Can't get my Scotts S1642 riding mower to start

[bserra]

I have resently obtained my wife's grandpa's Scotts S1642 riding lawn mower manufactured by John Deere. It has been sitting for at least 4 years. I have changed the oil, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, spark plug, rebuilt carb, replaced the battery and still can not get engine to start. Checked fuel lines to make sure fuel is getting to carb. No problem. Fuel is in bowl of carb. The only way I can get the engine to start up (Only for about 3-5 seconds) is by spraying Starter fluid down the carb.

Anyone have any other suggestions on what might be wrong?

 

[rmasonjr]

I have a Scotts 2046 with the Briggs engine. If you've got fuel in the bowl and are getting good sparks, chances are it is an electrical thing. Mine has so many "safety" things that if you're not sitting on the seat with the brake/clutch pressed fully or the hydrostat tranny is not in neutral, etc. -it wont start unless all of the electrical saftey features are engaged. You might have to take a volt meter and ensure the switches are not corroded and making good contact.

 

[RavensRoost]

Is there a fuel shut off solenoid at bottom of carb? If so, I would look to see if the plunger is corroded in the shut position keeping fuel from jets.

I would not use starting fluid.

 

[Murray B]

Anyone have any other suggestions on what might be wrong?

If the gasoline was made using a cracking process and not hydrotreated (which it usually isn't) then the unsaturated double bonds will cause polymerization over time. This is called gumming in plain english.

Gasoline engines need three main things to fire. Air, fuel, and spark. Since it starts with external fluid it sounds like a fuel delivery problem.

There are additives that claim to remove gum but I have never tried any of them. If an additive does not work then you could get a carb kit and rebuild the carburettor. That usually always works but takes time, if you do it yourself, or money if a shop does it.

 

[Cidertom]

try cracking the main needle valve open 3/4 - full turn and see what happens. It if starts, then the carb neds rebuilding, if not then keep checking. Clean fresh fuel.

 

[kebo]

try cracking the main needle valve open 3/4 - full turn and see what happens. It if starts, then the carb neds rebuilding, if not then keep checking. Clean fresh fuel.

Not to be a SA, but the OP indicated in the first post that he had already rebuilt the carb. It does sound like it's a fuel issue though, since it will run a bit with starting fluid sprayed in it.

 

[JimRB]

I have rebuilt carbs before with no luck. Usually with good luck. Last time I grabbed a pilot tube from another carb and that worked. I then spent a bunch of time cleaning out that clogged up pilot tube. Different carbs have different names for carb parts but this tube was a main metering device that was gunked up with varnish.

 

[bserra]

Thank you All!!! I have gotten the lawn mower to start up. It is running fine now. I took the carb off cleaned it real good (even though it was just rebuilt). I disconnected the safety switches and reconnected them making sure they were tight and making a good connection. I removed the spark plug to make sure it wasn't fouled out. I connected the fuel shut off solenoid to my battery charger and when connected the plunger goes down, so I ruled that out. I was frustrated and put everything back together and thought I'd give it one last start before I got a trailer to haul it into the service garage and low and behold it started right up. It runs like a champ now. Thank you for everyone's suggestions.
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