I'm usually pretty handy but this has me stumped.

A friend gave me her old mower, a newer model Craftsman push type. It has a 4-stroke Briggs & Stratton engine, with auto choke and primer bulb.

Last year the mower got where it would take 10 attempted cranks before it started, and was pretty weak. On those attempts it would always start and run a few seconds, then die. Would have to press the primer to get it to start & die again. With enough repeats it would start and stay running.

This spring I had the same problem of it starting then dying. So I carefully disassembed the carb (with pictures and labels), cleaned it out with an air hose, then reassembled. Same problem. It would run a few seconds then die.

Gas flows freely from the tank & hose. It is new gas.

So I decided to replace the entire carburetor, fearing a piece of dirt had become lodged where compressed air wouldn't blow it out. I also replaced the backing plate which included a new primer bulb. Parts were $50.

To my utter dismay, the mower still has the same problem. It starts, runs a few seconds then dies.

I found that if I keep pressing the primer bulb right after starting, it will keep running.

This is driving me crazy. It's a nice mower -- can anyone help?

The Craftsman model is 917.388861

The B&S model number is 123K02-0444-E1

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Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:127258}}