Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I need some help with my father in law’s Toro/ Wheel Horse tractor.  He tried to start it a few days ago- only a click.  Bad battery, he thought.  Not so.  New battery, still only a click. 

I was over his house for a scotch this evening when he dropped this bomb. 

Symptoms: Headlights do not work.  All fuses are OK.  New battery is strong at 12V.  When starting, voltage seems to drop to about 8V (his meter is suspect, but it seems like starter is stuck?). 

After cursory look-see, engine is Briggs Vanguard vertical shaft, 12-16 HP? 

Please help me retain my #1 son-in–law status (I already fixed a pull starter on a tiller that another son-in-law broke). 

Is a Briggs starter simple to diagnose? 

Any ideas? 

Honda engines have a choke system. It is possible that the choke is choking half way causing the surging. Or it could be the carb needs a good cleaning, jets and all. My landlord had a Honda mower that was getting harder and harder to start. But before that problem it surged some, when I took it apart, I found that it needed a new choke. Once installed, the engine ran like a champ.

I would first however, take apart the carb and clean throughly jets and all, little holes in the adjusting screws aswell, with automotive Goumout Spray. Warning...Please use protective goggles when using this product. Then if you have access to compressed air, I would shoot some in all the spots and holes of the carb as a finnish on the clean. Put the carb back together as was before and start the engine. Now how does it sound? Make sure you adjust the carb accordingly to the manual for that engine.

Let us know how it goes...