Kawasaki Lawn Mower Motor

" I doesn't have to primer button on the carb."

Do you mean: It doesn't have a primer button on the carb?

Don't do this. Mini pump indeed.

What did the seller say?

Owners manual?

Yes, "a" primer button. No manual came with it. Don't do what? No way to prime it like all the other lawn mower motors out there?

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Abuse/Attack: This post was deleted because it was an attack on another user. Please review the CR4 Site FAQ and the CR4 Rules of Conduct.

I am a registered member and I posted as a Guest to Lyns response (the first Guest).

The reason I am posting anonymously is that I do not want my account blocked by Admin just because I disagree with how the deal with certain members.

Is it just me or does Admin only seem to protect a special few members. Lyn's reply above is just pathetic, not really sure why he bothered to reply. No doubt this post will also be deleted as it does not meet with the "we make it up as we go" rules that Admin seem to apply.

If you won't own it why post it?

#15 got moderated, but the fact that it was a reply to #1 remains

you can make your point about the manner some members post without getting moderated

such commentary may be off topic, but it is relevant to our little community

Back in the day, lawnmower engines didn't have a primer pump. You put it in full choke and that forced a rich enough mixture to start any engine. Personally, I find the current crop of lawnmower engines to be a little weird, what with that cutesy primer bulb and not having a choke .

Your problem is less likely that you need a primer pump and more likely that you have a clogged port or too lean an idle mixture setting.

If this is truly the problem, and you have eliminitated fouled carb, etc., get an inline primer bulb. Take it easy with it though, you can easily flood the engine.

Hard to start engines of this type are hard to diagnose properly with out the correct tools. I would doubt that the fuel pump is going to help you much with this issue. If starting fluid is the only way you have been able to get it to start. Couple of quick questions and things to look for.

What is the compression of the engine. With out good compression no vacuum.

Is there a vacuum leak at or around the carb.

Ignition timing, is it set correctly. (it sounds as though it maybe advanced ever so slightly).

Spark plug the correct unit and is it gapped correctly.

Good Luck

The engine was 'out of the box' brand new. I bought it last summer and it has never started worth a dam. I noticed that if I tilted the mower almost on it's top, then down again, it started better. Maybe it's a carb adjustment. I just assumed it was factory set so something else must be missing. It has a choke but having it on doesn't help. I'll try monkeying with the carb settings next. Probably won't need it for 2 or 3 mos. anyway. It's still snowing where I'm at. Although it does work like a snow blower as long as the snow's shallow. Thanks for the tips.

My early motorbike days' recolection is that a palm of one hand blocking the air intake, full throttle and one kickstart would prime the motor. Next kick would get it firing. Worth a try.

I think minor blocks in fuel lines were also be cleared this way.

At my local Rental Center I noticed he had a whole box of assorted primer buttons. Take your mower down for a fitting if your Center has such a box. It makes sense, a lot of motors use these buttons, and these Centers do motor repair, too. At least ours does. My electric tree trimmer uses one for the chain oiler, it fell off real quick.

Maybe put a primer like off a snowmobile in the fuel line?

Some more information would be helpful, perhaps. Is this a riding mower? I'm guessing that's likely, not really worth replacing the motor on a push mower. Is it electric start? I find it hard to imagine a new Japanese engine that's hard to start, maybe it needs gravity feed for the fuel and you are attempting to vacuum it? How many HP...?

See if there isn't a 'tickler' button on the bottom of the carb float bowl that would allow the float bowl to fill up, like the ones on the old Triumph and BSA motorcycle carbs.

It's a 5.5 or 6 hp. vertical motor. It looks like it has a place for a primer push button on the side of the carb , but it is a stamped ,solid, indentation w/o the button. It has a cast iron sleeve, oil filter and pump. It is, I believe, last year's model. It's on a self-propelled push mower. No button on the bottom of the carb. When I tip it over and back again it starts quickly. I'm assuming it gets more gas into the carb. It has a shut-off valve in-line but it's always open. I don't think this is a problem because once it starts it keep running well.

http://www.kawpowr.com/engines/type.aspx?shaft=0

You may want to remove the carburetor and clean the innards completely. I have a Briggs engine that needs to be tilted so the carb will fill with gas. Check the float and needle for proper distance.

Another engine that is hard to get running is on a mower - Honda - the choke goes off by itself too early (some kind of automatic opening type). I have to hold the choke until the motor sounds like its running rich. again, rebuild it and remove the non-factory lube and it opens slowly like its supposed to do.

The last two push mowers I bought had the manuals posted on the web. You might see.

Thanks for 2 final comments. I'll try to find a dealer but not too optimistic, considering I'm in Mt.

You might be able to mail order the carb kit. Check on the web for on-line parts and repair advice.

The primer button on engines that have them just pump air into the carb bowl to squirt some fuel into the engine intake. You may need to put a different gasket on the carb to allow a primer bulb to work. If the tilt the engine routine works, use it for now, you won't have to rebuild the system.

Al

Sounds like the float level is set too low. On most motors now instead of a normal 'choke' which is an air restrictor plate, there is an enrichening circuit which feeds more fuel into the motor with the same amount of air. When the bowl level is too low the fuel cant reach the jet so tipping the machine will allow it to reach at least to wet it enough to start. You could prove this by tipping the machine in a different direction.

You say your in MT. What is your elevation in relation to sea level. Higher elevation require a different float setting to allow the unit to run at proper richness. Just an quick thought.

The elevation where I'm at is about 3000'. I'll work on the float level as soon as the snow goes away.

I have a small motor with the same problem. A little squirt bottle with fuel in squirted once or twice down the carbi throat does the trick every time.