This spring weather (60's) got me to yank out the lawn mower and try to get it up and running.

put some gas down the carb and it runs for about 15sec

pulled the carb off, I was expecting it to be all gummed up

nothing, nice and clean

I thought about the coil, but why would it fire up for a few seconds??

time to take it down and have it 'serviced'
how much they getting for that?

or should I just buy new one

What brand of carb? Walbro? Does it have a small "prime" rubber button?

There's nothing to screw up in these small carbs, easy to take apart & put back together.

Unless you spend big bucks, the new mowers are fairly junky.

probably cost you a $125 to have them go through it and change oil and plug sharpen blades and such. Ahhh maybe 80 or 90 bucks. Cheaper than a new one.

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Agreed - it seems you gotta spend bucks to get something decent these days when it comes to small engines. There is a lot of JUNK out there.

the older stuff was more robust and seems to last longer.

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And a ten buck DIY.

didn't write the carb name down

it's a Briggs Europa engine though

paid $400 for it 15 year ago

The $400 is now $800, fix it.

Check the line from the tank to the carb for crap.
I it's a pumper carb, it will have the prime rubber button that you push before startup. If it has this, it may be the diaphragm in the pump (his type of carb is a carb & fuelpump).

If it's not this type, it has to have a floatbowl and that's what you need to pull and check, should have gas in it.

Either way, these carbs are so simple and they can be taken apart and put back together without replacing anything, gaskets,etc.

Post a pic with it mounted on the engine.

took the carb fully apart, not even any buildup.

after 15years!

I'm in the fix it camp too unless it's internal. It doesn't appear to be.

I'd fix it. I had a honda that was over 20 years old that I gave away when I moved (thought it would be easier). Hell, I bought a new one with a honda engine and it cost me almost $400, and isn't as good as the one from the 80s!!!

PS - sharpening blades is a PIA to get it correct and properly balanced. I'd pay the few bucks if I could even find a lawnmower shop that's open anymore.

Matthew

Spray the carb out with cleaner. The gasket is the fuel pump, so it is probably warn. It should be flat. Put a new one in and it should be fine.

Its got to be gunked up somewhere. I had an old sears craftsmen I bought about the same time. I gave it to my dad last year when I bought a new fancy mower. That old Briggs had a piston slap like no other but once it warmed up and stopped smokin' it would run like the devil. I just kept a sharp blade on it at all times to keep it from bogging down on high loads. Dad gave it to a friend and as far as I know its still running. I used to drop it off at the small engine place every couple of years for a cleaning and it kept it running through years of sandy abuse!!

I'm certainly not a wiz w/ lawnmowers, but I had a Toro do something similar to what yours is doing. Turned out to be a sheared flywheel key. About 37 cents, plus tax. PITA to fix, but stupid cheap.

took it down

He said it was going to be $160 just to get it running again.

RIP old lawnmover!

update:

the carb was completely shot

they cleaned it out as well

it ran a little longer, but wouldn't maintain idle at all.

all the control lines are frozen.

new carb is $40, then I'd have to get all new control lines.

He had a used Toro all tuned up and ready to go for $100
sounded good, so I picked it up today.

of course now it's going to rain for the next 4 days.

go figure.