Clean the FUEL SYSTEM and have someone clean the carb.

Thanks, Bill. I already talked to a small engine shop about getting the mower running again. It'll be good to tell them specifically what to look for. Do you think the old gas in it would make a difference? I mean, I could empty out the gas and refill with fresh gas and some liquid carb cleaner. Think that would work in lieu of removing the carburetor and cleaning it manually?

Thanks in advance,

Chris

Carb cleaner in the tank usually doesn't do any good unless the engine is running.
It has to go through the passages IN the carb to clean things.

At the end of the season, dump your gas can into the car and buy fresh mower gas when you're going to mow the next Spring.

Well, I've had a similar problem with a piece-of-crap troy-bilt self-propelled lawn mower. It has the typical cheap B&S motor with the little "red button" primer. This mower will not start and is about to become a $400 boat anchor! For the life of me, this thing will not start. At first when this problem began, it would start cold but not restart hot. I would have to let it cool down everytime I emptied the bag. Now it just won't start at all, cold or hot. I've cleaned the tank, fuel lines into the carb, changed the plug, etc. to no avail. This mower is 2-1/2 years old; just out of warranty (naturally). I contacted my credit card company (platinum mastercard) and they DO NOT offer warranty extensions on any warranty but a one year warranty, which would double to two. The do not offer any extension on two year or longer warranties!!! Bummer!!!

Anyone got any ideas what could be wrong or have any advice on something else to get this "thing" running to at least the end of the year. I really hate to buy a new mower this late in the year.....

Your situation is the result of total neglect and can best be rectified by a complete tuneup performed by someone who is competent.....Elmo

Have you checked for spark?

Some of the carbs on the cheaper Briggs only cost about $22 for a replacement.

'I started out this season by checking the oil (dipstick was bone dry)'

It's toast.

I am not familiar with that mower but does it have an emergency cut off? Like when you let go of the handle. I had a mower one time that would not start and it turned out to be that do hickey was not disengaging when I pulled the handle....DT

Hey guys, just a follow-up on the mower:

Got the carb cleaned and she runs great. New problem, though.

The front wheels have locked up. I could get them to turn maybe 1/16th of a rotation and then nothing. I looked underneath at the shafts going into the propulsion(?) box, and it looked like there was a lot of rust on the shaft. I've mowed the grass wet and then put away the mower without letting it dry out. You think it rusted solid?

I only need to mow the grass once, maybe twice more this season. Any ideas on how to get the wheels freed up? Do I need to disassemble the front end and soak it in PB BLaster or something?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Chris

FOLLOW-UP

Well, a little WD-40 got the wheels unstuck. However, the self-propulsion is not engaging. A buddy and I turned the mower over (not running, obviously), and we noticed that the belt that goes between the blade shaft and the self-propulsion drive is really loose, so loose that I'm thinking it may not be gripping the shafts to turn the wheels. Is there a way to tighten the belt (like on a car), or am I better of just replacing a 4-year old belt and starting over? Thanks in advance!

Chris

I have the Troy Bilt 33" mower with a combination deck. It won't start using the ignigtion key. It will start with the key on by jumping across the selenoid. I replaced the solenoid but that didn't solve the problem.

I am trying to figure out the name of the square block with wires coming out next to the solenoid. I don't know what it is called or what it does. Is it likely it has failed or more likely the ignition switch is bad?

Running just fine. Clean filter, oil clean and level good.
Gas, new purchase. Spark plug good. I stopped to get a drink of water, when I tried to restart the engine it would not turn over. Since I had been working on an incline I thought maybe the engine was flooded, so I waited an hr. with the same results.

I got this at a yard sale the person said it did work & ran great well some how I forgot to ask where the primer is located, I know on most lawn mowers their is a little button you push their isn't one on this mower ! Is their anyone that could help me out on this one .My neighber came over and he couldn't locate this either.Next to the filter and gas line is a black small square the size of a quarter but nothing that you could push for priming What am I over looking ? Didn't get a owners manual.

It doesnt have a primer

i have a troybuilt lawm mower that has been a good running machine. however, this year it started fine and then would not run any longer. oil is good, gas is good, not sure what to check next.

Had same problem. Father took apart the carburetor and found a tiny grain of dirt/sand where the gas goes out of the tank. I had replaced all you did and cleaned the bowl but this was inside the carb, not even a heavy cleaning worked. Luckily my father does all that engine work so he found the problem!

Most of these troybilts don't have primer buttons.

I can't get over how so many people want you to dump the gas. This is wrong.

First check the spark plug. Rough the gap up with some emery cloth.

Put the plug back in

Get some STP and put a couple of tablespoons in the full gas tank of your mower.

When everything is reassembled, open the air filter compartment, and spray once with some engine starter fluid. Cover it back up.

Try to start the engine. It may start then stop a few times, keep trying. For me it was the 3rd time. Then I tilted the engine up slightly and gave a it a few good revs before setting out on the lawn. I'm attaching the video showing it running.

I bought my Troy-Bilt TB230C Self-Propelled Mower at the end of last summer after my 30 year cheapest Briggs and Stratton engine mower I bought at Home Depot finally crapped out.

It worked great for the last few cuts of the season. We stored it in the shed. I've never, ever taken gas out of a lawn mower. I've always been able to start them year after year with none of the above steps. However, now I know how to get it started. My husband has been working on "broken" and thrown out lawnmowers all his life (from his teenage years). His parents would find one on the side of the road and bring it home for him to work on.