Lawnmower Starts & Dies! Step By Step Repair

Lawnmower Starts & Dies! Step By Step Repair
In this video Donyboy73 shows you how to diagnose and repair a lawnmower that starts and dies immediately!
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Easy to follow and thorough step by step tutorials do it yourself (DIY) videos to help you with your broken lawn and garden equipment including snowblowers and zero turn mowers.
I do my best to teach you how to easily diagnose problems the fastest, quickest and most efficient way with real repairs beyond just replacing a spark plug. These tips are for both the homeowner and shop owner.
Whether it be a handheld, two stroke, two cycle engine like a chainsaw, weed eater, weed wacker, string trimmer, grass trimmer, line trimmer, hedge trimmer, strimmer, brush cutter, leaf blower, or four stroke, four cycle units like a lawnmower, wood splitter, lawn tractor, zero turn mower, snowblower, pressure washer, generator or a ride on mower that needs parts installed or replaced, I’m your go-to guy.
My favorite brands of spark plugs are NGK and Champion and are the ones I recommend.
I’ve been a small engine mechanic for many decades and also run my own repair shop so my videos are loaded with tips and tricks that I have learned and want to share with you. You will also find many tool and product reviews from top brands on my channel as well.
I have the largest Small Engine Repair Video Library on KZbin and the entire internet with over 1200 videos, just GOOGLE "DONYBOY73"!
I want "DON THE SMALL ENGINE DOCTOR" on KZbin to save you time, frustration and most importantly, MONEY with my HOW-TO videos!
Due to factors beyond the control of DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor”, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor” assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor” recommends safe practices when working with power tools, hand tools, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor”, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor". ave
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[@frankie7508]

One of the reasons why I believe Donnyboy73 is the best is because He not only gets down to the root of the problem immediately, But then very simply and accurately explains the fix and shows you as he does it. Quick, Simple, Effective, And illustrative along with little tricks along the way. He's the best all the way around. Another great job! 👍👍👍

[@winstonclarke9221]

Who would have thought about that, only a mechanic, Like you.

[@mikejones6974]

One itty bitty spring! Good job Dony!

[@alang.4570]

I thought it was a fuel related problem. Good catch on the governor spring!

[@wandajames6234]

Have you ever worked on a Chinese mini ATV (like 110 cc)? I am a retired (disabled) Class A auto mechanic (one of the first females in Canada-- mostly worked at a Honda dealership) so people tend to assume I can fix things that I've never laid eyes on before : ) -- like these ATVs-- my neighbour's grandson's. So I have been binging on videos and yours are by far the best I have found. You really would make a wonderful teacher. Thanks to you I brought my 1999 Craftsman 13.5 hp lawn tractor back to life. Now I need to find out the best way to replace a starter on these little chain-driven puddle jumpers. Getting it out is always easiest, getting the chain on the starter gear is a challenge as it is but also as my hands are deformed from rheumatoid arthritis. Any tips would be great but no worries if not, I just love watching you work. Thanks for helping me keep learning 30 years after I stopped working on machines. xo

[@Maxvigna]

Thank you very much for all yours precious info about these small engine; its a pleasure to watch! Greetings from Italy

[@James-xo4uv]

Amazing how quickly you notice the spring was gone, even after being to another shop for a full spring time service. You have good eyes.

[@100vg]

It's so easy when you know what you're doing and what to look for to notice what's missing. Great find and tip! Thanks!

[@chuckuu9294]

Donny your the gyro of small engines. Thanks again

[@patrickpoulard24]

Who would have thought that a small little spring would cause so much trouble. 🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️Good job Donney Boy 😊👍🏿

[@andyhamilton8940]

That guard in front of the spring bracket was added to these machines because people would get too close to brush and the governor tab would get pushed was back like you showed. I got a free Toro Timemaster because of that!

[@byronwoolfrey1039]

Guess he'll probably find the spring on his lawn someday and wonder where that came from, 😆. Nice video, I probably wouldn't have put the spring down in the V groove, looks like you've seen this before. If the 1st mechanic had put it back on right then it shouldn't have come off......unless it broke. Looks like you have reached the point now where you can fixem all no matter the problem.....just bring um on.

[@bulldogms]

Amazing. You have saved me $$ over the last year of watching your videos!

[@harrygrimley4352]

Terrific. Thanks for sharing this with us

[@Big_Johns]

Nice video Dony, good catch on the spring. 👍🏼

[@kenk3102]

...great tip and DIY video....thanks for posting Don....🙂

[@hphillips7425]

Good find. My first thought was starving for fuel was wrong

[@hickorystx]

Thank you Mr. Don... Great easy tip to check for governor spring. Simple fix is always the best!!! Nice systematic troubleshooting too!!😀

[@roncar1761]

Great video! "Ole Smokie" would not start unless the tank was full! I check everything. It was just possessed! 😱🥺👻👽👾👿

[@rogermcdonald1607]

Nice repair tip Dony! I've fixed a few of those and think sometimes its knocked off from running into bushes. 👍

[@shanesmaineshop]

its nice when its a quick fix

[@Peter-.H]

Great tips Don, Thanks for sharing 👍

[@themowerman]

Yeah 😌 I have had this 3 times to this year.. that's what happens when people try to mower under bushes

[@mjg263]

Great vid! What I like to do is put a dab of RTV on the end of the spring that goes on the metal tab to keep it from jumping off, I do that with the auto choke spring too (just on the fixed end not on the pivoting end).

[@martint766]

As usual a great job.

[@12tremblay]

Well done sir !

[@henrymurawskibigdogrepair]

Nice to see you’re back in the game good video

[@themowerman]

Hi Hank.. good to see you my friend

[@henrymurawskibigdogrepair]

@@themowerman same here mate

[@chrisking6155]

Exactly same issue this morning on a rover mower. New spring. Runs great.

[@richardwernst]

Wow, great diagnosis! Sure pays to have experience with particular machines, I sure would never have known to even look for that spring.

[@donyboy73]

those little springs are so flimsy nowadays!

[@velox731]

You are the best!

[@Patrick4959]

grouse work Donny mate cheers from Australia 🐑🐨🦘🌏 to your area in Canada 🍁too and yep a easy and cheap repair in that video from sure and stay safe etc.

[@tannerc900]

Completely unrelated to small engines but your shirt is absolutely awesome and I need to know where you got it

[@keithkilps8250]

Thanks Don for dyi video.

[@annierenard5954]

good video, thank you

[@donvoll2580]

Good day Don Boy good video, little spring. Thanks

[@brianszymanski2971]

The next time they get close to a bush or tall shrub they ram into and pull back and the spring falls off. Very common .

[@tonymcalister9878]

Impressive work, as always.

[@norcoauctions]

Did you go to a school for basic knowledge at least? You are such a boss and friendly too

[@donyboy73]

no, self taught

[@Roby005]

Thanks from Italy😊👍

[@TheLawnmowerLady]

Good catch! Easy to head down the rabbit hole with fuel issues.

[@dfields9511]

i had a similar thing on a 1994 5Hp briggs, the choke spring was lost. and I didn't have one and the carb is discontinued part. so I converted it to a primer style system with used carb and air box and removed Throttle cable Then it worked

[@michaelspencer301]

Great video. 👍👍

[@mgomez5606]

Easy money, Dony.

[@FordDude66]

Good video. Also cool T-shirt. Todd from da Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

[@cornbinder]

Love it. Always learning

[@Altamahacat]

I thought the engine would make the most torque and horsepower at 3600 RPM. Thanks for the video.

[@gordbaker896]

Good Eye Donny.

[@jensenwilliam5434]

Thank you.

[@RollingEasy]

Small mufflers ie Stihl FS 200 and many similar I'm certain. I take the muffler off before the trimming season and throw it in the fireplace and let it completely burn red hot to clear all the carbon. Starts easy every time. Today I just added a .008" aluminium strip gasket to the existing gasket as it had a couple of small pits in it. I spent the next three hours trying to start the machine again and even took the cord pull off and used an impact driver to spin the flywheel and motor at high RPM... Lots of spark.... Lots of fuel.... Not a single solitary fire up... Continued to the point of going insane... Lots of fuel.. lots of spark but no fire.. Checked everything. Then pulled the muffler off to see that I had not cut the exhaust port hole in the aluminium strip.... Might be time to get my name and home address tattooed on my backside just in case that 'time' is now here? :)

[@bl9531]

Thx for another great video. i have a mower with a B&S engine that was missing a spring but doesn’t seem to make a difference. The throttle adjustment remains at low idle regardless of how tight the spring is. I am thinking I have to check to adjust the Governor itself

[@elvisvilla7297]

Wondering if you could give any advice on finding a grass bag and frame for an older craftsman Lawn mower

[@rightlanehog3151]

Merci encore!

[@BLKPNTR79]

Nice. Thx👍👍

[@bobmcl2406]

Always so well explained and presented. This is another problem that I have not yet seen, but I'll file this is my list of things to watch out for. Cheers!

[@donyboy73]

very common now because the springs are so flimsy

[@willf5768]

Great video Don would I’ve run across these machines with missing springs before and I don’t believe they just jump off themselves. Have you done a video on coil and flywheel with a lot of rust on it I recently fix fixed one of these huskys with severe rust build up on the flywheel from being left outside which is never good for any machine.

[@kdscrapping4452]

i have a lawnboy that kinda does that, even put a new carb on it . cold start fires right up , runs for a minute than slowly dies. takes ten pulls to start , will stay running after that to cut the grass. does this EVERY time i go to use it !!

[@drewthornton4684]

Hi Don

[@randi740]

Easy fix!

[@rameshpersaud7131]

Nice

[@jameshedrick605]

That was an easy fix. That probably would have taken at least an hour or two to find that

[@garydowns9237]

Donyboy73 what do you use to check the RPM Looking for a good tester

[@queenstownkid]

good eye don

[@veryberry-]

How did you determine the rpm of the running engine? Just by sound?

[@geyser3445]

Another good video without a lot of jibber jabber,

[@MrGarcon98]

if you where to install rings on a old mower ? how much out of round would be your limit to where its not worth installing new rings ? thanks

[@keithstringer221]

I have put two new coils on Briggs 13.5 hp cranks a few times and quits firing!any ideas what’s wrong?

[@woodenbeast9337]

sometimes it is difficult to find where the carb springs attach too

[@maurizio7188]

N1 as always💪

[@rickthelian2215]

Nice pick up on the governor spring, a tree branch could of staged on it and the branch won.

[@kenhilson786]

interesting as it's gravity fed but someone put a white pump filter instead of gravity red.

[@davidchizek8760]

I have a techumseh 10hp generator motor that starts, surges, really bad, then dies. Brand new carburetor, good gas supply any thoughts? Thanks.

[@johnelliott3306]

I have 7800 generator from harbor freight hasn't been started for a good while. It won't start except when I use starting fluid and than it dies

[@garyalensr]

Clean the carb. I'm sure at one point it was stored with gas in it, small engines should always be run dry or at best drain the tank and bowl before stored. Ethanol reeks havock on small engines.

[@themowerman]

Clean the carburetor, fuel lines and tap

[@xmanb8193]

👍

[@shannongrim7212]

Ms290 what is the psi

[@jamesburke5709]

I'd say you see that alot on those types of mowers too

[@donyboy73]

yes i do!

[@jamesburke5709]

@@donyboy73 those are the simplest mowers to work on cause there's nothing to them either

[@Pete.Ty1]

👍👍👍

[@kenhilson786]

spring is probably now $40 cdn and on backorder from briggs

[@luisfalcon774]

Por favor que sean trdicidos al español.

[@donnagavin4539]

Guess the first guy forgot to put the spring back!!!

[@christucker8132]

Anyone know how to stop Oil from spraying out the rocker cover. Changing cover gasket didn’t help. Might just grab a new rocker cover

[@vernonbruce3722]

I thought it may have been the choke sticking.

[@davekri1662]

the simple things...

[@ronhammar1154]

I originally thought it was something in the gas tank or fuel line not letting enough gas to get to the carb. In most cases it is never the sparkplug unless it is a made in China plug. Most likely the guy that fixed it before forgot to put that spring back on or it was not there at the time and they never tested it to make sure it worked the way it should. If we stopped using products made in China we would pay 3 times more than we pay for the imports but we would be able to get replacement parts. I have had problems getting parts for some made in China machines after only a couple years and when that happens you must make a part that will work or scrap the machine. If you scrap the machine it will sometimes end up back in China to be melted down to make what I consider to be more junk machines. Look at our economy and ask yourself if we made a mistake buying from other countries when we are quite qualified to make a better product than what is available from other countries? Honda of course is different and they make a very good product but in my opinion they design their machines to maximize the amount of money or at least it seems that way and they will make more money selling you replacement parts. In some cases you break a bolt but you cant replace just that one bolt because it has been welded to a bigger part and that part is $40 or you can spend about an hour drilling out the bolt and replacing it and welding and grinding. Most small engine guys will just get the new part and the customer pays or will have to pay extra for the extra labor involved in fixing the problem without getting the $40 part. If it is the same cost the customer will always want the new part. I live in Canada and I think the answer is to stop all imports and let us become self sufficient more like it used to be years ago . The problem with that is then people would have to have a job that PRODUCES something instead of people making big bucks doing nothing and producing nothing. Kind of like you did nothing you get nothing? Maybe we should also start to manufacture tents because the way things are going we will all be living in a tent soon or maybe under a bridge ! Good video as always!

[@patti5444]

Where can I buy a Tecumseh throttle return spring in Ontario 631970, do you have one please? How do I contact you? Thanks

[@glennlurman3514]

that engine is probably the start of the end for briggs. Starting with hollow muffler no crush tubes so gets loose and snaps end of studs off. Next is the throttle control will bend down not allowing engine too stop, Auto choke linkages bend and crap out because they run across to muffler at front of engine get hit bent engine wont start. Its gotten too the point our commercial operators will use chinese engines instead. Sure the lifespan isnt as good but it will last as long as a new body will at 1/3 the price with less actual silly faults they go and go then die 4 years. Its sad when i started in the trade 30 years ago outdoor power equipment was all for making it better that the other guy, now its how to make it cheaper. An engines lifespan id say has gone from 15 years easy on a briggs classic to 7 if lucky on the new ohv units.

[@stevewilliams6667]

You are very correct on your opinion on those engines and newer machines in general. The new Chinese made machines just don't hold up.I regularly get older tecumseh and briggs 15 to 20 years in my shop where the engines are strong and bodies rusted and save the engines as a donor machine. My older customers comment on how they used to have briggs engines last decades.

[@garyalensr]

You sir are spot on. I have an older Dynamark tractor from the early 90s with the 12.5hp Tecumseh engine and with regular maintenance the thing still runs and cuts awesome. They just don't make equipment like they use to. It's a shame we spend hundreds of our hard earned money and get machines that break down in a couple years

[@paulcarovinci6796]

I have a chainsaw question. Is it bad for a chainsaw to run out of fuel/oil mix?

[@donyboy73]

no, just refill oil tank and fuel tank at same time

[@steamboatwillie935]

Hi Don, I was just wondering. Do you charge a Customer for a repair like this? How Much? your time is worth something.

[@JohnR9965]

Assuming he has a business I would have to say a minimum one hour charge at least. You can’t run a business giving away everything

[@steamboatwillie935]

@@JohnR9965 $80. -$100. hr for a $5.00 Spring and 10 mins of work. 🤔could buy another Mower. But I get it, look before taking it to the Mechanic. I would have charged 15 mins labor plus the cost of the Part.

[@JohnR9965]

@@steamboatwillie935 I get what you’re saying but I would have to assume minimum one hour charge because the way things cost today but I’m not a small engine mechanic lol

[@jahvetti9714]

Jo

[@johnclarke6647]

Another reason to buy ethanol gas!🤪

[@baddad5781]

Not to be disrespectful Don but you look like you're not feeling to well in this video. Are you alright?

[@davidmeyer7511]

a $5 spring cost him $105 or more,, and you didn't even clean anything off