

I would never buy a battery mower, Cost of a new battery is high and I don't want to run out of battery power half way thru mowing my yard. Thanks for the video.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I know right, they are absolutely insane about the asking prices!

[@gradyhernandez4699]

I like those mowers too

[@HomeGaragechannel]

if you can find one for a good price it's a good value.

[@kb-zk1yg]

I'm not a fan of those spring tensioned drive cables. I haven't found a way to adjust the tension on them yet. They even say it's not meant to be adjusted in the manual for troy bilt. Ended up just replacing the entire handle bar set up with the pistol grip style that can be adjusted.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes the spring at the end of the cable is there for you to fight with and it's a real pain sometimes

[@jaarryifleshblood315]

Only time I’ll switch to electric is never, my troybilt tb 240 is 5 years old and you’ll be surprised on how still shiny it looks. The Only thing that went bad is the transaxle. The mods I’ve done is add a fuel filter and a finisha blade.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice mods

[@donsurlylyte]

some real advantages to an electric mower, depending on the size of your yard. sure you have to replace the battery eventually, but save on the gas and carb repairs, etc.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I have not done a cost comparison yet of a batter mower to a gas one, might be an interesting video.

[@gamelias87]

Not related to the video Can anyone guide me to set the carb on a makita strimmer rbc221? Carb in question is a walbro , original to the strimmer. I changed the membrane and all jets. Strimmer start's an run but won't rev. No L or H screws visible.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure, get a small Precision flat screwdriver and turn the tiny screw in the middle of the "Brass barrel" on top of the carb, start with a a quarter turn counter clockwise. This should slightly increase fuel delivery .

[@gamelias87]

@@HomeGaragechannel That did work, however in my case was running rich i suppose.I realised that after i fallowed your instructions, strimmer was not happy at all.Did the opposite and it worked. Thank you for taking the time and share your knowledge 👍

[@robertmailhos8159]

That brand of lawn mower is getting hard to find I've yet to see any of them in the area of where I live

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I know right, it's been a long time since I've seen a new one too.

[@robertmailhos8159]

@@HomeGaragechannel I believe that they are now owned by Briggs and Stratton company

[@georgepruitt637]

I can see the water in the bowl. It only takes a drop of water to "Plug the jet", as it were. Different viscosity than fuel.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes sir

[@johnhouli3450]

Thank you.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

You're welcome!

[@GrowingLittleCountryhomestead]

No electric vehicles at my house. Oil and gas till I die 😂

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I hear that

[@philliphall5198]

Some people can’t even take care of a electric mower and just need to have it done ✅ Just facts It’s not for everyone

[@HomeGaragechannel]

correct

[@ethanmiller3935]

I would never go with a battery mower, unless it is my only option and my gas mower has let its internal motor parts become extetnal or something else along those lines of severity.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I know right, it just doesn't sound very good to me either.

[@kb-zk1yg]

Found a website that shows everywhere close by that sells ethenol free gas. Not as many as i thought for a 200k+ town only 4 location.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice

[@dagorithe]

People forget you need electricity to charge batteries. No power no recharge. And places like California often deal with rolling brown outs.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

correct, and we just had a power outage for the last couple of days. I wonder how the EV people handled it.

[@TKC_]

If I go battery it needs to be one of those roomba like ones that can mow on its own and go back to the base 10x when it needs a recharge haha. I don’t care how long it takes if I’m not there!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you make a good point, I've been curious but the price is just too much

[@TKC_]

@@HomeGaragechannel yup still expensive though they have come down in price quite a bit from a few years ago. I wonder how it would like my electric fence.

[@paulburns3788]

Hello Home garage I would never buy a battery power lawn mower I love my Honda too much

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice choice, and thank you Paul Burns

[@brianking1138]

No plans to go electric ever. I find it much easier to just remove the carb for cleaning. The one exception would be Tecumseh carbs .

[@HomeGaragechannel]

agreed

[@christophermarshall5765]

I won't buy a battery powered mower.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it's definitely not what I want either

[@Vultain]

Biofuel will be around to replace gas. Make your own filters, buy replacement wheels and bolts to hold in those wheels and you should be good. Honestly the wheels or deck usually go bad long before the engine for me.

[@johnnyrodgers3140]

Me either it has to be a gas mower

[@MatthewTyreeKS]

I told myself that until I had a stroke and then rheumatoid arthritis attacked my hands, shoulders and hips. I was having a lot of trouble pull starting and pushing my Toro, even with the personal pace setup on it, so I took the plunge and bought a skil 40 volt electric mower with self propel. I still love my gas equipment, but I refuse to pay someone to mow my lawn.

[@Vultain]

@@MatthewTyreeKS That does indeed make sense. Also sorry to hear about the health complications. RA runs in my family and is horrible stuff. I am hoping to avoid it, osteo and other complications are enough.

[@user-hv5zj5gd2d]

Take care of it? Bought one new last season. Zero old gas end of last season. Kept it in a shed all winter. Put new gas in, won't start

[@HomeGaragechannel]

did you run it out of gasoline at the end of the season?

[@sheilaeast9545]

It's a shitty mower. I have a brand new one and it's not running right at all.

[@liljoeii6091]

I Won't buy a battery powered one ei've had 2 sets of drills battery and the battery go dead. I've had tractor batteries I don't even last dear year. I take inside so they don't freeze. When they ain't in use thank you for the video

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes batteries can certainly have some longevity issues I'm surprised they're trying to push them on us like this.

[@AshDuke20]

We have a battery one, its easy for me to start. 😂

[@HomeGaragechannel]

LOL!!

[@AshDuke20]

@@HomeGaragechannel and dad doesn't need to do much for it. 🙄

[@dfields9511]

Oh I can just see them getting left outside battery mower . Electrical and water do not mix

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you are correct

[@bryanwilliams4620]

If someone doesn't maintain a gas mower then they won't maintain an electric one either. From what I've seen many of the battery mower's blade attaches to plastic fan type part that easy to break and hard to obtain. Making it basically a throw away machine. The people pushing battery mowers want people to think the mowers are zero maintenance so they can sell them another one when they break and cant be repaired easily or cheaply.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

agreed

[@gvi341984]

You ever thought about giving the mowers back to someone in need? Ask people for money for donations to supply the money for said parts. You have two videos one for repair and someone who needs the help

[@HomeGaragechannel]

so it's my responsibility to find someone in need??

[@gvi341984]

@@HomeGaragechannel Your channel will be bigger? The people you sell these mowers are the ones who need it. Ask for donations and people want to help these type of stories.

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

I don't like the idea of putting a gasoline fire out with water...

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thanks!

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

@@HomeGaragechannel Yep, just checked online, "Class B" fire. So you very much do NOT want to use water.

[@electroddxful]

I wouldn’t buy a battery mower ever.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I know right, just the idea of the money hurts me.