I have a deere la165 mower with a b&s 24 hp. engine that is hard to start. Replaced plugs, air and fuel filters, use mobil fuel and it requires 10 to 15 seconds cranking time to start. Once running it runs great. Plugs are not fouled out either. It just seems to not catch starting. Could the choke be out of adjustment and not closeing all the way?
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B&S 24 hp. hard starting
- Thread starter turf1
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when in doubt, check fuel tank/carb/choke for jet plugging, choke out of adjustments, etc.
It's prolly fuel-delivery (in carb), related.
It's prolly fuel-delivery (in carb), related.
Yes the choke could be out of adjustment and that's exactly where I would look first..
It's easy to check, just remove the air cleaner or enough of the air box that you can see the choke plate.. Once you can see the plate engage the choke and ee if it closes.. It should close pretty much all the way, if it doesn't just adj the cable till it does..
It's easy to check, just remove the air cleaner or enough of the air box that you can see the choke plate.. Once you can see the plate engage the choke and ee if it closes.. It should close pretty much all the way, if it doesn't just adj the cable till it does..
Have you adjusted the valves lately? I've fixed several hard starters that way.
Give it a quick shot of starting fluid next time you try to start it cold. If it tries to start with the starting fluid then you know it's a fuel issue. If it won't try to start with starting fluid it's something other than fuel.
Does the problem happen only when the engine is cold, or does the same thing happen on a warm restart?
Does the problem happen only when the engine is cold, or does the same thing happen on a warm restart?
Valve lash is always set cold..
.004" should be fine, I think Spec is .004"-.006" and I always go on the tighter side..
While having your valves adj correctly is a good thing, this is something I would check when the Unit is Hard to turn over.. However you didn't mention it being difficult to turn over just slow to start? Is that correct?
If so I would still go to the choke first..
"IF" it is hard to turn over, and the Valve adj does not help then it would be quite possible for the DECO to have blown off the cam.. This is common on the SINGLES but "could" also happen on the Twins I imagine..
The fact that the unit runs fine once started makes the Fuel issue less likely..
.004" should be fine, I think Spec is .004"-.006" and I always go on the tighter side..
While having your valves adj correctly is a good thing, this is something I would check when the Unit is Hard to turn over.. However you didn't mention it being difficult to turn over just slow to start? Is that correct?
If so I would still go to the choke first..
"IF" it is hard to turn over, and the Valve adj does not help then it would be quite possible for the DECO to have blown off the cam.. This is common on the SINGLES but "could" also happen on the Twins I imagine..
The fact that the unit runs fine once started makes the Fuel issue less likely..
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choke (be it auto/manual) is where it governs your cold start.
If it takes substantially longer than normal in order to start a cold engine, it just means that your fuel/air ratio during cold start is wrong and choke is, 80% of the time, at fault (or some of your jets are in questionable state).
to perform a quick test is to get some starting fluid (ether based) and squirt a small bit at the carb openings while cranking. If it fires right up, it just means that your choke is set too "lean"; if it pops, it just means that your choke is too "rich".
Get the spec for your carb (from library, B&S site, etc.) and check your choke clearances.
Q.
If it takes substantially longer than normal in order to start a cold engine, it just means that your fuel/air ratio during cold start is wrong and choke is, 80% of the time, at fault (or some of your jets are in questionable state).
to perform a quick test is to get some starting fluid (ether based) and squirt a small bit at the carb openings while cranking. If it fires right up, it just means that your choke is set too "lean"; if it pops, it just means that your choke is too "rich".
Get the spec for your carb (from library, B&S site, etc.) and check your choke clearances.
Q.
Originally Posted By: FNFAL308
Valve lash is always set cold..
.004" should be fine, I think Spec is .004"-.006" and I always go on the tighter side..
While having your valves adj correctly is a good thing, this is something I would check when the Unit is Hard to turn over.. However you didn't mention it being difficult to turn over just slow to start? Is that correct?
If so I would still go to the choke first..
"IF" it is hard to turn over, and the Valve adj does not help then it would be quite possible for the DECO to have blown off the cam.. This is common on the SINGLES but "could" also happen on the Twins I imagine..
The fact that the unit runs fine once started makes the Fuel issue less likely..
Yep, when I read the subject I read hard start and thought hard to turn over. But, if the valves haven't been checked in a while it couldn't hurt.
Valve lash is always set cold..
.004" should be fine, I think Spec is .004"-.006" and I always go on the tighter side..
While having your valves adj correctly is a good thing, this is something I would check when the Unit is Hard to turn over.. However you didn't mention it being difficult to turn over just slow to start? Is that correct?
If so I would still go to the choke first..
"IF" it is hard to turn over, and the Valve adj does not help then it would be quite possible for the DECO to have blown off the cam.. This is common on the SINGLES but "could" also happen on the Twins I imagine..
The fact that the unit runs fine once started makes the Fuel issue less likely..
Yep, when I read the subject I read hard start and thought hard to turn over. But, if the valves haven't been checked in a while it couldn't hurt.
Originally Posted By: engineerscott
Originally Posted By: FNFAL308
Valve lash is always set cold..
.004" should be fine, I think Spec is .004"-.006" and I always go on the tighter side..
While having your valves adj correctly is a good thing, this is something I would check when the Unit is Hard to turn over.. However you didn't mention it being difficult to turn over just slow to start? Is that correct?
If so I would still go to the choke first..
"IF" it is hard to turn over, and the Valve adj does not help then it would be quite possible for the DECO to have blown off the cam.. This is common on the SINGLES but "could" also happen on the Twins I imagine..
The fact that the unit runs fine once started makes the Fuel issue less likely..
Yep, when I read the subject I read hard start and thought hard to turn over. But, if the valves haven't been checked in a while it couldn't hurt.
Absolutely, I think this is an oft neglected part of maintainance.. It's easy to do and often yields improvements in performance.
Originally Posted By: FNFAL308
Valve lash is always set cold..
.004" should be fine, I think Spec is .004"-.006" and I always go on the tighter side..
While having your valves adj correctly is a good thing, this is something I would check when the Unit is Hard to turn over.. However you didn't mention it being difficult to turn over just slow to start? Is that correct?
If so I would still go to the choke first..
"IF" it is hard to turn over, and the Valve adj does not help then it would be quite possible for the DECO to have blown off the cam.. This is common on the SINGLES but "could" also happen on the Twins I imagine..
The fact that the unit runs fine once started makes the Fuel issue less likely..
Yep, when I read the subject I read hard start and thought hard to turn over. But, if the valves haven't been checked in a while it couldn't hurt.
Absolutely, I think this is an oft neglected part of maintainance.. It's easy to do and often yields improvements in performance.
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