Sounds like the float is stuck "down" which is allowing fuel to continuously flow into the bowl and flooding the engine.

The bowl can be removed pretty easily from the bottom of the carb. The float moves a needle up and down to seal off fuel flow into the carb. I've seen these get stuck.

Thanks, I'll tell hubby to check that out!

I would check for compression first. The exhaust valve could be hung open. Who knows what could be in the cylinder if the plug was out for a year.

Yup, don't leave the plug out like that on your new one. When you're ready to change plugs, that's when you take it out. Mud-dauber wasps or anything could get in there and stick a valve. Moisture could cause rust.....so leave the plug in.

We had to drain everything & remove the plug for the movers (i.e., Mayflower). They don't even ship unopened cooking oil or matches.

So hubby was p-o'd again today after giving it the college try & came in covered in oil & gas. After getting cleaned up he went on a hunt for a new mower & got one after searching all day.

Tell him to give the old mower to the local "handy-guy" in the new neighbourhood. In a day or so, your hubby will see his old mower out cutting grass once again and running like a Swiss watch.

I wouldn't doubt that & I'd have a good laugh too! He blamed me from the start for its demise, that he wanted to sell it before we moved & if he had this wouldn't have happened. I told him maybe if he explained why, versus expecting me to not ask questions, I would have understood.

But I don't understand how its rubber dry-rotted, but none did on any other equipment. Maybe it was age-related. It gave us 13 good years.

I think he just wanted a new mower. LOL

Geez, after 13 years, i'd set that thing out for curb pickup! It'd be like whipping a dead horse, trying to get just one more summer out of it!
Bite the bullet--go buy a new one!
By: Rusty Jones

Yea, set it out there so I (we are every where) can come by pick it up and run it another 10 years! You was lucky to get 13 years out of it without pre-ventive maintenance.

If you really want to get rid of it quick,? put it out on the curb with for sale sign on it say $20 bucks or so, it will be gone the next morning!! somebody will spot it and think there getting a steal!!!!!!!!!!!! there a funny story behind this!!

Seriously all it needs is a good clean up. But, as rusty said will it worth it and most likely it will be more trouble down the road. Unless that handyman is around.

Your the one that should be mad cause hubby not the handyman you thought he was! Hee, Hee! He, OK lame joke again!!

He said all the seals were ripping as he took the mower apart.

We did have it in two separate desert climates for a total of 10 yrs & a humid climate for 2.

He did oil, gas, blade, spark plug & air filter maintenance on it every spring. Maybe that wasn't enough.

RIP dear old greenie!

The ultimate question is do you feel like having a new toy or horting the money!!!

I have a 4 year old Troybilt and I contemplate pouring sand in so I can convince my wife that I need a better mower this time!!!!!!!

Prolly just needs a carb cleaning. 20 $ worth of parts and and hour or so. To have it done by a shop isnt worth it. I could get the mower running, But Ive been working on small engines for 50 yrs. I stopped buying mowers , and just pick them up from the roadside.

Yep, i got one tonight! A nice self-propelled Craftsman lawn mower, bag and all. Has compression, but needs a bath. Probably have it out front by noon, with a for sale sign on it! Fifty bucks is fifty bucks!