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

Sears had a recall last summer-fall to fix these machines because of a concern about fire when primed.  They offered an oil change, new spark plug along with the new fix. 

The technician arrived at 9 am on a September day and acted very nervous and shaky when he worked on the machine.  I asked him if he was ok and he responded that he had too many recall type service calls and not enough time in the day.  He kept rushing and scattered screws and parts all over the place.  I gave him a plastic container to hold the parts while he worked.  When he put it all back together and was ready to leave, I asked him to start the machine for a test run.  He ran it for thirty seconds or so, shut it down and I assumed it was ok.  I should have test run it again in November but took it for granted that all was ok. 

I have only used this machine ONCE.  It was last February 2007.  Purchased in February 2006, it sat for a year unused in a snowless winter.  I have a feeling the troubled technician's bad day is now haunting me.  Sears can only send a tech out on January 2, 2008 so I'm stuck with a machine sitting out half the winter.  (I did have the urge not to have Sears do this fix but they were fairly aggressive with mailings, etc.)  The machine is also under the extended warranty I purchased. 

Anyone else out there who had Sears call on them for this so-called fix?

I tried the pull start first with choke on full (primed with two shots as required).  After waiting several minutes, I then tried the electric start after I walked through the owner's manual check list with everything in place and it still won't start!  I returned 30 minutes later to try again and still no start.

Check to make sure you have fuel in the tank.  Look for a fuel valve from the tank to the carb.  If it has one, make sure it's turned on and also ensure the fuel line is attached at the carb and the fuel tank.  Make sure key is in, put throttle to 3/4 position, engage choke, prime 5 or 6 times, try to start.  Repeat as necessary.  Your primer line may need more pumps to get fuel to the carb after sitting unused for so long.    If after three repeats of the above instructions the machine still doesn't start, pull the spark plug to see if it's wet or dry.  If it's wet, you're getting fuel and the machine should fire by putting the throttle to full and disengaging the choke.   If it's dry, your float might be stuck.  You can try tapping the float bowl with the handle of a screw driver to see if that loosens the float (a couple sharp whacks should do).  If you still don't get fuel, the float bowl will have to come off to see if there's a contamination problem.   

I'd drain the tank and put fresh fuel in as well, if you are running with gas that is a year old that might be the problem.

I had a recent problem which turned out to be splits at both ends of the tube that connected my primer bulb to the carburettor. When I replaced that I could hear the suction and fuel moving again. The parts guy said they this was happening more often due to alcohol being added to the fuel. It dries out rubber parts faster. Once I replaced it the engine started quite easily. I had previously tried turning it over and priming for quite a while.

Thanks for both replies.

I added a full tank of fresh gas in November (along with the proper amount of STA-BIL).  I'm going to try loosening the gas cap on my next attempt.  Been busy shoveling out.  I'm hoping there's someone else out there who has had the same experience when the Sears grinch visited.  I'm also wondering if the recall fix was redesign overkill in order to protect the company and the consumer from harm.

Thanks again!

I assume your engine is a Briggs&Stratton that required the recall.  I had my engine done when I bought my machine in October.  No problem with it at all.  As a matter of fact, I usually don't use the choke.  I'll prime it two or three times and get it running.  If it starts to stall I give it another prime and it's good to go.  Did you try doing what we have suggested?

I primed the engine with four shots and then did a pull-start.  It started, ran for three seconds and quit.  Progress!  I did this a few times and it would quit each time.  Seems to me its only running on the primed raw gas.  I also tried an electric start back-to-back with the pull and it ran for three seconds. 

Had to put it away and do other things on my schedule.

Borat:  Your suggestion on more priming shots than recommended by Sears sounds interesting.  I hadn't read your input when I was working on the machine.  I hesitated to use more shots than recommended because of concern for fire.  I'll give it a try on another day with more priming.  Coincidently, I always prime my lawnmower with more shots than recommended and it works for me.

This machine always started quickly before the recall visit and fix by Sears.  I would start it up and run it for about ten minutes.  I have a $#%*mins Onan generator and I run it once a month for two hours according to recommendations.  Starts like a charm everytime.

I'll return here with results when I find time in the next couple of days to try again.  Weather is going down here in New England over the weekend. . . . mostly rain and mix.

When you briefly have it running and it starts to die, give it another prime.   Keep doing that to keep it running for 30 seconds to a minute.  If it doesn't stay running after that, I'd say check your fuel line to the carb and gas tank first. If that's good, get a small hose and siphon some fuel out of the lowest part of the fuel tank and drain it into a clear container to see if it has water and dirt in it.  If it does, drain all fuel out of the tank and clean it as good as you can get it.  Also disconnect your fuel line from the carb and drain that.  When that's done,  it's time to pull the float bowl and have a look in there for dirt/water.  clean as required and re-assemble.   If it still doesn't go, I'd pull the carb right off the machine and give it a thorough cleaning and blow out orifices with compressed air.   By the way, if you have the machine stored in a place where it's below freezing, you may not get any water out of the fuel tank because it will be frozen.  You could possibly have ice in your float bowl as well. 

Except for my occassional running during the off season to excercise the machine by adding small amounts of gas, the gas tank has been empty since last winter.  Therefore bad gas and water & ice I don't think are the problems.  It has been stored in my cold, unheated garage with an empty tank. 

You offer good logical advice and I'll follow-through with some of your suggestions regarding continuous running by pumping the primer during the first minute or so.  I'm under warrantee and a Sears technician will be here on Jan. 2 for the fix.  I'll leave the carburator inspection, etc. to him.

Thanks again and I'll be back soon.

My Craftsman Snowthrower 8.0 hp 27" was also part of the recall.  It has started up fine with the electric start for two winters.  The technician who placed the screen on the carburetor and gave it a free tune-up over the summer also crank-started it just fine.  I was on the phone for 3 hours today with the Sears support line.  We tried everything mentioned in this thread, except my model doesn't have a throttle.  After all that, and even after flushing a possible vapor lock in the carburetor, it won't start.  The techie walked me through taking the screw out of the bottom of the carburetor to drain what possible old gas was in there.  Took the screw off expecting a flood of stuff, but nothing came out.  After that, I drained the gas tank using the fuel line that goes into the carburetor.  Refilled the tank with totally fresh gas.  Still not turning over.  Support said that the only calls coming in from the northeast today were from people with machines in the recall.  Support also said that the nnew screen on the carburetor, especially in the cold weather, was making gas have a harder time getting into the carb.  They told me to prime 8-10 times, not just the 2 it says on the sticker on the machine.  I primed and primed and nothing worked.  Checked the spark plug and it was completely dry.  Tomorrow I'm going to try spraying the smallest amount possible, maybe half an eye dropper full, of raw gas onto that new screen where the air intake to the carburetor is, while using the electric start.  It used to work on old cars in my younger Motor City days.  But from the sound of your 3-second runs, even that might not get the gas flowing.  Also toyed with taking the front of that screen off altogether.  My technician appointment isn't until Jan. 11, 2008.  It would probably be faster to deliver it to the Sears in Framingham, where I bought it.

Almichell:  Guess I should have titled this thread "Sears Recall" to attract others like you who have had a problem.  I didn't know Sears had a helpline.  I called service, she asked questions like, "do you have any gas in the machine"?  Had all I could do to restrain myself.  Told her I used to fly airplanes, she backed off (present yourself as a stereotype, it often works in our impressionable society) and set up an appointment for a field technician.

Thanks!  Your input was a big help.  It does say that Sears over-engineered the fix by saving ourselves from ourselves. 

Sears in Framingham?  I live south of Boston and bought mine from a local Sears.  (sorry, I don't like to provide personal info or pinpoint locations on the web)  By the way, snow tonight changing to sleet and rain on Sunday.  I love New England and the four seasons.  You won't find me heading for Florida to swat flies and to step on cockroaches.

Let's keep in touch here and hope others with the same problem will read this forum. 

Reference your problem.  Not familiar with your model number, in Canada they start with a C and have nine numbers or so after.
Anyway, I had a SEARS Craftsman 11 H.P. Tecumseh and gave it to my son just a week ago.  It was a medium frame and I used
if for over 6 years.  Never had a hitch until the first snow storm of the season and it ran for about 5 minutes and then quit. 
It wasn't getting gas. lots of spark.  You could prime it, it would run and then die.   Now taking off the carb is a pain but I did anyway
and cleaned it as best I could, installed it back on the engine and the same thing.  It would run for a few seconds and then sputter away.
It came to me that maybe it was the vent in the gas cap.  Something so simple couldn't be the it but that was what had been
causing the problem.
The gas caps come with a splash retainer inside ( aluminum ) and at the end of the last season when I was putting the blower away,
it had fallen out.  I screwed the cap on and forgot about it.  I couldn't get the piece back in so took a little gasket material, punched 4
small holes around the edge and inserted it in the cap. I also drilled a hole in the top of the cap.  The center of the gas cap has a protrusion
on the inside and keeps the  gasket material from going
flat.  The 4 holes are for breathing purposes to vent.  The old caps used gasket material and were punched with vent holes as well as
a physical hole drilled in the top of the cap.  The newer caps when tightened, still allow venting but around the sides, when mine broke,
and I tightend it ,it literally sealed off the venting.
When I had completed the fix I primed and started the engine.  It didn't do a full revolution and was running normally, blew me away!
Now it may not be the case for you but worth a quick check.
I have a large frame SEARS Craftsman which I purchased last Jan.  It had the same recall and the guy came by and did the fix in about
10 minutes.  They only thing they could screw up would be the choke but my unit will start 90% of the time on a prime without choking
however,it is a B&S engine.  Good luck........
.