Ok...I have a Weed Eater 22" 500 Series Side Discharge Lawn Mower and it's been running crappy for the last

Question

few weeks now...Just kinda sounds like I got some bad gas or something....It's been missing and not running right....Well, my husband took it apart and cleaned the spongie thingie right about the gas tank and that was dirty...he took out the spark plug and tried to clean that.....It was pretty black on the end...It's been eating alot of gas lately....Last night....When we got done doing all this...It started and ran great for about 5 seconds....Then it just quit....And we can't get it started again....And when we do, it only runs for about 5 seconds.....PLEASE HELP!!!! I need to mow my lawn!!!!!

Answer 1

It could be a combination of things, tune-up, carburetor adjustment, choke adjustment, no oil, if that is the case you might have burned it up......But I would take it to a lawnmower shop to have it checked...... Cost is about $65.00 up to have it checked......The thing is, it might cost more to have it fixed than to buy a new one........They make the homeowner type cheap so that you will buy it, not to fix it......To me the only ones worth fixing are the professional models, the ones that cost hundreds of dollars to purchase......

That's why the landfills are so full today.........

Answer 2

If you do have water in the gas tank, you'll have to turn the mower upside down and try to dump all the gas you can out of the tank. Fill it back up with new gas, try to start it again. You may need to use starting fluid to get it started. You can buy a can at any auto parts store or Wal-mart. Spray some into the air filter (that "spongie thingie") and give it ten or twelve pulls. It may smoke a little if it does start ( from turning it up side down), but if it doesn't start, you are probably better off getting a $50 mower from a pawn shop than taking it in for repair. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Don't tip the mower upside down to get the gas out.  You will get engine oil into places you don't want it.  The carburetor needs to be cleaned.  Do that correctly and it will run like new.