Sunday.. funday? Yes, I think so. While the hordes of America setup their parties for a Super Bowl gathering, I am content being a bit more productive.
Back in December I was pet sitting in Round Rock. Driving up to the nice 3,000 sq. ft. brick house I noticed a few items set by the curb. The only available light is the dim glow of reds, blues and greens from the festive Christmas season. The silhouette of a lonely lawnmower set by the curb next to a small black plastic tub entices me. I'm not typically a hoarder or garbage junky. But, I could guess that the Briggs & Stratton wasn't seriously injured.
So, hastily I opened the garage door and brought it inside. Thankfully I did as moments later a silver Chevy 2500 crept down the street stopping where my new found friend once was. I would bet it was another "placed on curb" ad on craigslist. Serendipity for me! Yay! After this small victory I continued with my services of feeding two silly cats. I played with one, the other is a bit older and skulky. Cat box cleaned, water freshened - I pack up my mower, because it is mine now, and head home.
Next day, I look over the B&S. It's a nice mower, 4.5hp, which is .5 more horse power than my existing yard destroyer. I add some fresh gasoline, prime it and pull. It putts and putts but doesn't start. No big deal, at least the pull is solid so it's not stripped. I swap out spark plugs with my mower that runs. It has a little more chug in its voice. One problem down, bad spark plug. I mess around with it for a little more, spraying starting fluid in the carburetor and it starts! It starts and then dies.
It was a bit cold out and like some of my other adventures, I put it to the side. Which, brings me to today. February 3, 2013.
Knowing that the problem with the engine is the flow of fuel to the engine I dismantle the carb. I clean it up, blow air through the floater and reassemble. Again I spray starting fluid and the poor mower starts and dies. Darn. Since I don't typically work on mowers I need to do some swapping of parts with old trusty. Problem solving somehow is innate for me.
Back to my knees with sockets and a screwdriver. I proceed to put the working gas and carburetor housing thingy (from old mower) on the curb-side machine. Prime, add some starting fluid, hold down the starting handle and pull. Black smoke slightly billows from the exhaust but the distinct sputter of a running mower is heard. Yes, another victory for me. Now I know the new mower is functional when adding the known-working carb, it's time to deduce what is wrong with the carburetor from Curby (that's what I call the new mower).
The carburetor on a mower has a small amount of parts that can go wrong. I exam and check airways, spray copious amounts of cleaner... something crosses my mind that I entertained but didn't think it would keep gas from flowing. The gas must flow! On the bottom of the carb there are two pieces: a gasket (which looked fine) and a diaphragm (which seemed a little floppy). I look online at some sites and not a mention of this causing a mower not continue to run. However, everything I read was not germane to my problem.
I thought this nice locally-owned garden shop called Gaddys would probably have this gasket/diaphragm combo. I know they do repairs on mowers but didn't recall seeing these small pieces for sale. I call them and ask if they sell gaskets for mowers and was asked if it was the setup with the carburetor on top of the gas tank. I say "Yes, it's a Briggs & Stratton 4.5hp engine. The typical engine on mowers."
"Just a second, I'll check."
A few seconds later he said they have gaskets and diaphragms. "Rad, I'll be right there. Thank you."
Off I went to Gaddys in Pflugerville, I brought my carburetor to be certain to get the correct part. I have gone to grab parts before only to get the wrong one. Which, after many times of thinking I can remember the right part, I knew I would manage to get the undesired outcome. Plus, they can see what I need and wouldn't need to rely on my random vague descriptions.
I get there and they had the part waiting for me. I look at it and it's not the proper item. Handing over my little piece of plastic for them to evaluate, he heads to the back of the store and exits the "Private" door. After several minutes I am thinking they may not have it, but I knew I can still buy online. Thankfully he comes out with a small plastic bag within it the two pieces I need. I proceed to tell them I'm lucky there is such a great store so close to my home, thank him and head off to finish my project.
Not knowing exactly how to install these pieces (like if i need any glue or sealant) I use the google youtube combo in hopes some awesome person posted a video. This guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5nzigcNTwo showed me that nothing other than cleaning the pieces and positioning them and affixing with screws works. Now I'm ready to try again.
All parts together, throttle position springs in place, more starting fluid (maybe it went to my head a bit, lots of gas fumes for me... Sunday Fume Day) and fingers grasping the handle ready to pull. I slightly hesitate thinking - if this doesn't work I will need to return it to its last home, back to the curb for another person to claim as theirs. I lean over to my right, solidly gripping and yank. It started!! So excited. Premature happiness... again it dies. Okay, it ran a bit longer than the last time though. Hope is not lost on my new little friend. Using more starting fluid and priming the hell out of it, I start it again. However, this time I do a balancing act. Holding down the shutoff handle with my left hand, I reach over and keep a finger on the primer bulb. Once I start the mower it rumbles and then shakes, this is when i prime the engine again. Still running. Rough but running. I continue to do this for 30 seconds as the engine wants to shut down. This engine doesn't own me.
Rumble, sputter, sputter and then I mess with the throttle position springs and rev it up. Sounds like a small prop plane but steadies in its cadence and once again the sound of a functioning mower is heard in my neighborhood. Success! I let it run for a minute and shut it down. Let it sit for a few more minutes and hope that it wants to be good and run for me. I press in that red primer bulb two times, stand back a rip away on that pull strings and it ignites with sound as previously heard.
I smile to myself with achievement knowing persistence, determination, troubleshooting and the internet has made this day a truly Sunday Funday.
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