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

Hello,

I recently purchased a YardMan walk behind mower with a 6hp Tecumseh engine.  I think the primer bulb is bad.  When I press it, there is no compression.  My father-in-law purchased one many months ago from a different store and his currently does the same thing.  I realize that my mower is still under warranty and I can take it to a service repair shop, but I was wondering if anyone had experienced this recently with YardMan mowers or Tecumseh engines.  The bulb is red colored and there does not seem to be any obvious defects on or around the bulb itself.  Is there something I can do to troubleshoot and possibly fix it or should I just take it in the repair shop and let them handle it?

Thanks in advance.

Sometimes it takes multiple pushes to get the fuel to enter in order to feel resistance.

Does the mower start?

You can look down into the carb and see if it squirts when you push on it.

I have pushed on the bulb several times and I feel no resisitance.  I have been using the mower for approx. 6 weeks.  It does start, but on about the third pull.  Once it is running it starts right away on the first pull.  I'm a little niave about these things.  I do I go about checking the carbuerator to see if it is squirting any fuel?

Just look down into it. I don't have any Tecumsehs but you should be able to remove the air filter/intake and see it. One of the guys that is familiar with them can tell you exactly.

Marshall is correct.
Remove the air filter element and look in the carb with a flashlite while you push the primer.
My guess would be that the primer is fine...if it starting on the third pull.
You are not going too feel any real resistance. It is a dry bulb priming system..so dont expect too feel any fuel gushing through the bulb.

buttlint wrote:
Let me make sure I understand.  I remove the air filter cover by twisting it off.  Remove the paper air filter and with a flashlight look to see if fuel is squirting when I push the primer.  Correct?  What is a "dry bulb priming system"?

yup thats the way to check the primer.

it works by pushing a small amount of air into the fuel bowl this causes a small amount of fuel to dribble into the throat of the carb.

sometime you have to depress the bulb 5 times to get a good prime and sometime you only require 1 prime .

it is possible that yours only requires the 1 prime and you are actually flooding the engine so it starts on the 3 rd pull.

not likley but possible.

as a side note your carb is very sensitive to stale fuel.

use a stabilizer at all times.

later chris 

Bud Man, same problem here too.  Primer bulb use to have resistence and I can tell when fuel is being pushed into the carb.  Now it feels like pushing air?  Anyone know what the prblem is?

Folks,

Make sure the primer hose line has not become disconnected.

If it has reconnect!!

                                                    Fred

riverknoll wrote:
It might also be time to check to see if there is fuel in the gas tank

Fred, I topped off the tank with gas because I was told that the primer was gravity fed and works better with full tank.  Of course, no difference, as I remember previously with minimal gas in tank, primer bulb still worked.

Now what you said about the hose makes sense, as I am hearing air move but can't figure out where.  Took off the side panel and all hoses connected and no obvious mis or loose connections to the carb.  Sounds like the connection to the bulb it self may be loose, but it requires alot of disassembly to get to it, so I want to get some detailed instructions before I proceed. Thanks.

riverknoll wrote:

WRONG!

NO FUEL goes thru that tiny primer hose. What happens is that when you activate the primer, it pushes air into the fuel chamber in the carb & pressurizes it. Then, with the fuel under "pressure", it escapes thru the main well tube to PRIME the carb throat with available fuel for the engine to burn immediately.

As long as there is SOME fuel in the tank, the primer SHOULD work. If not, the hose could be loose, disconnected or broken, the atmospheric vent in the carb might be clogged, the primer bulb may have a hole in it (not to be confused with the hole in the center on some primers), or the carb's internals are clogged up.

Hope that sheds some light on the subject...

Marty