Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker!

   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker! #1  

oldgrumpus

New member
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Messages
7
Location
snohomish, wa
Tractor
Honda FR700 tiller
This tiller is in very good condition and gets used every year. I've got a small veggie patch and this issue has been bugging me for a couple of years. It starts up on the first pull and runs fine, but after about a minute or two it stalls dead. I mean like someone hit the kill switch, NO warning, NO missing or sputtering. Just totally dead. Then after about 5 minutes it starts right up like nothing ever happened! I know your thinking it's the carburetor, but no. I put a new one on last year and it made NO difference. Also, it's NOT the coil or condenser. That was replaced the year before the carb and again, it made no difference. Now this motor has a governor on it. Is there some way it could be that? What else is left? It does NOT have a low oil cutout. HELP! Before I rip all my hair out! (what's left of it :) .
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker! #2  
Fuel Filter ?
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker! #3  
If you loosen the gas cap, the re-tighten it right after it stalls, will it start right back up? I have seen similar issues where the vent in the gas cap failed and the tank had a vacuum in it which prevented gas from leaving.

Aaron Z
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker!
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Sorry I didn't mention it in the original post, but I ran it without the cap to see if that would solve it and it didn't help. Good answer though! Thanks!
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker! #5  
In that case, my bet would be junk sitting in the bottom of the tank and getting sucked into the fuel outlet. Can be verifird by pulling the line off of the tank right after it stalls and see how much fuel flow there is.

Aaron Z
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker!
  • Thread Starter
#6  
The tank is clean. No gunk. Fuel flows unhindered.
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker! #7  
After it stalls and will not restart, does it have spark to the plug? That will tell if it is ignition or fuel.
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker!
  • Thread Starter
#8  
After it stalls and will not restart, does it have spark to the plug? That will tell if it is ignition or fuel.

I will try that! Thank you!
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker!
  • Thread Starter
#9  
After it stalls and will not restart, does it have spark to the plug? That will tell if it is ignition or fuel.

To my amazement it IS a fuel problem! I hooked a timing light up and ran it. The light continued to pulse as the engine was dying. The fuel flows reasonably well when I disconnect the line from the tank and drain into a cup but for whatever reason it must not be enough. The float bowl had fuel also, but probably not enough to run the engine. Interesting thing is that the fuel filter is clean and the tank has no rust or debris.
 
   / Honda FR700 rototiller stalls after a minute or two. This is a real stinker! #10  
I had a tiller that would do the exact same thing, it just about drove me nuts. Problem was, i waited till it cooled down some to work on it so i wouldnt get burnt. It turned out to be the spark plut, it would quit working when it got hot, but as soon as it cooled down it would fire again. I put a new plug in and problem solved. Hope yours is that easy.
 
 
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