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? 

I'm back from FIL's.  Starter was stuck.  A little bit of WD-40 down the starter shaft (that's all he had), and a little bit of patience.  Just about gave up and went home, but tried it one last time and it started to move.  Battery was kind of run down at that point, so put it on charger for 30 minutes.  It reluctantly started, but subsequent starts were easier. 

I'm ordering a new starter for him anyway. 

Also looked at his Honda lawnmower that runs fine for a few (3-5 minutes), thensurges a bit then stalls.  I could only duplicate the stall thing once, then it ran OK.  Still surged.  It did this all last year, until he gave up on it and started using an old push mower he had.  Are Honda mowers inclined to surge a little? 

He's really happy, even though I really didn't touch the Honda much. 

Thanks for the advice.

Ralph

Glad it was a simple fix to get you going. 

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...