lawnmower engine help?

[390gtconv]

Todd these are all good idea's and they may help I have a Honda that is in its 22nd season.Have never had a problem Change the oil every year and the plug and wash the air filter. I too do the stable thing but I never heard of running it dry. After listening to all the suggestions I have the one fool proof method Ditch the Craftsman and by a Push Mower.

Dennis, neither Honda or Craftsman (Briggs) makes spark plugs. So IF it's ends up being a plug issue, that's not the engines fault. Sometimes you gotta try diff plug brand as well. I just believe in troulbeshooting, not guessing. As the mechanics saying my son always uses, "KISS", Keep it simple stupid. Go for the lowest cost part first.

[TorchredSVT]

you can always bring it to Ed's lawn mower / small engine over in tyngsboro, he's about ten minutes from your house

GL

[chachee52]

you can always bring it to Ed's lawn mower / small engine over in tyngsboro, he's about ten minutes from your house

GL

That's who I use for all our issues. My dad's been using them for YEARS! Bought my snowblower from them. Great people there and always giving you a good price and the right fix.
I just looked and I have a few months left on my warranty. But I bet if I go they will just replace the plug and filter again and not fix the issue, then charge me for it.

[ToplessPony94]

Go for the lowest cost part first.

I have to agree with George on this, and it's what I do. Though in my case with my luck with mowers, this often results in my spending the maximum amount of money because after working my way through all of the cheap fixes, I need the expensive one anyway. That's why I'm replacing the Toro. Tecumseh engine runs great but I've had enough of throwing money at the rest of the mower to try to keep it from falling apart around the engine. Will most likely end up with a Honda or Husqvarna (uses Honda engine).

[ToplessPony94]

I have a Honda that is in its 22nd season.

Impressive! Even Honda doesn't make 'em like that any more.

[SVT10th]

IJim, Craftsman brand or any other brand for that matter, most all are using a Briggs engine or a Tecumseh engie think own by them. All the same when comes to just the engine.

Yes, I know. Briggs and Stratton and Techumseh are workhorses. But my experience with Sears yard equipment is that the craftsman models always seem to have a few replacement parts details that are non-standard and when you go back for spare parts -- and it's more than 5-8 years old -- the part is specific to that model and they mysteriously don't carry it any more. A little too obviously planned obsolescence. After having that experience with mowers twice, I never bought another small engine-based Sears/Craftsman machine again. Maybe they're better about that now -- dont know.

My 17yo Yard Machine/Techumseh snowblower still has easily found parts. Same with my 10 year old Toro push mower, and so far with my 8 year old Deere riding mower and with 6 year old Briggs and Stratton generator.

For what it's worth -- one of my first mowers when I bought my house was a 15 year old beat to hell Honda push mower. Thing started on the first pull every time. Burned oil like a mad man, but it ran. Got a couple of years out of it and then bought a Craftsman. ;(
I'd buy another Honda in a second if I need a replacment.

[ToplessPony94]

Yes, I know. Briggs and Stratton and Techumseh are workhorses. But my experience with Sears yard equipment is that the craftsman models always seem to have a few replacement parts details that are non-standard and when you go back for spare parts -- and it's more than 5-8 years old -- the part is specific to that model and they mysteriously don't carry it any more. A little too obviously planned obsolescence. After having that experience with mowers twice, I never bought another small engine-based Sears/Craftsman machine again. Maybe they're better about that now -- dont know.

YUP! 'Nuf said!

[TorchredSVT]

this is why i pay landscapers.........lol

[ToplessPony94]

this is why i pay landscapers.........lol

I am coming to view this as a not unreasonable alternative.

[390gtconv]

Yes, I know. Briggs and Stratton and Techumseh are workhorses. But my experience with Sears yard equipment is that the craftsman models always seem to have a few replacement parts details that are non-standard and when you go back for spare parts -- and it's more than 5-8 years old -- the part is specific to that model and they mysteriously don't carry it any more. A little too obviously planned obsolescence. After having that experience with mowers twice, I never bought another small engine-based Sears/Craftsman machine again. Maybe they're better about that now -- dont know.

My 17yo Yard Machine/Techumseh snowblower still has easily found parts. Same with my 10 year old Toro push mower, and so far with my 8 year old Deere riding mower and with 6 year old Briggs and Stratton generator.

For what it's worth -- one of my first mowers when I bought my house was a 15 year old beat to hell Honda push mower. Thing started on the first pull every time. Burned oil like a mad man, but it ran. Got a couple of years out of it and then bought a Craftsman. ;(
I'd buy another Honda in a second if I need a replacment.

Nothing against other brands, just that over the yrs equip I bought, some from Sears & some not, all have had Briggs in them. And when you order replacement parts whether on line thru Sears Parts replacement or any small engine repair shop, many times parts in bag labeled Techumseh so must be one in the same now. Since I do my own repairs I've always found it easy to look up Briggs parts on line thru Sears Parts & then go to small engine shop like East Coast Lumber and can order almost anything. So has been convenient for me to maintain my fleet of equip most of which 15-20 yrs old.
A log splitter from 70's, couple diff snowblowers, pressure washer, generator, weed wacker, push mower, leaf blower, roto tiller, all running with a Briggs. Not all of these from Sears. Nothing newer than 15 yrs.