Motor is wheezing, as if it's breathing - why?

Thanks for hazarding advice, as I know how risky that is on the Internet.

With the exception of this four stroke push lawnmower being a California carb'd engine, they're all likely similar in many ways.

There is no primer that I know of. The only controls are the choke and the throttle, where neither is much of a control because the choke only lasts a handful of seconds (it slides back into place unless you physically block it somehow) - and the throttle is a lever on the top of the push bar where letting it go shuts off the engine (as a safety feature).

The throttle bar has been taped tightly for years.

I wouldn't even think of taking an engine in to a shop, but it might be that the carb is gummed up. The engine starts on the first pull of the cord, so it must be a 'slight' gumming of an orifice if it is.

I thought about _replacing_ the filter instead of just cleaning it, but it didn't look bad (one side had grass clippings stuck to it which I had banged off, but the inside edge was clean as brand new where it's likely a year or two old).

Given it starts right up, it can't be too badly off the stoichiometric ratio, but I do agree that the fuel jets are likely tiny. They're not adjustable as far as I know though (California rules I think).

I hate to take apart the carb if I don't have to though. That's why I asked.

Sounds like a blocked jet. On the typical non adjustable carb they are set up to run lean and draw through both the idle circuit and the main circuit to get enough fuel to run properly at full rpm. One jet starts to gum up and you get rpm surge. Two choices for repair, pull the carb, take it apart and clean it in a carb bath or ultrasonic cleaner. Or replace it with one of the hundreds of replacements out there.

You could try adding some seafoam to the fuel and see if you can clear it out that way but it really depends on just how plugged it is as to whether that will work.

Thanks Steve W for that helpful advice.

I think it is one of those non-adjustable jets which are clogged. The engine runs, so I "can" put seafoam in, but I'm no fan of what I call "miracles in a can".

The Seafoam is likely just a trademark for a lot of stuff, mostly likely a formulation of soap for gas, aka polyetheramines, which are already in gasoline - but let me look it up...

Hmmm... 10% to 30% alcohol wasn't expected. The petroleum distillates and hydrocarbon-based solvents were expected.

Anyway, I've never been a fan of miracles in a can, and I know you suggested it as a side note to the real problem, which is that the jets are likely clogged.

For now, since it's running, I think I'll just use a few tanks of gas and see if that cleans it out. I also might tie down the throttle cable a bit more, and ensure the throttle and choke levers aren't vibrating.

Nope. Anyway, I think the answer is one of the non-adjustable jets is clogged.

What I'll do, since the mower is running, is use it for a while. Hopefully that will clean it out on its own.

Thanks for the helpful advice which I much appreciate.

Your carb bowl is emptying at a rate faster than it is filling. It is likely full of crap. Take it apart and clean it properly.

--scott

Seafoam has been one of the few cans that I have had work in this situation. Also works very well as a top cylinder cleaner for those vehicles that get carbon build up on the pistons and rings. The ingredients may be in gasoline, but not in the concentration required to dissolve the deposits that formed from evaporation.

Now if you had a heated ultrasonic cleaner available, those do a really good job on getting them clean.

Hi Steve W,

I appreciate your advice, where I know how risky any advice is on Usenet.

Rest assured I understand what you're saying, which is that the polyetheramines, and perhaps the alcohol and petroleum distillates in something a marketing team calls "Seafoam" are _different_ than what's in gasoline, even as they are diluted _in_ that very same gasoline.

Essentially, diluting that solution is said to turn a tank of gasoline into a tank of "carb cleaner" (and perhaps cylinder wall cleaner too!).

I get that as I'm very familiar with polyetheramines being a "soap for gas", which is why I buy only Tier 1 fuels like Costco gasoline.

The problem I have with solutions like "Techron" or "Seafoam", are that, in the end, they're merely trademarks, which are, in and of themselves, meaningless (except to a MARKETING organization).

They can put that trademark on _anything_ they want to put it on. o Yet, I understand the point - which is my jets are likely gummed up.

I agree with that point so I don't disagree with the concept that _more_ soap for gas might be better than simply using the Tier 1 Costco fuels.

In the end, I agree with everyone who suggests that my "surging" idle is likely due to a clogged jet inside the carb, which, as you noted, has mechanical solutions - but which - understandably - are more work than simply adding solvents into the fuel tank.

Agreed something is clogged in the carb. Thanks.