Hello, I got a good deal on a Bolens 38in rider. Was marked down to 500.$ Was only couple seasons old and had been returned 4 times no start. Anyway has done good till the kids left the fuel on. Tried to start a few times tought battery was low. Charged it up, looked further thougt maybe starter, then found fuel in neck of air intake. Pulled plug, that's when fuel came out... turned it over till looked pretty dry and no more liquid came out, dried plug of and tried to start. Spins and try's to start coughs and plows smoke. Still won't stay running... what else can I do to get it started??

Have you tried adjusting the carb air/fuel at all? You could have a stuck float in the carb.

A badly flooded plug and cylinder needs to be dried out. Plug is easy but to dry out the cylinders properly pull plug(s) and crank engine to blow out excess gas in cylinders. This gives you a fresh start to re start.

" whats leaving the fuel on mean in detail"?

Found the fuel shut off valve ( inline) open and the gas tank almost empty.. I kind of figured this was most of the problem for the previous owner. The last rider I owned just died after 11 Great years. Found this to be a really good deal, talked them (the 48 car in NASCAR)down from 725.00. But I had put a inline shut off valve on that old one and never hhad this kind of problem before. Wold it be best to leave the plug out over night??

Sorry, Daughter had to mow the lawn before she could go out... was to hhurried and for got to shut it off at the inline shut-off

If that fuel valve needs shut off for it to sit and not flood over night etc. Then you have a problem with the needle and seat valve in the carb. It can get so heavy that the gas can fill up the oil end. Check for gas smell in the oil or what looks like bubbles on the dip stick.

If that's an added shut off then we need to fix the carb

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Originally Posted by 21boat

If that fuel valve needs shut off for it to sit and not flood over night etc. Then you have a problem with the needle and seat valve in the carb. It can get so heavy that the gas can fill up the oil end. Check for gas smell in the oil or what looks like bubbles on the dip stick.

If thats an added shut off then we need to fix the carb

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I think that was one of the fixes from the warranty of the previous owner? Not sure, but going back 4 times for the same problem leads me to that. It'did sit 2 weeks and the tank was about 1/8th full. I think your reply is the ticket... Till then should I try putting the plug back in after letting it sit over-night?? Try starting in the morning?? Oil didn't smell like gas but I think I'll change it just to be safe. THANK YOU in advance.

Thanks for the help got it going and running good in about 45 minutes. The tip about the float was also right on, going to get the carb kit ant try that too. Looked at the old mower and try it on that one first... practice makes better...

Glad to help. If you run into a pinch on the kit install post back. Also do the rebuild over a gas friendly pan and don't loose things

It sounds dumb out take a picture of the linkage on the carb before total dismantle. Many times people gut hung up on the re install linkage. I learned real quick about linkage rebuilding Huge carbs on my High po cars in the 70s