Hello,
I picked up an old Jacobsen reel mower (probably 1980's) with a Honda motor. The golf course said it ran fine, but has not been used for 6-7 years, just stored.

So I drained the old gas and refilled with fresh gas. I also changed out the spark plug.

If I pour a little gas in the carb with the air filter off, and choke the motor, I can get it to start. I can even move it to half choke or so, and it will stay running for about a minute or so. I hit the throttle also, and it will rev up.

However, it will not stay running no matter what I do. I see some blackish gas dripping from the exhaust when it is running.

Any ideas on what I need to do? Almost seems like there is not a steady flow of fuel from the gas line into the carb, and it just burns up the gas that I pour in there. It does take several pulls with the gas in the carb for it to start though. Wondering if that is just the gas flowing into the combustion chamber.

Any thoughts? Is there something out of adjustment, or am I missing something simple

 

If you haven't cleaned the carb, you need to.

 

OK- I did take the bowl off and sprayed some carb cleaner around the float, etc. THen reassembled. Are we talking about a complete teardown and rebuild of all the seals, needles, brass fittings, etc? Or simple take it off and spray cleaner in every orrifice that I can see? Any basic instructions about what I should attempt to do?

Thanks for the advice

 

with this gas we use , I would check on a price of a new carb, I had bought one for a walkbehind honda for 16.00 dollars , I would look at that root before I would rebuild yours