2014 15 hp pull-start won't start when cold

[pstephens46]

I had two Lawn Boy mowers. Both very good. Especially the first. Deck rusted through. Shame. The second had a goofy plastic carb. They both could cut through a jungle. Old Toro my dad had would stall in a heartbeat.

The Lawn Boys were loud enough that you needed to wear ear muffs.

Now that I think about it, I bought my second one new in 2000. So I may have had the same model. 6.5 hp I believe and self propelled.

[cleddau1]

The Primestart system on the old 9.9 (almost identical with the 15) was changed to a manual butterfly valve when the lighter model was introduced in 2006. The working of the Primestart system suggests that failure would put it in continuous fuel enrichment mode and thus would not explain poor cold starting. In any event it is very easy to test. A partially blocked jet or a dud carburettor make sense. Trying a used carb might be useful. What happens if neat fuel is squirted into the air intake?

[rodbolt17]

whuuuut?
I paid 2500 bucks and I have to pump a bulb,pull a knob,then set the throttle then pull a rope, then reverse everything when it starts?
WHUUUUT. I cannot remember all them thar steps. I will go buy a motor that all I have to do is pull a rope.
myself I would not own a non electric start motor anymore.
back in the day you had to manually set the choke,manually set the throttle and then turn a key and then step on the start button. some of the more fancy systems actually placed the start button under the accelerator pedal.
I may have been doing this stuff to long.

[99yam40]

I think the old 51 international pu I had back in the day had the pedal you stepped on to engage the starter.
I think it did not pull in electrically if I am remembering correctly

[boscoe99]

I forgot about the key switch being separate from the starter button. Another step in the long onerous process of starting a motor.

Now that I think about it, before the starter button there was the old hand crank that had to be used to crank the motor. Before my time. I never have used one. My cousin broke his arm using one.

And I recall my uncles old tractor having a spark adjustment lever.

[boscoe99]

I think the old 51 international pu I had back in the day had the pedal you stepped on to engage the starter.
I think it did not pull in electrically if I am remembering correctly

On some older airplanes, if you were lucky and it had an electric starter, when you pulled the starter knob you were pulling a cable that went to a manual solenoid on the starter motor. Funky arrangement. Sounds somewhat like stepping on a pedal in the old 51.

[rodbolt17]

my dad's old buick you set the magneto control,set the throttle, insert the crank handle into the crankshaft snout and bring it up on a compression stroke and quickly flip the handle. our neighbors john deere was about the same.
I could start both about age 11.
Like I say, I may have been doing this stuff to long.

[99yam40]

we had an old farmal tractor we used for the gardens that was hand crank.
I believe it also had a 6Volt starter too, but it did not work from what I remember.
It hurt me so many times hand cranking it that we would pull start it with the truck instead of the hand crank

[zenoahphobic]

My old stationery generator had a hand crank. Wasn't funny when it slipped out and hit you in the jaw.

[pstephens46]

My old stationery generator had a hand crank. Wasn't funny when it slipped out and hit you in the jaw.

Zeno, what is that wild beast in your photo? Some indigenous ferocious critter?

[zenoahphobic]

Zeno, what is that wild beast in your photo? Some indigenous ferocious critter?

She's nasty just bit my hand, made it bleed.

Shes a Blue Heeler or Australian Cattle Dog, breed to control cattle so generally fearless. They have some Dingo, a native wild dog, in them.
Other than that they are extremely intelligent, loyal, energetic , love people, no fuss, tough and want to go all day. Shes also a very keen fisherman, tells me when the rod twitches, but enjoys the bait (mine and others) as well. Rounded up a small shark last summer. Not quite suited for an old lady though.