THIS IS AMAZING, i need help NOWWWWWW

[Orkin Yards]

ok after yesterday's posting the change from 30 weight to 40 weight oil fixed the problem, the 36 started first pull after the oil change...well now after a good cold night it won't start...its hard as hell to pull and just kinda laughs at me...how do i get it running?!? and then my 48 runs perfect but when i try to engage the blades it dies...so i took one of my blades off each spindle (been running doubles for 2 seasons) and it starts to engage and then it starts to die and if i turn them off it keeps runngin....with out any blades they will run, but that doesn't cut it...what is wrong!!!! i'm suppose to be mowing by now and this is my second day off b/c of problems....

[BUSHMASTER]

First ... cover the engine over night with a blaket and a tarp this should keep it warm.....pull the spark plug ....is it black ...if so choke adjust the choke until it gets warm...then put it back to normal...if the plug is wet from fuel then your still flooding.... drop the bowl off the carb clean out the trash.. you do not have to remove the carb for this........the air screw on the carb that you played with reset it... turn it all the way in , but not tight.... then back it off 2.5 turns ... crank it fine tun it and go to work......hope this helps.

[Orkin Yards]

what is choke adjusting the carb?

[Vandora Lawn & Landscape]

What kind of blade engagement? Mech or clutch?

[Dennis]

If none of the other advise has helped yet!!
I had trbl sim. to yours after beating my head against my shop wall for 3 days, I Pulled the carb off, removed the bowl, located every hole inside the carb I could find, took carb cleaner with little tube inserted and BACKFLUSHED all holes. not sure but I believe you should spray from inside out,WHY?? cuz if it got stuck going in it will be easier to blow back rather than through.
Mine ran great after this.
BIG P.S ALWAYS clean air cleaner!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Toddppm]

Follow the advice of the others about the carb. problem. Your other mower shutting off when engaging is a safety switch problem, sounds like. Check the connections. On my exmark i can unplug the white wire on the motor and it disables all the switches to make sure this is the problem. Put them back and fix them though!

[steve]

40 Wt. oil is thicker than 30 wt. oil. The colder the temp the thicker the oil gets. Try a 5W30 Wt. oil that will make it start easier in cold weather.

If it ran alright after you changed the oil it's probably not a carb problem.

And 1 question are you letting the engine warm up before engaging the mower deck.

[accuratelawn]

Steve,
I think he used 10w-40. That's what I recommened.

[John DiMartino]

Try 5w-30 amsoil or mobil 1,or even 10w30.just keep an eye on the iol level more often than with 30 wt,it will burn more oil with thin oil.It should fire right up with synthetic in it.

[Richard Martin]

Now that both machines are having problems (you said the bigger mower won't run unless you take the blades off the machine) it is beginning to sound like a bad gas situation since both machines are having problems. Remove all the gas from the tank of the bigger mower, remove the gas lines and blow them out, replace the fuel filter, drain the fuel from the carb and then put clean, fresh gas that you buy from a name brand gas station in it. Put the blades back on the mower and see if it's fixed. If this fixes the problem then do the same thing to your 36" mower.

[Mike Felices]

If you are having trouble engaging the blades and it is a clutch and cold weather. Engage the blades and when it starts to die turn the blades off. Do this until it runs without shutting off. It may take you 10-20 times. It happens to my walk behind sometime when the temps. are in the 30s. It usually works.

[little green guy]

I sometimes have trouble with my mowers when it's cold, I just have to play with the blade switch for a while becaues it will run but a soon as I engage the blades it will die

Also you have to let it warm up at an idle for a while.

[bighed]

Try a synthetic oil for cold weather starts. Amsoil makes a 0W-30 that i use in everything when its cold out. I even use it in my plow truck.

[Tomslawncare1]

Jeff, If this is your second day off missing work due to equipment, maybe a trip to the dealer first thing in the am might be worth not taking a third day off. Not trying to be funny but how much can you make in two days vs. a repair bill from the dealer. My mechanical ability stops after turning the key.

[Jerrys Lawn Service]

Jeff, make sure the engine is warmed up enough, should take
about 4-5 minutes then try to engage the blades, also try to keep it in the choke mode just siightly till everything engages then ease off the choke. Hope this helps.

Good Luck!
jerryslawnservice@home.com

[BUSHMASTER]

the throttle lever also controls the choke arm at the same time its a matter of postion of the arm if yours choke mechnisim is stuck the throtlle will work and the choke flap won't..sorta like progressive linkage with a fail safe built in..