Difficult Starting Torro Mower with Kawasaki FJ180V Engine

Nessism1

Nessism1

Joined
May 30, 2022
Messages
2,514
Location
Torrance, CA
From day one, this beast has been crazy hard to start. Instructions say to press the starter bulb a couple of times, then pull. I've tried all different number of primer bulb presses, but the only thing that reliably gets this machine started is to take off the air filter, and shoot something combustible down the carb.

Clearly, the prime function isn't working.

I haven't taken the carb apart, yet, but something needs to be done. This machine is basically brand new, only used a few hours. Once running, it's fine, but holy he!! it's brutal to start. Not directly related, but related, the pull cord is jacked up; often times pulling the cord does not engage and spin the engine. That's a problem for a different thread, though.

If anyone has experiences with these beasts, please share. I figure there is something leaking in terms of the prime circuit, such that despite pressing the bulb, fuel isn't getting in.

Edit: the proper play is to take this thing in under warranty, but I have no way to move it. It sucks to not have a truck.
 
Nessism1 said:
From day one, this beast has been crazy hard to start. Instructions say to press the starter bulb a couple of times, then pull. I've tried all different number of primer bulb presses, but the only thing that reliably gets this machine started is to take off the air filter, and shoot something combustible down the carb.

Clearly, the prime function isn't working.

I haven't taken the carb apart, yet, but something needs to be done. This machine is basically brand new, only used a few hours. Once running, it's fine, but holy he!! it's brutal to start. Not directly related, but related, the pull cord is jacked up; often times pulling the cord does not engage and spin the engine. That's a problem for a different thread, though.

If anyone has experiences with these beasts, please share. I figure there is something leaking in terms of the prime circuit, such that despite pressing the bulb, fuel isn't getting in.

Edit: the proper play is to take this thing in under warranty, but I have no way to move it. It sucks to not have a truck.
Click to expand...
Sounds exactly like the hard start symptoms I had when I bought a top of the line Snapper Hi-Vac with the Kawasaki FJ180V OHV engine. After cursing it for 2 or 3 years, I decided it was time to fix it or sell it. Turns out two issues were the cause of the hard start condition due to poor assembly at the factory! I finally fixed the problem by: (1) correctly adjusting the valve clearances and (2) by re-adjusting the position of the choke cable. Adjusting the choke cable made the greatest improvement as the butterfly valve was only closing 75% at full choke. It always started in 1 or 2 pulls after the adjustments were performed.
 
Last edited:
Some but not all primer bulbs are directional. Check that the lines in and out of the bulb are not pinched off and then try switching them. The bulb could also just be faulty, give a few pumps with the line to the carb off and see if you get any gas coming through.
 
Try lifting it up on side carb side up for a few seconds then see if it starts. Not the right way to do things but at least you can use it until getting to the proper issue.
 
Nessism1 said:
From day one, this beast has been crazy hard to start. Instructions say to press the starter bulb a couple of times, then pull. I've tried all different number of primer bulb presses, but the only thing that reliably gets this machine started is to take off the air filter, and shoot something combustible down the carb.

Clearly, the prime function isn't working.

I haven't taken the carb apart, yet, but something needs to be done. This machine is basically brand new, only used a few hours. Once running, it's fine, but holy he!! it's brutal to start. Not directly related, but related, the pull cord is jacked up; often times pulling the cord does not engage and spin the engine. That's a problem for a different thread, though.

If anyone has experiences with these beasts, please share. I figure there is something leaking in terms of the prime circuit, such that despite pressing the bulb, fuel isn't getting in.

Edit: the proper play is to take this thing in under warranty, but I have no way to move it. It sucks to not have a truck.
Click to expand...
Can you return it under warranty?
 
I’ve been able to shoehorn a mower into a sedan trunk before. Gotta fold up the handle and lift it up. The lid might or might not close, in which case judicious amounts of well-tied rope or a ratchet strap is the solution for safety. Don’t need a truck for a push mower, which I assume this is?
 
Truck rental is $30 + mileage. Possible, but not ideal. If I can fix this thing myself by replacing the primer bulb or what have you, that would be better. This model mower doesn't have a throttle cable. Guess I need to study the carb and fuel flow design to see if I can see an obvious issue.
 
We use an almost 15 year old Snapper with Kawasaki FJ180V engine. All it's life, we've run the beast with E0 (non-ethanol) and used the fuel cutoff to run engine dry until it stops. It starts most of the time with one pull, rarely with two pulls. No primer bulb either in the Snapper, just a variable lever from highest rpm to choke.

Unrelated and FWIW, once a year it gets a new oil filter but engine oil is suctioned out a few times a year and it runs on 10w40 whateverwasonsale-oil.
 
henni said:
We use an almost 15 year old Snapper with Kawasaki FJ180V engine. All it's life, we've run the beast with E0 (non-ethanol) and used the fuel cutoff to run engine dry until it stops. It starts most of the time with one pull, rarely with two pulls. No primer bulb either in the Snapper, just a variable lever from highest rpm to choke.

Unrelated and FWIW, once a year it gets a new oil filter but engine oil is suctioned out a few times a year and it runs on 10w40 whateverwasonsale-oil.
Click to expand...
My unit must be the California emissions version, thus it gets a different carb and control mechanism compared to others with a speed/choke control lever. A conversion may be a good option...only, I don't plan on keeping this machine. I went a little crazy when California declared their ban on new gas mower sales in the state, leading me to buy this beast, thinking it would be the last mower I'd ever need. In the end, it's really awkward to use, being super heavy, and hard to start. I wanted the blade brake version, but they were all sold out. Some time later, a killer deal on a Honda, with hydro transmission and blade brake clutch, popped up at Home Depot, so I bought one of those as well, and I greatly prefer its usability. My plan is to get the Toro working like it should, and sell it. I'm going to lose my butt on the sale, but I don't need two mowers for my tiny yard.
 
mk378 said:
The primer works by blowing air into a port on the side of the carburetor bowl, which forces a surge of gasoline up through the main jet and into the intake. There is a rubber tube from the primer bulb to the bowl. That would be the first thing to check.
https://www.partstree.com/models/fj180v-em17-kawasaki-engine/carburetor-10/
Click to expand...
The bulb fills with gas after a number of presses, but there is always tons of air in the system. I think false air is getting into the system somehow.
 
This one does look a bit different than the Briggs version, which is purely air. Here the port on the bowl does lead to the bottom near the jet, so maybe it is supposed to fill up with gas. In either case you're depending on a sudden pressure increase to force some gas up into the intake without the engine running. If the gasket on the top of the bowl leaks the pressure won't be able to increase.
 
Cujet said:
I don't think the bulb is supposed to fill with gas. I think it is an air pump.
Click to expand...
Hum. On various other yard equipment with a bulb, they always fill with fuel after a few presses. My Makita blower w/4 stroke engine is the gold standard, since that thing starts with any sort of half hearted pull of the cord after a few bulb presses. That machine has a choke, but I never use it.
 
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