Are you mowing a steep hill and the mower starts surging or popping and then it suddenly dies? That is kind of a scary feeling as now you have to freewheel downhill and hope that the brakes work.
So, if you made it down to the bottom of the hill alright, let’s take a look at a few things that will cause this problem.
The first item that is easy to check is the fuel quantity. If you tank is getting low, the fuel pickup tube may be sucking air and causing the carburetor or fuel injectors to not get fuel. Fill your fuel tank and try to mow up that steep hill again and see if this corrects the problem.
You could have an obstruction in the fuel tank, fuel line or fuel filter. These items will need to be taken apart to visually inspect them for dirt, grass clippings or other debris. As you are mowing up a hill, it is harder to pull the fuel up from the tank and through the lines and filter and any obstruction will prevent the fuel from getting to the carburetor or fuel injectors or fuel pump.
The next item that can cause this problem is the fuel pump. A weak fuel pump cannot maintain the vacuum necessary to pull the fuel as it normally does. Check the vacuum line that connects to the fuel pump for any cuts or cracks and ensure that it is connected well.
Fuel flow can also be tested for what is coming out of the fuel pump while cranking the engine.
If you need a lawn mower mechanic to repair this problem, visit our Locations page for a lawn mower repair shop near you.