I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it at a
yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.

It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit of
time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray on
it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It would
then cut right off.

Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay cranked,
you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I cut a fair
amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm still there.

There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks to
dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me think
that isn't it.

Tips?

LRH

"Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760 [at] fed1read06...
> I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it at
a
> yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.
>
> It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit of
> time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray
on
> it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
would
> then cut right off.

By spraying starting fluid you're providing fuel directly into the cylinder.
Since it 'wants to start' (I think is what you're saying) that tells me it
has a fuel/carburetor problem.

> Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay
cranked,
> you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I cut a fair
> amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm still there.
>
> There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks to
> dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
> year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
> previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me think
> that isn't it.
>
> Tips?

Yes, dump the gas, and replace with fresh. Then (if it still has problems)
take it to a shop where somebody knows what they're doing can fix it. And
lay off the starting fluid- you'll score the cylinder if you keep that up!

"Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760 [at] fed1read06...
.. I bought it at a
> yard sale for 35 bucks,

> it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
> would then cut right off.
> LRH

Yeah - go to another yard sale and buy another one.

You pumped the "thingie". The "thingie" has a small tube attached behind it
and these tubes break down. I would check / change the tube and pump it
more than 3 times. If there was water in the gas it wouldn't run at all
after the starter spray burned off.

"Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760 [at] fed1read06...
>I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it at a
>yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.
>
> It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit of
> time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray
> on it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
> would then cut right off.
>
> Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay
> cranked, you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I
> cut a fair amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm
> still there.
>
> There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks to
> dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
> year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
> previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me think
> that isn't it.
>
> Tips?
>
> LRH
>

Typically, I dump all the gas from the tank when storing for long periods of
time and between cutting seasons. Running the mower first until it cannot
pump any more gas from the tank first of course. Old gas is a small gas
engine's nemesis.
--
Jonny

It was merely a gas issue--as in it was OUT of gas. I tried dumping the old
gas out and there was barely a couple of tablespoons in the tank. Put in the
new gas, and after a little sputtering to get the new gas through the
system, it works fine now.

LRH

"Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760 [at] fed1read06...
>I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it at a
>yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.
>
> It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit of
> time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray
> on it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
> would then cut right off.
>
> Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay
> cranked, you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I
> cut a fair amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm
> still there.
>
> There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks to
> dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
> year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
> previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me think
> that isn't it.
>
> Tips?
>
> LRH
>

"Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
news:MsqPf.41863$V27.5063 [at] fed1read06...
> It was merely a gas issue--as in it was OUT of gas. I tried dumping the
old
> gas out and there was barely a couple of tablespoons in the tank. Put in
the
> new gas, and after a little sputtering to get the new gas through the
> system, it works fine now.

Gee Larry, are you sure you're qualified to operate that equipement?

ngreader wrote:
> "Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
> news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760 [at] fed1read06...
>> I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it at
> a
>> yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.
>>
>> It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit of
>> time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray
> on
>> it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
> would
>> then cut right off.
>
> By spraying starting fluid you're providing fuel directly into the cylinder.
> Since it 'wants to start' (I think is what you're saying) that tells me it
> has a fuel/carburetor problem.
>
>> Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay
> cranked,
>> you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I cut a fair
>> amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm still there.
>>
>> There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks to
>> dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
>> year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
>> previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me think
>> that isn't it.
>>
>> Tips?
>
> Yes, dump the gas, and replace with fresh. Then (if it still has problems)
> take it to a shop where somebody knows what they're doing can fix it. And
> lay off the starting fluid- you'll score the cylinder if you keep that up!


I know this is late, but maybe it will help in the future. When
emptying old gas, please don't "dump" it. Pour it in your car. Mixed
with even a couple of gallons of fresh gas, your car will never know the
difference, but the earth will thank you.

Tony

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"Tony Miklos" <tony.miklos [at] gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1143084266_669 [at] sp6iad.superfeed.net...
> ngreader wrote:
>> "Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
>> news:dC6Pf.41467$V27.17760 [at] fed1read06...
>>> I have an Ace Tecumshi-engine lawn mower that won't crank. I bought it
>>> at
>> a
>>> yard sale for 35 bucks, it had sat for a year or so unused until today.
>>>
>>> It actually ran fine before but even then it was only after quite a bit
>>> of
>>> time of trying, typically it would crank after you sprayed starter spray
>> on
>>> it & pumped the thingie 3 times, but then it wouldn't STAY cranked. It
>> would
>>> then cut right off.
>>
>> By spraying starting fluid you're providing fuel directly into the
>> cylinder.
>> Since it 'wants to start' (I think is what you're saying) that tells me
>> it
>> has a fuel/carburetor problem.
>>
>>> Well after sometime it got to where you'd crank it & it would stay
>> cranked,
>>> you also could shut it off & restart it with no problems, and I cut a
>>> fair
>>> amount of grass with it. Then the symptoms returned, and I'm still
>>> there.
>>>
>>> There is still some gas in it, but not that much. One part of me thinks
>>> to
>>> dump the old gas out and replace it with new, as the mower had sat for a
>>> year or so prior to today. Then again it had exhibited those problems
>>> previously with more gas in there than there is now, so it makes me
>>> think
>>> that isn't it.
>>>
>>> Tips?
>>
>> Yes, dump the gas, and replace with fresh. Then (if it still has
>> problems)
>> take it to a shop where somebody knows what they're doing can fix it. And
>> lay off the starting fluid- you'll score the cylinder if you keep that
>> up!
>
>
> I know this is late, but maybe it will help in the future. When emptying
> old gas, please don't "dump" it. Pour it in your car. Mixed with even a
> couple of gallons of fresh gas, your car will never know the difference,
> but the earth will thank you.
>
> Tony

I just pour the old gas and motor oil into an old well behind my house.
That stuff originally came from the ground, and I am just returning it to
where it came from.

"Oscar_Lives" <nospam [at] nospam.net> wrote:
>> I just pour the old gas and motor oil into an old well behind my house.
> That stuff originally came from the ground, and I am just returning it to
> where it came from.
>
Does it smell like this stink bait? :)

--
30GB/month http://newsreader.com/

"Oscar_Lives" <nospam [at] nospam.net> wrote in message
news:V03Vf.48089$oL.31498 [at] attbi_s71...
>
>> I just pour the old gas and motor oil into an old well behind my house.
> That stuff originally came from the ground, and I am just returning it to
> where it came from.
>

This is just the most reprehensible thing that you cold possibly do with
that oil and gas. Please never do this again. You are contaminating the
water table for anyone else that has a well. You are not putting it back
where it came from.

Bad, Bad, Bad.
Cringing Tomes (hoping that this is a sick joke)

Tomes wrote:
> "Oscar_Lives" <nospam [at] nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:V03Vf.48089$oL.31498 [at] attbi_s71...
>
>>>I just pour the old gas and motor oil into an old well behind my house.
>>
>>That stuff originally came from the ground, and I am just returning it to
>>where it came from.
>>
>
>
> This is just the most reprehensible thing that you cold possibly do with
> that oil and gas. Please never do this again. You are contaminating the
> water table for anyone else that has a well. You are not putting it back
> where it came from.
>
> Bad, Bad, Bad.
> Cringing Tomes (hoping that this is a sick joke)
>
>

Spit the hook.

norman wrote:
> "Larry R Harrison Jr" <larrytucaz [at] cox.net> wrote in message
> news:MsqPf.41863$V27.5063 [at] fed1read06...
> > It was merely a gas issue--as in it was OUT of gas. I tried dumping the
> old
> > gas out and there was barely a couple of tablespoons in the tank. Put in
> the
> > new gas, and after a little sputtering to get the new gas through the
> > system, it works fine now.
>
> Gee Larry, are you sure you're qualified to operate that equipement?

I was wondering that myself after hearing that the lawn mower wouldn't
crank. First thing I'm thinking is the engine is seized and he can't
pull the cord. Then when he went on to talk about "it stays cranked",
well that answered the question.

For reference, the term cranking, came from the early days of
automobiles, where a hand crank was used to start them. Cranking is
just getting the engine to turn, in an attempt to start it. It has
nothing to do with whether it fires or continues to run.