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Exhuminator wrote:Ticked: Took a machete to my driveway's flora today (canopy driveway through some woods) and cleared out a much cleaner drive. Unfortunately I got a bitch of a blister on my right palm, because I was dumb and didn't wear gloves. Also my damn mower wouldn't start. I bought that thing new two years ago, and every time it sets a few months it won't start for anything. I'm ready to take a sledgehammer to it and make a scrap metal pile.

If you do sledge it up save the lawnmower blades. I'd be interested in them.

MrPopo wrote:

Exhuminator wrote:Ticked: Took a machete to my driveway's flora today (canopy driveway through some woods) and cleared out a much cleaner drive. Unfortunately I got a bitch of a blister on my right palm, because I was dumb and didn't wear gloves. Also my damn mower wouldn't start. I bought that thing new two years ago, and every time it sets a few months it won't start for anything. I'm ready to take a sledgehammer to it and make a scrap metal pile.

If you do sledge it up save the lawnmower blades. I'd be interested in them.

Are you allowed to mail something like that?

:/ Church was all kinds of weird tonight.

But I got a really good compliment tonight too, which was nice even if it doesn't mean anything.

PartridgeSenpai wrote:

MrPopo wrote:

Exhuminator wrote:Ticked: Took a machete to my driveway's flora today (canopy driveway through some woods) and cleared out a much cleaner drive. Unfortunately I got a bitch of a blister on my right palm, because I was dumb and didn't wear gloves. Also my damn mower wouldn't start. I bought that thing new two years ago, and every time it sets a few months it won't start for anything. I'm ready to take a sledgehammer to it and make a scrap metal pile.

If you do sledge it up save the lawnmower blades. I'd be interested in them.

Are you allowed to mail something like that?

https://www.usps.com/ship/shipping-restrictions.htm

I'm not seeing anything on there that says no for domestic. Obviously you don't want to just toss it in a bubble mailer.

Exhuminator wrote:Also my damn mower wouldn't start. I bought that thing new two years ago, and every time it sets a few months it won't start for anything. I'm ready to take a sledgehammer to it and make a scrap metal pile.

Oh don't do that, a two year mower worth fixing to become reliable. I am guessing you know how to work the choke for cold start; if single lever, full throttle engages the choke. Try engaging it partially after a couple pulls to prevent flooding.

I own a thirty year old gas push mower, starts every time. Just a matter of tuning up every once in a while. Remove, clean or replace the spark plug, set the gap, verify wire crimp and plug tip connection threaded snug. One step many miss is wire brushing the magneto which over the years exposed to condensation could have surface rust on the magnets. Also filed the blade for a knife edge and welded a crack around the base a few years ago, easily done with acetylene torch.

I keep the mower in the garage and in southern CA do not have condensation issues of a snow climate. Either empty the gas or keep full when winterizing your mower to keep the moisture buildup out of the gas tank, be sure fuel valve is shut every time when parking the mower. Every once in a while at off season I slow pull a few times to oil the piston cylinder; a good practice of the splash lube system before every fire up.

Before this mower I never had a problem with mowers. The yard I used to have was so small that a push mower was a perfect solution. The last push mower I had so long that the rusty frame cracked on it while I was going up a hill, causing the blade to tilt down and catch the ground, which mutilated the clutch assembly.

So I went and bought a Poulan, which I will never do again. It worked fine for a few months. Then it started not wanting to start. I'm no small engine expert, but I did replace the spark plug, clean out the gas tank, replace the air filter, and tried direct injecting a couple drops of gas into the carburetor. Damn thing still wouldn't start.

So I drove it down to a repair shop, took it out of my SUV, and put it on the ground. Guy walks up and says, "what's wrong with it?" I told him it wouldn't start. He reaches down and tries to start it, and the stupid thing starts right up. I've never wanted to sink a .44 slug into an inanimate object more than on that day. So I ask him to just clean out the fuel lines and do whatever maintenance might make this fickle piece of junk mower actually start more reliably. He tells me that this mower's engine is known to easily accrue water inside its fuel lines. A week later I get it back from him, and the thing runs fine for the rest of the summer. It then sat inside a garage over the winter.

So cue yesterday and I tried to start the same mower. Filled up the gas, checked the oil, and tried to start it. It just won't start. Maybe water built up in the tank or the lines or whatever. I don't know. I know no other mower I've had before this one ever did this. You could leave them in a swamp all winter and they'd still start come spring. This thing is practically made out of tissue paper in comparison.

This is the hunk of junk I'm talking about:

http://www.poulanpro.com/us/products/la ... 961120134/

I wanted to go buy a Husqvarna yesterday but my wife.

Could it be the gas going bad in it? Gas with ethanol tends to get funky way before the stuff with no ethanol. I have issues from time to time with that, and the aforementioned water buildup. Maybe some STA-BIL or something would help.

I only run ethanol free gas in my mower (and car for that matter). The gas can itself is not left out in the weather either.

You guys have perfectly practical advice, but this mower is just a shit show.

Yeah, well, my Dad has a Cub Cadet that is a flaming piece of poop, so I feel ya on that.

I have a very small yard and use a push mower, but I may buy a battery mower to be able to mulch leaves.