Mower Engine.....

Mower Engine.....

Know nothing purchased it.... got it running, Starts runs pulls like a train.... starts to get weak then stops or is so weak I stop it.... Wont start again.....

Leave it a day or so ..... back to square one ?

Any ideas ? Its a Westwood T1200 with Biggs and Stratton engine

Fuel evaporating possibly. See if any fuel lines run close to anything that gets too hot. Briggs engines usually bulletproof. I’ve had this happen too.

Thanks, there are some I can move around a bit. I was thinking it may be the coil....

Restriction in fuel supply or carb

Carb most probably, If its brigs and straton there are jets in there that can not be cleaned. New carb £10 or go mad and get the service kit as well, plug, filter, diagfram all for £15--- E Bay.

hughdavies said:

Carb most probably, If its brigs and straton there are jets in there that can not be cleaned. New carb £10 or go mad and get the service kit as well, plug, filter, diagfram all for £15--- E Bay.

Click to expand...

Thanks, can the jets really not be cleaned? , I may consider a kit but its 45 years old and the cheap Chinese kit is going to be lucky to last a couple of years tbh.

Ultrasonic bath ?

You do not say what engine you have, When I did one for a friend, there is a plastic chamber and the jets are in that , so when you blow or poke them clean the muck goes into the chamber and as soon as you run it it goes back in the jets again. Loads of info on the tube.

Briggs Stratton 12hP mower engine, its a Westwood T1200.

This looks like it will be it but I will check model numbers later.


Its a 40 plus year old mower so suspect it may not be plastic, would be hoping ultrasonic will get rid of the crud properly... worth a shot.

ER1C said:

Thanks, there are some I can move around a bit. I was thinking it may be the coil....

Click to expand...

Try spraying a bit of petrol in carb when it dies, if it runs then not the coil.

landowner said:

Try spraying a bit of petrol in carb when it dies, if it runs then not the coil.

Click to expand...

Would easy start into the air intake be enough ?

I know now't about them but how long does it run for before it gives up? Is it always roughly the same amount of time.
Theory being it will probably empty the carb in the same amount of time, where as the coil would probably vary.

ER1C said:

Would easy start into the air intake be enough ?

Click to expand...

Yes that'll do it, carb cleaner works as well

I'll go for the pick-up coil too.
Coils breakdown after a while and when they get hot the 'spike' becomes more of a gradual rise and fall.

A new one isn't a lot ...

Mine being serviced this week too ...

Ta, will do for 40 quid I can have a new coil and knock of carb to buy me time to work clean the genuine one.. Thanks chaps.

Just like to say I've had several really old (70's) briggs engines in my model trucks, from 16hp twins to 12 hp singles and never had trouble with coils, always the carbs and usually due to neglect or old petrol. They are reliable old motors and just keep going and going

Just had a look see and 1/2 the foam from the air filter is gone, so I am guessing that's got sucked through into the carb.

Brake cleaner is good for cleaning carbs, powerful spray and it breaks down crud and varnish.
My Kawasaki hedge cutter was not running well, so stripped and cleaned the carb, instant results.