I've got a Troy-Bilt mower, about 10 years old, can't kill it, (not trying to either), starts in the Spring after 6 months in the shed, on the first pull, does the job, can't go wrong trying to fix an old one.
The decal on the machine says: Briggs and Stratton, 190 C.C., seems I paid $329.00 in June 2013 for it, according to the paper work I had saved. Rear drive machine.
I vote for a full carb cleaning as well. As one of the earlier commenters said, maybe there was some dirt still in the gas tank (even after you siphoned out what you did). Maybe when you added the gas back to the tank, it loosened up that dirt and the dirt traveled to the carburetor.
If that doesn’t work replace the whole carb I’m no expert but hopefully the cleaning will work if not replace the carb and see if that works hopefully that cleaning works
I have a Troy-Bilt 220 that runs like a champ when you first start it up but once you turn it off it will not start back up for 30 minutes any ideas folks please let me know
I think the ignition coil might be the culprit here, sometimes they will work good when cold, but they stop working once they’re hot. You might also want to clear out the pilot jet on the carb while you’re at it.
That's the problem I'm having with my Troy-Bilt 220 it runs like a champ but as soon as you shut it off you have to let it sit for 30 minutes before it starts back up again I'm at my wit's end
I just picked up a Poulan pro 22 inch self propelled bagger/mulcher side discharge from a buddy from work. He gave it too me because it wont prime, you have to use starting fluid to start it. You spray through the little hole in the primer bulb, Once its starts it runs perfectly and starts every time. The problem is the the plastic air filter base is warped. Im amazed at the reason people get rid of stuff nowa days. Its a 2001 model but looks brand new.
I have this exact same mower and it had the same surging issue and could not start when it's hot. I've went through and replace the carburetor, fuel filter, and thermo wax. Didn't replace the spark plug because it looked fine. I didn't needed to replace the thermo wax. The fix that finally worked for me was replacing the coil with a genuine Honda part. The new coil had a strong magnetic pull that the old one didn't have (or lost). It started right up and runs smoothly. No more surging.
Sounds like the problem happens when the choke opens up. Should be easy to tell with a restart after fully cooled down. Looks like it's running lean across the board, but runs ok when choked. Like most others say, I'd start with a thorough carb cleaning and fresh fuel. Thanks for the videos and I look forward to a follow up on this one.
Oh, and as you already know with your experience, best time to check for the coil issue is to check for spark as soon as it dies and won’t restart. Great video as always!
Basics. If engine doesn’t start on hot and if choke flap is open as it should just add fuel drops on the choke opening area. If it starts then your problem is not coil but it is on pilot valve. Enlarge the pilot valve with micro drill just a little to ease. If it doesn’t start after adding fuel replace coil. I had same issue. You don’t have to change carb. Pilot jet is very sensitive and it will not start when choke flap is open because it doesn’t have enough fuel on startup. Note main jet is responsible after the start and pilot is responsible for initial kick start and from there main jet takes over. Also there are 2 holes in front of carb that allows air to bypass even when butterfly valve is closed that needs cleaning. This is not usually the cause just for documentation purpose. By doing so u r isolating air, fuel. Compression is ruled out bcz it works when hot. Keep the coil as last resort. You can check the coil using oscilloscope using wave pattern between good and bad coil. This is for advanced class used in automotive using current wave form. Good luck and I just want to educate you to a level up. Cheers
@@HomeGaragechannelSteve’s Small Engine Saloon has a TH-cam video on how to [very simply] isolate and check your coil. Look up “NO SPARK!…” Easy peasy. He’s an excellent resource. Practical, no part-chasing.
Dealt with this issue on Honda engines. When the auto choke comes off, the dirty carb is starved for fuel and surges. I took the carb off and did a thorough cleaning followed by tank of gas with mech in a bottle. Still had slight surging. Ended up replacing carb-not too expensive at $30 even for OEM.
I'm 99% sure it's the carburator that needs a deep cleaning. My current mower was a "Curb Special" that had the same issue--I cleaned the dirty carb, put it back and it started then sputtered and won't restart. Second carb clean, it started and performed better and was able to restart but sputtered. A third deep clean finally got rid of the rest of the dirt that were loosened and it starts up beautifully and runs as good as an 18 year old Poulan Pro mower could lol. Hopefully you'll get yours to work again and we can see a follow up video.
I recently bought a well maintained honda with the auto choke. I ran across the exact same issue and found its really common for the idle jet to get clogged due to how small it is. After removing the philips screw on top of the car to access the jet and spray carb cleaner through it, it would run well for about half of a mowing then do the same thing. I broke down and bought and ultrisonic cleaner and ran the carb through, and its been running beautifully since then. A good way to test if its the idle jet is to run it through tall grass. Once under load, the engine suddenly starts to run fine.
MY experience with honda motors is to shut off the fuel and let it run dry. Then turn fuel back on and it will restart. Trying to start it with the fuel left on is an exercise in futility! Had not thought about the wheels, but will do PM on them as well! Thanks for the tip.
You have probably heard this joke but it's not bad There was a kid selling a lawnmower on the side of the road and a preacher came riding up to him on a bicycle and the preacher askes him how much he wants for the mower the kid says 20 dollars the preacher says I don't have 20 but I will trade you this bike straight across for it the kid says I will take it,a day or two later the preacher sees the kid and says that mower doesn't start the kid says I forgot to tall you to get that mower to start you the to scream every cuss word in there is at it and it will start on the first pull every time the preacher says I have been a preacher for 20 years and I have forgot all the cuss words the kid says keep pulling on that rope and there will all come back to you
I know my respone is 11 months late, but people should read this for future reference. I have the exact same mower -- Troy-Bilt with Honda GCV 160 cc engine. Bought it new at Lowes about 6 years ago and still have it. Right out of the box it started fine and idled smoothly. But a few minutes after I started mowing, it started surging/hunting. I thought maybe it was the gas. Drained it, put fresh 93 octane into the tank with the same results. I know, I should have brought it right back to Lowes. I reached out (online) to Troy-Bilt and a technician told me that Honda uses jets with extremely small/fine orifies to be on the safe side due to emmision restrictions by California, where most Honda small engines enter the U.S., and that it doesn't take much to create insufficient fuel delivery which causes surging. His advise was to drill a little larger orifice in the jets. But, I don't have the tools or the skills, so the surging lawn mowing continues. P.S. Interesting comment by one of the posters who noted that "A good way to test if its the idle jet is to run it through tall grass. Once under load, the engine suddenly starts to run fine." This is exactly what happens with my mower! If it's a Honda engine, it may not necessarily be a dirty carb.
@@HomeGaragechannel I was surprised he offered that info, too. He was, however, careful about how he worded his response. After he mentioned Honda's strict emission standards and the orifice size in the jets, he didn't exactly blame the jets as causing the problem, but offered, "You could try drilling a larger opening in the main jet to see if that might help." I think he felt bad for me because by the time i contacted Troy-Bilt the warranty had expired and I was stuck with the mower. My previous mower was a Troy-Bilt with a Briggs and Stratton engine that was over 15 years old when i retired it. It was a great mower. Have no idea why I chose my next Troy-Bilt with a Honda engine. I'll never make that mistake again.
I just sold one of those, though not in quite as nice shape as the one you have here. Had the same surging issue once warmed up, I just used one of those tiny drill bits to open up the main jet a bit, which solved the issue.
There is a Philips screw on the top of the Honda carb that covers the idle circuit. If you don't remove that screw and clean the idle circuit, the engine will surge. (In case you run into it again.)
Kind of surprised you didn’t do a full carb clean. Especially if the idle jet is clogged then even if it runs it will run poorly. I agree you can use the old gas but me personally I wouldn’t. I’ve got to where that when I do a carb clean I go ahead and clean the fuel tanks too just in case.
just seeing how clean the bowl was, had me convinced that I didn't need to go full in, but it appears that I was wrong. The cleaning is coming soon, thank you Todd Osterhout
Hi! On you Troybilt TB240 I would recommend replacing the carb and pouring new gas or if reusing fuel, pour any old fuel through a clean cloth or screen! I currently have a Troybilt TB210 lawnmower! I don't think I'm getting fire! The carb is new, new plug and now I'm thinking ignition coil! What'll you think?
I think it may need a Carburettor Cleaning replacement with aftermarket carburettor 😊 You have spark so not coil, may need jet and tube clean, so your own recommendation of carburettor is corect😊
Yup. That's what solved my idle surge that wouldn't go away. I had a very dirty carb from sitting for 3 years. Same mower as this but not self propelled and older. Manual choke.
@7:09 The thermowax is the copper looking thing stuck onto the side of the engine just behind the choke mechanism that you are lubricating. (I don't spray the rubber piston, though.) If the pin on the thermowax is not extended when it's cold, (Looks like it's not) it's usually good. You can remove it with a pair of needle nose pliers to replace it. If you would have pushed the opened choke flap to the right, it would have started right up. (I believe putting lubricant on the rubber piston made it stick, though I'm not sure) I saw that you lubricated the hinge, which is good. The Thermowax does hold the choke open, but the aluminum dissipates heat quickly and the thermowax "Should" (in theory) retract along with the cooling as the engine sits. It should maintain the proper amount of choke required for the engine temp. It could be on it's way out. When mine finally went, the pin never retracted so the choke stayed open all of the time. (It's a neat system, but really picky about it's parameters, and can make you think it's a bad coil, which IS still a possibility). My wife brought one of these TB240s home just the other day that someone had put by the road. It was covered with oil and dirt, it looked awful. The upper crank seal was leaking, and it looked a whole lot worse than it actually was. The hardest part was the cleaning. It looks almost new. The one you have looks fantastic. Except for the bent crankshaft. Watch your pull-rope vibrating before the mower shut down. It could be badly out of balanced blade but I'm leaning more towards the crankshaft. Check both. Bending the blade is what usually bends the crank. A bent Crankshaft is fixable but aggravating. I'm older, short and don't have enough rear-end for leverage to do it alone. I had to get my buddy to give me a hand straightening one on his HRC216. (Steve from the "Small Engine Saloon" makes it look so easy. He's a bit taller than I am) It would have been easier to buy and install a new crankshaft. But it's his back up mower for his lawn service and he doesn't want to put much money into it, so, I pulled on the pipe and he hit the pipe over the crank with a 3-pound sledge until we got it close enough to work without making his hands numb. Hope you get it fixed without too much headache. Later!
Strip and clean the carb and take phillips screw on top of carb out and spray plenty of carb clean through it. Also just get rid of the old fuel and put fresh fuel in as old fuel along can cause problems.
1st off you didnt unscrew the high speed jet. there is a 2nd piece in there with holes in the side of it. will it start off putting gas or spraying carb cleaner into the carb directly after it died? does it have spark when hot. you either didnt get carb cleaned out or its got a bad coil or plug. most likely the carb.
yes you are completely I didn't do those things on purpose. And your guess that it's the carb is the same as mine. Carb clean, valve lash, and spark plug check will be coming in the next video.
Definitely it’s the coil because the same thing happened to my 2009 Honda mower in 2014. Because when it was cold it ran fine. But it would die and would not start until it cool off.
Any idea on what the part number would be for the muffler? I have a troy bilt tb220 and looks to need a muffler seeing that the choke cable is floating freely
I have the same model of lawnmower until now I havent figure out whats wrong with it. I replaced the spark plug, and air filter but no hope. Did you find out whats wrong with the lawn lower on your vid?
Most likely just a clogged bypass jet. It’s the classic symptom; the engine only runs with the choke closed but dies when you start to open it. The only difference is that this has an automatic choke so you can’t manually feather it to keep it running, so instead it just craps out all together once it warms up and the choke plate opens. Full carb cleaning will most likely fix it, the bypass jet is necessary for the proper mixture ratio to keep it running. Quick and dirty carb job usually only works for simple Briggs carbs, Hondas and their clones typically want the full Monty.
The Honda carbs are very hard headed. You really have to be careful with them. They don't allow you to cut any corners. I'm learning that the hard way myself.
i,d check out the spark plug as it,s often a common place to look at as dead or tired spark plug can often be a starting and running issue from my view etc.
@@HomeGaragechannel my pleasure mate and yes a common problem but a easy fix remedy just by replacing the spark plug and i always reccomend either Champion or NGK type and not Cheap Chinese type like Bosch or Denso or those Torch one's which are a money water for sure.
I would think it's the carb . I would have shot a little gas in the carb like you did before and if it ran I would say it's the carb or it's not getting gas from the tank for some reason.
The cone-shaped microscreen that is the fuel filter in the fuel tank outlet could be varnished over, causing a fuel restriction and inconsistent engine performance.
I am working on an old snapper mower with a GCV160. When I set the lever on the handle to choke, the choke is not fully closed. It seems as if the levers that open and close the choke do not reach far enough to fully close it, but the cable seems to be fine. What are some possible causes for this issue? I can't see anything that is obviously broken, bent, or out of place. The choke barely moves at all when I move the lever. The only way to fully close the choke is to close it myself by hand.
sure, the parts that move behind the bracket between the choke cable and the lever to the linkage that goes to the carb, needs to be cleaned and lubed.
@@HomeGaragechannel Good idea. I should have thought of that, lol. I am fixing this one for a friend, and he said it sat outdoors for several years with no airbox on it before he brought it to me. That makes perfect sense.
Put on new carb (or clean thoroughly) new fuel line that may be obstructed or collapsed inside, and check little filter at bottom of tank and fuel line. If still has problem, time for new spark plug and or coil.
I am working on an Echo GT-2010 trimmer with a Walbro single adjustment screw carburettor. It idles nice but runs to rich at full throttle. When I adjust it to run perfect a full throttle, it will not idle. I took the carburettor apart, cleaned it and replace diaphragms etc. but nothing changed. It has 190 psi compression. Any ideas ?
Full carb clean 1st. Poke through all the little holes with a tiny wire. Then I'd put fresh gas in it. After that, I'd replace the stator, which can cause those symptoms
I would start with the easiest to do----either carb clean or coil testing. Unfortunately for me I do not know how to test a coil after it gets hot. Maybe you just have to be quick with the test. Mower looks like it should be saved if possible.
Since it seems to be a heat related issue, I would lean towards the spark plug gap opening up with the heat or the ignition coil starting to have erratic resistance. But who knows, I’m just a dumb mechanic.
im not familiar with honda and Koler carburetors or the engines cause I've always worked on Briggs and Stratton and Tecumseh engines but a surging engine is mostly caused by fuel supply issues, soak the carburetor in carb cleaner and blow it out with compressed air, or try a different carburetor also completely clean the fuel tank and check for a fuel hose restriction especially the fuel shut off valve, other things i would check is the coil and its connections especially at the engine brake switch. that mower wants more attention. in the video you never tried spraying some fuel into the carb when attempting to start it again so try that first.
I’ve got a craftsman push mower it was free the engine has a crap ton of compression when you pull it spins free until compression stroke it usually backfires and rips the cord back in accidentally punched myself in the face because of that what should I do?
@@HomeGaragechannel it could be cracked,and arcking inside, but I think it is carb problems,because of the surging, take the fuel line off just before the shutoff valve, if you have little or interrupted flow,there's your problem 😎👍
@@robertmailhos8159 absolutely, he definitely amazing at what he does!!! I've learned so much from watching his videos that I'm now able to fix my own equipment and make some extra cash fixing others👍👍👍. Hope your having an awesome Memorial Day
The choke was keeping it running, once it warmed up and the choke eased off and then the governer took over causing the hunting. It's just starved for fuel imo.
Carb kit is $12, a new carb for this mower is $20. Replace the carb. Check the coil. Had a Ford F100 that would stall when the coil got hot. Replace the gas with fresh and check the fuel lines.
Have you ever had anyone who threw their equipment away, come to you after you fixed it and say "Hey that's OUR mower. Why did you steal it from us." I always take a pic of an ad if I'm going to pick it up. Especially if they take the ad down and ask a higher price when I get there. That way I have proof of the original price.
if possible I always take a screen shot of the listing to prove it, or take a picture of the mower. And to be honest most couldn't identify their mower from the 100,000 that were made that look the same
remove the gas tank and clean it thoroughly clean the gas line hose . clean all the carburetor orifices . Replace the needle and seat . . And use clean gas . . If there is bad gas , the needle will be sticky and will never run tight . before you do anything look in the gas tank first for any dirt or debris , if dirty you will need to take everything apart and clean it , tank , line , carburetor . All orifices in the carburetor are clean . and always check the Gaskets .
The coil may be breaking down from the heat after using for a while. Also check the valve lash . .004 for the intake and .006 for the exhaust is what I use on most OHV engines. I just had a Honda that did the same thing. New coil fixed it.Thanks for the video.
Get rid of that old gas and put in fresh. Remove carburetor and clean emulsion tube and idle jet, and it should run fine. The hunting and surging is from the dirty idle jet not cleaned.
Bad gas is bad gas. It may not be the problem it still is not a good idea. I would change out the gas check the fire then completely clean the carb. If I pull a carb I don't see the sense in half doing a job.
If it was me: I’d make sure it was firing after it ran and wouldn’t start back up. Dump that stale fuel and flush the tank. Take the carb off and clean all the jets and especially the low speed idle jet.
Not likely on a Honda. They almost never die. Try choking when hot. If you want to save time, throw a cheap Chonda carb on it and move it on down the road. Looks flawless for a freebie.
I've got a Troy-Bilt mower, about 10 years old, can't kill it, (not trying to either), starts in the Spring after 6 months in the shed, on the first pull, does the job, can't go wrong trying to fix an old one.
wow very nice! Which engine is on it?
@@HomeGaragechannel It's in the shed, I will get back to you Thursday, sorry.
The decal on the machine says: Briggs and Stratton, 190 C.C., seems I paid $329.00 in June 2013 for it, according to the paper work I had saved. Rear drive machine.
I Have one as well, I highly recommend the Troy Bilt mower
Same here but mine is 13 years old
I vote for a full carb cleaning as well. As one of the earlier commenters said, maybe there was some dirt still in the gas tank (even after you siphoned out what you did). Maybe when you added the gas back to the tank, it loosened up that dirt and the dirt traveled to the carburetor.
very good idea, thank you Mark Rabinowitz
If that doesn’t work replace the whole carb I’m no expert but hopefully the cleaning will work if not replace the carb and see if that works hopefully that cleaning works
I have a Troy-Bilt 220 that runs like a champ when you first start it up but once you turn it off it will not start back up for 30 minutes any ideas folks please let me know
I think the ignition coil might be the culprit here, sometimes they will work good when cold, but they stop working once they’re hot. You might also want to clear out the pilot jet on the carb while you’re at it.
you might be correct, I'll definitely have to look at it if the valve lash, spark plug, and carb don't pan out. thanks again
ya, I'd try cleaning out the pilot jet
That's the problem I'm having with my Troy-Bilt 220 it runs like a champ but as soon as you shut it off you have to let it sit for 30 minutes before it starts back up again I'm at my wit's end
I just picked up a Poulan pro 22 inch self propelled bagger/mulcher side discharge from a buddy from work. He gave it too me because it wont prime, you have to use starting fluid to start it. You spray through the little hole in the primer bulb, Once its starts it runs perfectly and starts every time. The problem is the the plastic air filter base is warped. Im amazed at the reason people get rid of stuff nowa days. Its a 2001 model but looks brand new.
I know right it's quite unbelievable
I have this exact same mower and it had the same surging issue and could not start when it's hot. I've went through and replace the carburetor, fuel filter, and thermo wax. Didn't replace the spark plug because it looked fine. I didn't needed to replace the thermo wax. The fix that finally worked for me was replacing the coil with a genuine Honda part. The new coil had a strong magnetic pull that the old one didn't have (or lost). It started right up and runs smoothly. No more surging.
wow nice, thank you for sharing that.
Sounds like the problem happens when the choke opens up. Should be easy to tell with a restart after fully cooled down. Looks like it's running lean across the board, but runs ok when choked. Like most others say, I'd start with a thorough carb cleaning and fresh fuel.
Thanks for the videos and I look forward to a follow up on this one.
wow, very logical and well put, I like this comment a lot
Better yet.....just manually choke it when it fails to start. That'll confirm the pilot jet or other restriction in the carb. Auto-choke SUCKS
Oh, and as you already know with your experience, best time to check for the coil issue is to check for spark as soon as it dies and won’t restart. Great video as always!
yes you are correct
Basics.
If engine doesn’t start on hot and if choke flap is open as it should just add fuel drops on the choke opening area. If it starts then your problem is not coil but it is on pilot valve. Enlarge the pilot valve with micro drill just a little to ease. If it doesn’t start after adding fuel replace coil. I had same issue. You don’t have to change carb. Pilot jet is very sensitive and it will not start when choke flap is open because it doesn’t have enough fuel on startup. Note main jet is responsible after the start and pilot is responsible for initial kick start and from there main jet takes over. Also there are 2 holes in front of carb that allows air to bypass even when butterfly valve is closed that needs cleaning. This is not usually the cause just for documentation purpose. By doing so u r isolating air, fuel. Compression is ruled out bcz it works when hot. Keep the coil as last resort. You can check the coil using oscilloscope using wave pattern between good and bad coil. This is for advanced class used in automotive using current wave form. Good luck and I just want to educate you to a level up. Cheers
you are correct
@@HomeGaragechannelSteve’s Small Engine Saloon has a TH-cam video on how to [very simply] isolate and check your coil. Look up “NO SPARK!…”
Easy peasy.
He’s an excellent resource. Practical, no part-chasing.
Dealt with this issue on Honda engines. When the auto choke comes off, the dirty carb is starved for fuel and surges. I took the carb off and did a thorough cleaning followed by tank of gas with mech in a bottle. Still had slight surging. Ended up replacing carb-not too expensive at $30 even for OEM.
very good advice, thank you Gerald Alfano
After cleaning entire carburetor, if still hunting and surging, sometimes the idle jet has to be very slightly enlarged.
I'm 99% sure it's the carburator that needs a deep cleaning. My current mower was a "Curb Special" that had the same issue--I cleaned the dirty carb, put it back and it started then sputtered and won't restart. Second carb clean, it started and performed better and was able to restart but sputtered. A third deep clean finally got rid of the rest of the dirt that were loosened and it starts up beautifully and runs as good as an 18 year old Poulan Pro mower could lol. Hopefully you'll get yours to work again and we can see a follow up video.
that's the plan, thank you Brian N.
Full carb clean and check valves maybe 🙂 That thing looks clean wow !
I know right! and yes carb clean coming up
I recently bought a well maintained honda with the auto choke. I ran across the exact same issue and found its really common for the idle jet to get clogged due to how small it is.
After removing the philips screw on top of the car to access the jet and spray carb cleaner through it, it would run well for about half of a mowing then do the same thing.
I broke down and bought and ultrisonic cleaner and ran the carb through, and its been running beautifully since then.
A good way to test if its the idle jet is to run it through tall grass. Once under load, the engine suddenly starts to run fine.
thanks for the tip
MY experience with honda motors is to shut off the fuel and let it run dry. Then turn fuel back on and it will restart. Trying to start it with the fuel left on is an exercise in futility! Had not thought about the wheels, but will do PM on them as well! Thanks for the tip.
thank you for sharing that.
Who puts bad gas back in the mower 😥😥😥
I do and it works, but the better question is why would it run worse after a minute, on the same bad gas.
Me.
You would be surprised how many people have no idea what bad gas looks like.
To be fair I’d not want to have to dispose of it so would try to burn it too.
@@TKC_ try a waste oil burner..it works for me..👍👍
I had this on a trimmer, would start and run fine but restarting it once hot no chance.
replaced coil and fixed it.
nice, might have to look into it thanks !
You have probably heard this joke but it's not bad
There was a kid selling a lawnmower on the side of the road and a preacher came riding up to him on a bicycle and the preacher askes him how much he wants for the mower the kid says 20 dollars the preacher says I don't have 20 but I will trade you this bike straight across for it the kid says I will take it,a day or two later the preacher sees the kid and says that mower doesn't start the kid says I forgot to tall you to get that mower to start you the to scream every cuss word in there is at it and it will start on the first pull every time the preacher says I have been a preacher for 20 years and I have forgot all the cuss words the kid says keep pulling on that rope and there will all come back to you
very good joke!
I know my respone is 11 months late, but people should read this for future reference. I have the exact same mower -- Troy-Bilt with Honda GCV 160 cc engine. Bought it new at Lowes about 6 years ago and still have it. Right out of the box it started fine and idled smoothly. But a few minutes after I started mowing, it started surging/hunting. I thought maybe it was the gas. Drained it, put fresh 93 octane into the tank with the same results. I know, I should have brought it right back to Lowes. I reached out (online) to Troy-Bilt and a technician told me that Honda uses jets with extremely small/fine orifies to be on the safe side due to emmision restrictions by California, where most Honda small engines enter the U.S., and that it doesn't take much to create insufficient fuel delivery which causes surging. His advise was to drill a little larger orifice in the jets. But, I don't have the tools or the skills, so the surging lawn mowing continues. P.S. Interesting comment by one of the posters who noted that "A good way to test if its the idle jet is to run it through tall grass. Once under load, the engine suddenly starts to run fine." This is exactly what happens with my mower! If it's a Honda engine, it may not necessarily be a dirty carb.
wow.. I can't believe customer service recommended that. Sounds like something a small engine shop tech would say instead.
@@HomeGaragechannel I was surprised he offered that info, too. He was, however, careful about how he worded his response. After he mentioned Honda's strict emission standards and the orifice size in the jets, he didn't exactly blame the jets as causing the problem, but offered, "You could try drilling a larger opening in the main jet to see if that might help." I think he felt bad for me because by the time i contacted Troy-Bilt the warranty had expired and I was stuck with the mower. My previous mower was a Troy-Bilt with a Briggs and Stratton engine that was over 15 years old when i retired it. It was a great mower. Have no idea why I chose my next Troy-Bilt with a Honda engine. I'll never make that mistake again.
I just sold one of those, though not in quite as nice shape as the one you have here. Had the same surging issue once warmed up, I just used one of those tiny drill bits to open up the main jet a bit, which solved the issue.
thank you for the information
And as Home Garage knows, the surging is a symptom of a clogged pilot jet. Especially on Hondas.
There is a Philips screw on the top of the Honda carb that covers the idle circuit. If you don't remove that screw and clean the idle circuit, the engine will surge. (In case you run into it again.)
Kind of surprised you didn’t do a full carb clean. Especially if the idle jet is clogged then even if it runs it will run poorly. I agree you can use the old gas but me personally I wouldn’t. I’ve got to where that when I do a carb clean I go ahead and clean the fuel tanks too just in case.
just seeing how clean the bowl was, had me convinced that I didn't need to go full in, but it appears that I was wrong. The cleaning is coming soon, thank you Todd Osterhout
@@HomeGaragechannel you gotta love it😂😂😂 I just got done with a mower that I just sold that I had to work on again
Hi! On you Troybilt TB240 I would recommend replacing the carb and pouring new gas or if reusing fuel, pour any old fuel through a clean cloth or screen! I currently have a Troybilt TB210 lawnmower! I don't think I'm getting fire!
The carb is new, new plug and now I'm thinking ignition coil! What'll you think?
I would test for spark before making a call. Do you have a spark checker or can you have someone help pull while you look at the spark plug?
I think it may need a Carburettor Cleaning replacement with aftermarket carburettor 😊
You have spark so not coil, may need jet and tube clean, so your own recommendation of carburettor is corect😊
I'm thinking carb too, especially by the way it was running, thank you Rick Thelian
Take that Phillips screw out of the top of the carb and spray carb cleaner in it, that's the bowl vent and the idle circuit path
very good idea .
Yup. That's what solved my idle surge that wouldn't go away. I had a very dirty carb from sitting for 3 years. Same mower as this but not self propelled and older. Manual choke.
@7:09 The thermowax is the copper looking thing stuck onto the side of the engine just behind the choke mechanism that you are lubricating. (I don't spray the rubber piston, though.) If the pin on the thermowax is not extended when it's cold, (Looks like it's not) it's usually good. You can remove it with a pair of needle nose pliers to replace it.
If you would have pushed the opened choke flap to the right, it would have started right up. (I believe putting lubricant on the rubber piston made it stick, though I'm not sure) I saw that you lubricated the hinge, which is good. The Thermowax does hold the choke open, but the aluminum dissipates heat quickly and the thermowax "Should" (in theory) retract along with the cooling as the engine sits. It should maintain the proper amount of choke required for the engine temp. It could be on it's way out. When mine finally went, the pin never retracted so the choke stayed open all of the time. (It's a neat system, but really picky about it's parameters, and can make you think it's a bad coil, which IS still a possibility).
My wife brought one of these TB240s home just the other day that someone had put by the road. It was covered with oil and dirt, it looked awful. The upper crank seal was leaking, and it looked a whole lot worse than it actually was. The hardest part was the cleaning. It looks almost new.
The one you have looks fantastic. Except for the bent crankshaft.
Watch your pull-rope vibrating before the mower shut down. It could be badly out of balanced blade but I'm leaning more towards the crankshaft. Check both. Bending the blade is what usually bends the crank.
A bent Crankshaft is fixable but aggravating. I'm older, short and don't have enough rear-end for leverage to do it alone. I had to get my buddy to give me a hand straightening one on his HRC216. (Steve from the "Small Engine Saloon" makes it look so easy. He's a bit taller than I am)
It would have been easier to buy and install a new crankshaft. But it's his back up mower for his lawn service and he doesn't want to put much money into it, so, I pulled on the pipe and he hit the pipe over the crank with a 3-pound sledge until we got it close enough to work without making his hands numb.
Hope you get it fixed without too much headache. Later!
thanks for the information
Glad you found the prablom
me too.
Strip and clean the carb and take phillips screw on top of carb out and spray plenty of carb clean through it. Also just get rid of the old fuel and put fresh fuel in as old fuel along can cause problems.
yes sir
It's not a Phillips screw.
It's a JIS screw.
@@SA-iw4ci I bet you are fun at a party.
@@terry987654 Am I wrong?
What makes you think I ever get invited to parties?
1st off you didnt unscrew the high speed jet. there is a 2nd piece in there with holes in the side of it. will it start off putting gas or spraying carb cleaner into the carb directly after it died? does it have spark when hot. you either didnt get carb cleaned out or its got a bad coil or plug. most likely the carb.
yes you are completely I didn't do those things on purpose. And your guess that it's the carb is the same as mine. Carb clean, valve lash, and spark plug check will be coming in the next video.
Definitely it’s the coil because the same thing happened to my 2009 Honda mower in 2014. Because when it was cold it ran fine. But it would die and would not start until it cool off.
thank you
I had to lube the spring on my tb 130 after about four years,its been a reliable mower.
not bad
Any idea on what the part number would be for the muffler? I have a troy bilt tb220 and looks to need a muffler seeing that the choke cable is floating freely
since I didn't have to replace this one, I wouldn't know
I have the same model of lawnmower until now I havent figure out whats wrong with it. I replaced the spark plug, and air filter but no hope. Did you find out whats wrong with the lawn lower on your vid?
yes the carb was the issue. Replaced it and it's good now, but I did sell it already.
Clean that carb too.....I have noticed lately not the jet clogged. But the emulsion tubes....I think the holes are smaller than they used to be
yes you make a good point
Most likely just a clogged bypass jet. It’s the classic symptom; the engine only runs with the choke closed but dies when you start to open it. The only difference is that this has an automatic choke so you can’t manually feather it to keep it running, so instead it just craps out all together once it warms up and the choke plate opens. Full carb cleaning will most likely fix it, the bypass jet is necessary for the proper mixture ratio to keep it running. Quick and dirty carb job usually only works for simple Briggs carbs, Hondas and their clones typically want the full Monty.
I like this explanation!
Full carb clean fresh fuel. Clean or a new plug ... that's what I'd go for ..👍👍🍻
I'm way ahead of you on that one, thanks!
What was the end result? Needed a carb cleaning? Coil, valves? Inquiry minds want to know. Thanks
it was the carb. I somehow lost part of the video so I never made the follow up video
The Honda carbs are very hard headed. You really have to be careful with them. They don't allow you to cut any corners. I'm learning that the hard way myself.
I like the way you put that
I think it could be a fuel tap issue. My mower did the exact same thing, and the fuel tap was the culprit. Could also be spark.
thank you for the information NotAdam0808
i,d check out the spark plug as it,s often a common place to look at as dead or tired spark plug can often be a starting and running issue from my view etc.
very good idea, thank you Patrick Stapleton
@@HomeGaragechannel my pleasure mate and yes a common problem but a easy fix remedy just by replacing the spark plug and i always reccomend either Champion or NGK type and not Cheap Chinese type like Bosch or Denso or those Torch one's which are a money water for sure.
I would think it's the carb . I would have shot a little gas in the carb like you did before and if it ran I would say it's the carb or it's not getting gas from the tank for some reason.
yep I think you're right
I'd try a full carb service first and see what that does.
you would be correct
I would start with the carb as well
best advice, thank you Furrow
The cone-shaped microscreen that is the fuel filter in the fuel tank outlet could be varnished over, causing a fuel restriction and inconsistent engine performance.
ah yes, you know about the hidden screen!
I am working on an old snapper mower with a GCV160. When I set the lever on the handle to choke, the choke is not fully closed. It seems as if the levers that open and close the choke do not reach far enough to fully close it, but the cable seems to be fine. What are some possible causes for this issue? I can't see anything that is obviously broken, bent, or out of place. The choke barely moves at all when I move the lever. The only way to fully close the choke is to close it myself by hand.
sure, the parts that move behind the bracket between the choke cable and the lever to the linkage that goes to the carb, needs to be cleaned and lubed.
@@HomeGaragechannel Good idea. I should have thought of that, lol. I am fixing this one for a friend, and he said it sat outdoors for several years with no airbox on it before he brought it to me. That makes perfect sense.
Put on new carb (or clean thoroughly) new fuel line that may be obstructed or collapsed inside, and check little filter at bottom of tank and fuel line. If still has problem, time for new spark plug and or coil.
that's the plan
I am working on an Echo GT-2010 trimmer with a Walbro single adjustment screw carburettor. It idles nice but runs to rich at full throttle. When I adjust it to run perfect a full throttle, it will not idle. I took the carburettor apart, cleaned it and replace diaphragms etc. but nothing changed. It has 190 psi compression. Any ideas ?
not really, I'd either keep using it that way, or find a different carb, that might fit, but has 2 adjustment screws
Makes a lot smoother pushing can struggling as you mowe
yes you make a great point
Full carb clean 1st. Poke through all the little holes with a tiny wire. Then I'd put fresh gas in it. After that, I'd replace the stator, which can cause those symptoms
yep that's the plan
Check the valve clearance. When they go hot they expand and if there's no play, it may behave that way.
yep you are correct
I would start with the easiest to do----either carb clean or coil testing. Unfortunately for me I do not know how to test a coil after it gets hot. Maybe you just have to be quick with the test. Mower looks like it should be saved if possible.
yes I think you might be right about the testing
Run the mower with a spark tester attached and keep a watchful eye.
Since it seems to be a heat related issue, I would lean towards the spark plug gap opening up with the heat or the ignition coil starting to have erratic resistance. But who knows, I’m just a dumb mechanic.
that's a good idea
Sounds like the carb needs a thorough cleaning. I would also add an inline fuel filter. Couldn't hurt.
thank you Bill
im not familiar with honda and Koler carburetors or the engines cause I've always worked on Briggs and Stratton and Tecumseh engines but a surging engine is mostly caused by fuel supply issues, soak the carburetor in carb cleaner and blow it out with compressed air, or try a different carburetor also completely clean the fuel tank and check for a fuel hose restriction especially the fuel shut off valve, other things i would check is the coil and its connections especially at the engine brake switch. that mower wants more attention. in the video you never tried spraying some fuel into the carb when attempting to start it again so try that first.
thank you j r and I would agree with you as well.
are you near pensacola? i saw a simular lawnmower for free near here.
I wish I was.
I am working on a mower just like this one, but I know that it sat for a year with e 10 gas in it, so I plan to replace the carb
very good advice
@@HomeGaragechannel thanks
I’ve got a craftsman push mower it was free the engine has a crap ton of compression when you pull it spins free until compression stroke it usually backfires and rips the cord back in accidentally punched myself in the face because of that what should I do?
oh that's easy, either the valve lash is off, specifically with the exhaust side, or the flywheel key is sheared
@@HomeGaragechannel alright I’ll look into it
Did you check the spark plug?
at this point, not yet, but that's coming up next
@@HomeGaragechannel it could be cracked,and arcking inside, but I think it is carb problems,because of the surging, take the fuel line off just before the shutoff valve, if you have little or interrupted flow,there's your problem 😎👍
that makes sense
Good video always very interesting content 👍👍👍👍
Thank you Sir!
What is the website you get your free stuff from Im really interested because I’m a little bit of a small engine mechanic
sure, I use both craigslist and FB marketplace
Thanks I’m just interested into getting into more things
don't be afraid to buy the cheap mowers, blowers and trimmers too, if you can't anything for free.
Yea thanks I really appreciate it you really helped me out
Your my favorite small engine repair person
also this sounds to be a coil issue. when they get hot they stop working. it will probably start right up after cooling
it's a good possibility
Well at least you tried to get it fixed by the way you are able to do that
thank you Robert Mailhos
@@HomeGaragechannel you are welcome young man 👍
@@robertmailhos8159 He will definitely get it fixed. I can't recall a single video where he hasn't gotten a mower running
@@garyalensr that is true he will step away for a while then go back to work on this mower some times that is what has to be done
@@robertmailhos8159 absolutely, he definitely amazing at what he does!!! I've learned so much from watching his videos that I'm now able to fix my own equipment and make some extra cash fixing others👍👍👍. Hope your having an awesome Memorial Day
I had a lawn mower that would not startup when you put gas in the air filter area but it turned out to be a carburetor issue.
that's makes sense
What website do you use to find mowers?
I use craigslist and FB marketplace
do you know why a strimmer dosen't want to start when hot
bought a used one yesterday,works fine until it gets warm
most often it's a carb issue, I would just replace the carb.
@@HomeGaragechannel thanks for the reply thought it would've been that anyway
What will I need to change
Will I need to clean or adjust it
the easiest option to order a new carb and replace it, and only once you get it started will you be able to determine if the carb needed adjusting
@@HomeGaragechannel do you know why it does it
My gut feeling is something is wrong with the carburetor. When it comes down to it, the carburetor is ALWAYS the problem. 🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️🤔
LOL!! you are a very wise person. Yes 9/10 it's the carb.
The choke was keeping it running, once it warmed up and the choke eased off and then the governer took over causing the hunting. It's just starved for fuel imo.
interesting, I'll have to look into that
Carb kit is $12, a new carb for this mower is $20. Replace the carb. Check the coil. Had a Ford F100 that would stall when the coil got hot. Replace the gas with fresh and check the fuel lines.
thank you Tim Rodgers
Have you ever had anyone who threw their equipment away, come to you after you fixed it and say "Hey that's OUR mower. Why did you steal it from us." I always take a pic of an ad if I'm going to pick it up. Especially if they take the ad down and ask a higher price when I get there. That way I have proof of the original price.
if possible I always take a screen shot of the listing to prove it, or take a picture of the mower. And to be honest most couldn't identify their mower from the 100,000 that were made that look the same
What websites do you use?
craigslist and FB marketplace
I do believe it could very well be a carb problem. I would work on that.
my guess as well
Thank you for the video.
anytime Lil Joe II
remove the gas tank and clean it thoroughly clean the gas line hose . clean all the carburetor orifices . Replace the needle and seat . . And use clean gas . . If there is bad gas , the needle will be sticky and will never run tight . before you do anything look in the gas tank first for any dirt or debris , if dirty you will need to take everything apart and clean it , tank , line , carburetor . All orifices in the carburetor are clean . and always check the Gaskets .
thank you
The coil may be breaking down from the heat after using for a while. Also check the valve lash . .004 for the intake and .006 for the exhaust is what I use on most OHV engines. I just had a Honda that did the same thing. New coil fixed it.Thanks for the video.
no problem and thank you Waterman one, I'm going to try it out
Maybe the fuel line is partially plugged and won't keep up with the engine. It did sound like one running out of gas.
very good possibility
Change the carburetor check the Valve lash add new fuel and that should take care of that
I think you're right thank you Christopher Tyler
Get rid of that old gas and put in fresh. Remove carburetor and clean emulsion tube and idle jet, and it should run fine. The hunting and surging is from the dirty idle jet not cleaned.
make sense, thank you Mike Spain
Emulsion Tube plugged in Carb. Needle sticking.
it's very possible
So, what was the problem
carb
Bad gas?
quite possible
Needle valve cleaning, above the float.Check float for a crack in it.
thank you Otis Coldren
Would like to buy this mower or one like it, only TB240. Please leave contact info. Thanks
this mower is long gone.
Would have completely removed the carb and cleaned the emulsion tube and all orifices'. Then I know I don't have a carb problem.
yep you are correct
Clean the carb then use a spark tester.
great idea
I'd prime the carb while it was hot and not starting. Sounds like a carb problem.
I think you're onto something
I had lot of Honda engines,with bad plugs,replace the plug.
thank you Jerry Southerland
Sum people must have a lot of money to trow such an easy thing to fix
agreed
I've replaced some thermowaxes. I don't think that's it
by the way the choke flap is working, I think the thermowax is not the issue here.
If you can get it a self start engine to start then what
can you repeat the question but with more clarity? I'm not sure what you're asking.
Already have your answer lol: carb for sure !
yes that seems to be the consensus
Change carb. Same thing happen to my toro mower and carb was the problem.
I think that's a very good idea. thank you Jason Herrera
Bad gas is bad gas. It may not be the problem it still is not a good idea. I would change out the gas check the fire then completely clean the carb. If I pull a carb I don't see the sense in half doing a job.
I would also check the gas line and tank.
will do
If it was me: I’d make sure it was firing after it ran and wouldn’t start back up. Dump that stale fuel and flush the tank. Take the carb off and clean all the jets and especially the low speed idle jet.
thank you tater salad
Probably needs a thorough carburetor cleaning.
yes it's coming up next but you'll ever guess what happens then
It's a bad coil
Yup I said the same thing
Not likely on a Honda. They almost never die. Try choking when hot. If you want to save time, throw a cheap Chonda carb on it and move it on down the road. Looks flawless for a freebie.
Your coil gets hot an wont let lawnmower start until it cools down
turned out the be the carb.
Dirty carb jet or faulty spark plug
thank you Harrison P.
i hope you didnt put that gas back in there.
yep
Rooted in America, I love how they white wash
Plz explain..
who is the "they" you speak of?
@@davidcoudriet8439the company hq is inside US but they do majority of manufacturing elsewhere. They can't claim it's made in USA typically.
The bigs problem with they mowers is the chock leaves
sure do
Coil or exhaust valve adjustment . If the auto choke is in right position
good choice
Trash floating around in the tank?
possible but the tank outlet also has a filter, which could be clogged because of the trash, good idea.
Sounds like a ignition coil
you might be right, thank you Michael Nicolosi