Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - 4 HP Briggs won't REstart

Hi,

I have a ~7 year old Murray mower with a 4 hp Briggs & Stratton engine that won't start when it's hot.

When I go out to mow in the morning, it starts very easily the first time and runs OK, but if I stall it by pushing too fast through high grass, it won't restart. If I wait maybe 10 minutes, it will restart, the speed will pulse up and down a few times and then it dies. If I wait a couple of hours, it will restart and run OK.

Plug looks OK, but it's a couple of years old. It's new gas, the air cleaner was just cleaned and there is new oil in the crankcase. I had a new magneto put in in '06.

Of course I've been trying to mow the whole yard without stalling to stopping, and I usually can, but it messes up my day when I get halfway through and then have to wait a couple of hours to finish.

Any ideas about what the likely problem is? Thanks

It sounds like you definately have a problem when your engine is hot. Two things. First, know if your engine is cooling properly? Pull the top cover and look for grass clippings arround the cylinder. Blow it out with compressed air. Second, you might have an air leak at the carb to the tank. If so you will not get the fuel to the engine and you can try replacing the diphram or in most cases we see in our shop is replace the carb and tank unit. LOL

LOL

Thanks Camino, I'll check for grass first then consider the carb. By the way, I can't ever remember, is LOL Lot's Of Luck or Laughing Out Loud?

cheers, BT