Fixing A Garden Line Mower That's Tough To Start

[@deebee3901]

Running like a Swiss watch mate! Great video, great repair!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you!

[@hickorystx]

After three pulls I get suspicious enough to check things out. Each pull gives information to guide you through troubleshooting procedures. Thanks for another quality tutorial..😊

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I like the way you said that.

[@geoffg46]

I laid my mower up 5 yrs ago, started 1st pull ! Gobsmacked!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice!

[@timothyrice2743]

Mower looks brand new nice save keep up the good work brother ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you very much, I appreciate it!

[@999thenewman]

Another on-point video. Thank you for sharing, Home Garage.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@lewiemcneely9143]

My 85 Snapper takes 2 pulls, the pressure washer with the plastic cam usually takes one and the opposed Vanguard usually one good spin. All mine are flatheads and a good blade sharpening and balancing makes it easy on the motor bearings. Good fix and Happy weekend!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you, you too!

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@HomeGaragechannel Watching it rain for the grass to GROW! THEN I get to MOW! Job security!

[@ediray165]

I was just fixing the same engine today, and same thing happened, bottom valve too loose, and upper one too tight, great video with great explanation of how things work! Keep it up

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you for sharing that and thank you

[@kencurtis228]

TY for Sharing

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@milusoscualquierascz265]

Good job 👍

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you

[@liljoeii6091]

THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO

[@HomeGaragechannel]

no problem and thank you for watching

[@Skibitisigma-ek1df]

Nice fix.👍

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks 👍

[@billsmith1770]

i have a generator that sometimes took nearly 100 pulls to start if cold , but started mostly 1st pull when hot . if the weather was cold , i'd have to bring it inside and warm it , or it wouldn't start at all . turned out the valves were too tight . a vid like this told me what to check .

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you for sharing that information

[@WalterKnox]

My main mower does not have a primer bulb, but instead a (manual) choke, when I have been using it regularly in the summer (normally once a week or so,) it normally starts in 2 or 3 pulls, which is fine. If it has been sitting over the winter, I drain the gas out, and run the carb dry. it uses one of the carbs on top of the tank, so it has to pump fuel up to it, so when first starting it, it can sometimes take as many as 5 or 6 pulls. It is 48 years old, so that may be excessive, but it has been taken care of, so I feel it is fine.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

wow nice machine!

[@Paul-y7m8n]

I have a cub cadet push mower it is self propelled runs great it is s very good mower

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice! thanks for sharing

[@snoopysrc]

Nice mower

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks 👍

[@demcomp]

Time to finally pass that one on, huh? So odd to see such a cheap mower, with bearing wheels, vs those usual sleeves that wobble 🤣 Always good to maintain these mowers, valves and all.. Nice repair, good luck with the sale! Edit: welp, I watched the end, and you sold it already 🤣

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you and yes it was an easy sale, only took a couple of hours after posting to sell it.

[@jonfranklin9361]

Garden line brand I believe is from Aldis. I think most folks are intimidated of adjusting valve lash. Pretty simple. These were great push mowers.

[@CJAR_sim]

Yeah garden line is aldis brand

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you are correct, these are great mowers

[@CJAR_sim]

@@HomeGaragechannel I used to have one it was sat outside for about a year as it was broken decided to fix it one day, replaced the coil started up no problem

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice work

[@gearhead366]

Four pulls on a cold start would be fine with me. Mine is currently at around ten. I need to do some troubleshooting. It's 13 yrs old. I strongly suspect that it needs a valve adjustment.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I would agree too.

[@geoffwilletts4683]

Good video. Please tell me you removed the plug cap before working on the blade.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thanks and with the brake handle not squeezed the ignition system won't work.

[@zinnstigertownmowers780]

Can you do a video on these surging ecen after you've cleaned the carb?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I've done one before, I just replace the carb otherwise you're going to deal with headaches

[@Differentthings2006]

Hi, I enjoyed this video. I have a 1980s Hi vac snapper mower that I'm restoring. The carburetor had quite a few issues, so I ended up buying an aftermarket carburetor, and adapted it to work, it runs fine with the engine although when you give a gas from an idle full throttle the engine bogs and smokes black a little bit like it's running too rich for a second, and then it evens out and runs just fine once it's up to speed. I cleaned the spark plug, ran it for a few minutes, and then checked it and the plug was not black or fouled out like the engine was running too rich. So I'm not sure what the issue is.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

when you were looking for the carb, did you do your search based on part number or did you look up "Snapper Carb"? By the description of the problem, it sounds as though the carb that you installed is not for this engine.

[@Differentthings2006]

@@HomeGaragechannel Thanks for the reply. It said the aftermarket carburetor would work with the correct model number carburetor, which is no longer manufactured. I swapped main jets with the original carburetor, and the issue did not change, because they were the same size.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I've done the same before, reading what the Ad says but they're just trying to sell stuff, so of course they might know exactly if it'll work for your specific model. either way, the fact that you had to modify to work might point to it not being the right one.

[@Differentthings2006]

@@HomeGaragechannel That is quite possible, the only modifications I had to do were swapping the choke and throttle lever, because they did not match the OEM ones.

[@Matt47207]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a trimmer, is the fs38 any good, just something to get the job done,

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it's good enough to get the job done, but most don't like them for their build quality and the fact they're built over seas.

[@matthewwearsch242]

After I fix a push mower it's one time and it starts up My last repair was a old Toro super recycler read the code on the shroud of the Briggs and Stratton engine was built in 2001 cast aluminum deck so it will never rust gave to my son

[@HomeGaragechannel]

that's a great idea

[@DavidKluczwski]

Does anyone know if you can fit a mulch plug in this mower and where to find one?

[@kevinsands6769]

I've got one of these small Briggs like this I can't get to start. It has good enough compression, spark and new fuel. I've sold a hundred of these with great luck but this one got me. I adjusted the valves and checked the timing key. It backfires when you spin it with a drill. When you go to start it with the rope, it kinda acts like it's trying the first pull. After that nothing. Any ideas?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sounds like the engine may not be the issue. Have you looked at the carb and all the seals/O-ring?

[@Coonotafoo]

I'm actually having a pretty strange issue starting my push lawn mower. Generally it'll start with 1 or 2 pulls, but every once in a while it'll start but the motor will be super slow. What I mean by that is that the blade will turn 1-2 revolutions per second for like 5-15 seconds before it decides to let out a puff of smoke and suddenly kick into full motion. It'll then mow completely normally. Sometimes It'll happen cold starting it, but most of the time it'll happen if I've ran the mower for a minute, disengaged it, and then try to start it up again. I noticed it a few times last year, and already it's done it once this year. It's a somewhat older Honda engine. Any ideas?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure, unfortunately with no information about your personal mower, I'll only be guessing. There could be an issue with your automatic choke system. I'm guessing a "sticking" choke flap, or there could be something interfering with a linkage.

[@parmanndhensaw6845]

I have a Yard Machines 140cc mower self propelled by MTD. I try to start it but unfortunately it won’t start no matter how many pulls I do. However, when I tip the mower to its right side it starts right up first pull. I thought it was a carburetor issue but even after cleaning it properly it still won’t start. When it’s warmed up and I try to start it, it starts first pull without tipping it over to its side. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. The mower is 8 years old. Please give me suggestion.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure, the choke isn't working. when the weather gets very warm, the choke isn't needed and the mower will start.

[@RussellBooth1977]

My 3 horsepower Briggs and Stratton powered lawnmower takes 3 pulls to start when the engine is cold because it has to siphon the fuel up from inside of the fuel tank because it's mounted on top of the tank & the carburettor doesn't have a fuel pump in it !

[@HomeGaragechannel]

3 pulls is good for that particular engine. Does that mean you have the "long" looking metal carb then?

[@youngp3382]

hey, i have a subtec bc-700, i was wondering if you may point me to the right direction of truobleshooting, problem is that i need high rpms for the trimmer head to start moving? last summer as soon as i start the engine the trimmer moves at very low speed, now i need to press my throttle half way down and high rpm before the head starts moving, not to mention it wount move on its own anymore :/ BUT it moves freely, it was stuck before and i could barely move it with my hand, so i took the head off, i cleaned and now it moves freely, but now i need high rpms before i make it move on its own, what could i have broken by using the trimmer while the head had all types of stuff inside it that was restricting it from moving? what do i google????

[@HomeGaragechannel]

is the name of the trimmer correct, I tried looking for what you said it was and I didn't find any information. as for the cause , well I until I can see what yours looks like I don't have a clue.

[@richardclark7812]

Why such a bad vibration? Did you balance the blade while sharpening it? Vibration can hurt the engine as well.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

not sure, the blade was balanced off camera

[@Turningwrenches85]

I want to say one pull i like better than 4 or more

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you and me both, with each pull I get more discouraged

[@Patrick4959]

well from my view more than Four (4) Pulls on the compression stroke of rotation but yeah if it,s more than Ten (10) well that might be a problem but if it,s a valve issue or a Carburetor aka carby issue well they are often easier fixes and less expensive ones and even old spark plugs can be the problem sometimes too etc.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you make a great point about the plugs

[@dfields9511]

Looks like it could be a Husqvarna push mower that was picked up by a another company when they sold off the division based on what the wheels look like

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yeah, I think you're right

[@jesussantibanez6711]

👍👍👍👍

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you!

[@jameshedrick605]

Mine usually takes 1 to 2 pulls to start

[@HomeGaragechannel]

that's perfect

[@Bottldiggerofnz]

I never store my mowers away I used them every season

[@HomeGaragechannel]

NICE

[@dfields9511]

Humm, I have the exact opposite issue it doesn’t want to start when hot and it’s not a coil. But it’s a flat head not a OHV

[@HomeGaragechannel]

ouch, have you checked side port, for the valve lash?

[@WalterKnox]

If I were ever going to buy a new mower, I wouldn't care what brand it was. I would care more what brand the engine was. As far as the deck goes, I don't care about the brand, or who made it; what matters is the material. That one has a steel deck which is fine. As long as it is a steel deck which is a single piece (not stamped round deck with plastic for the wheel and handle supports,) or an aluminum deck I am fine with it. What I have been seeing an increasing amount of on newer (especially electric mowers, but not limited to them,) is plastic decks. I don't care if it is "high impact" or whatever plastic, I just couldn't bring myself to buy a plastic mower. I have seen what happens to plastic over time many times, and I can only imagine 30 years in the future what that plastic may be like.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I like this comment a lot

[@MRCrabs40]

My lawn mower starts easily when it’s cold but I can never get it started when it’s hot and I don’t know what else to do.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure thing, if your mower has a valve cover on it, then you might have to adjust the valves.

[@MRCrabs40]

@@HomeGaragechannel I adjusted the valves to spec but it still has the issue of not starting when hot anymore ideas?

[@Fender178]

With me more than 3 is way too many pulls to start when you are well in into the mowing season compared to the very early days of the mowing season. Like if you are into the very 1st day of the mowing season more than 3 pulls is tolerable because the mower sat for 1/2 a year.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I hear that

[@scottdunn4506]

Actually this is a lawnmower from Aldi supermarket garden line is a Aldi brand I seen them there before

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes you are correct

[@zinnstigertownmowers780]

If my mower doesn't start within 3 pulls I get concerned

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you and me both

[@covishen]

Anything over about 5 pulls is too many for me. For the riding mower, anything over 20 seconds.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

not bad!