266H won't start after fuel ran out

[ToastyP 0]

I bought a house that came with a Toro Wheel Horse 266H Hydro. I was excited for the lawn to grow and give it a spin. I didn't even bother to check the fuel level and ran out in the middle of the cut. I added more fuel but it won't start. I tried taking the fuel line that ran from the tank to the fuel filter off and adding fuel to the fuel filter via syringe, thinking I starved the lines of fuel. I did that a few times but still nothing. I then started wondering why the fuel filter wasn't pulling fuel from the tank and all but touched the fuel valve and bushing when it practically fell out of the tank. Thankfully I had an old litterbox handy for all that fuel! Squeezing the fuel line produces fuel from the fuel valve that leads to the tank which would mean there is fuel in the line but it's not reaching the fuel filter? Any ideas? 

[Ed Kennell 35,616]

Sounds like there was crud in the tank that got sucked into the fuel line when it ran empty.   Clean the tank, replace the fuel lines, filter, and shut off valve. Hopefiully the crud did not get past the filter and enter the fuel pump and carburetor.

[ToastyP 0]

There is debris in the bottom of the fuel tank, but the fuel valve that was connected had a filter which does not appear to be able to let anything but fuel pass through.

[wallfish 15,911]

It's possible the fuel pump can't suck the fuel up because of the air in the fuel lines. Pressurize the tank to push the fuel up to the carb.

You can try squirting some fuel or carb cleaner in the carb to fire up the engine and it may create enough vacuum to pull the fuel through. It could take several shots as the carb bowl will need to fill

Edited May 19, 2019 by wallfish

[ToastyP 0]

5 hours ago, wallfish said:

It's possible the fuel pump can't suck the fuel up because of the air in the fuel lines. Pressurize the tank to push the fuel up to the carb.

You can try squirting some fuel or carb cleaner in the carb to fire up the engine and it may create enough vacuum to pull the fuel through. It could take several shots as the carb bowl will need to fill

 

I replaced the fuel line running from the tank to the filter today and will connect the new fuel valve when it arrives tomorrow. I've never been very mechanically inclined when it comes to engines. Where in the carburetor would I add a bit of fuel or carb cleaner? I believe my carburetor is below my air filter based on schematic drawing comparison. 

[wallfish 15,911]

You will need to remove the air filter cover and squirt right into the carb opening

[953 nut 51,536]

14 hours ago, ToastyP said:

debris in the bottom of the fuel tank,

It is quite likely that the previous owner was using gas with ethanol, that junk is an engine killer. This site will help you find gas stations that sell real gas without ethanol.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

[jeff lary 171]

Try removing the gas cap and make a tight seal over the fill hole with your mouth,then slowly blow air into the tank forcing fuel up to the pump. I have done this two ways one with the fuel line connected to the fuel pump and once I did it with the line removed and watched for gas to free flow from the line. I think removing the line from the inlet side of the pump first works best. Once you have forced in all the pressure you can muster hold it for as long as you can then ...GENTLY release the amount of lung pressure on the fill pipe. If you just take your mouth off it all of a sudden you can get a face full of pressurized gasoline.

[ToastyP 0]

On 5/19/2019 at 2:48 PM, wallfish said:

You will need to remove the air filter cover and squirt right into the carb opening

 

Installed the new fuel valve, reconnected the fuel lines, shot some starter fluid into the carburetor and gave her a crank. No bueno. Upon further inspection, the fuel filter had fuel when it didn't prior to the start, and the fuel tank level was lower than before the start attempt leading me to believe the fuel pump is functioning. I attempted to disconnect the fuel line that runs into the carburetor so I could give it a crank and see if fuel would come out to verify the pumps operation, but it's only around a 1.5 inch piece of hose which doesn't want to remove easily so I gave up for now.

The engine fan spins, but won't actually start. Could this be a spark plug issue?

Edited May 20, 2019 by ToastyP

[953 nut 51,536]

1 hour ago, ToastyP said:

Could this be a spark plug issue?

Check to be sure you have spark. It wouldn't hurt to replace your spark plug

[ToastyP 0]

8 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Check to be sure you have spark. It wouldn't hurt to replace your spark plug

I'll try that this week and post an update 

 

[wallfish 15,911]

2 hours ago, ToastyP said:

Could this be a spark plug issue?

Did it fire up with that starter fluid? And then die again?

Best not to use that stuff in a small engine.

[ToastyP 0]

47 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Did it fire up with that starter fluid? And then die again?

Best not to use that stuff in a small engine.

It did not. Fan's spinning but didn't turn over.

[ToastyP 0]

It finally started up for me, but upon running for around 5 minutes, it started to stutter and make some spark type noises and shut off. Started it up again and within 20 seconds it shut off. Tried a third time and it wouldn't even crank, like the battery was dead. Gave it a minute and it started up again just to die within a few seconds.

[pfrederi 17,129]

pick up a $5.00 spark plug tester at Harbor freight.  If it continues to show spark when engine dies then it is a fuel problem.

[ToastyP 0]

26 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

pick up a $5.00 spark plug tester at Harbor freight.  If it continues to show spark when engine dies then it is a fuel problem.

Are you saying that while the engine is dieing, the light should still be blinking?

[adsm08 1,429]

2 minutes ago, ToastyP said:

Are you saying that while the engine is dieing, the light should still be blinking?

 

On a spark tester like that it should flash as  long as the engine is still spinning. 

[ToastyP 0]

I replaced the spark plug and the fuel filter. I took off the carb bowl and clesned the gunk out, and sprayed some carb cleaner on the rest. Hook it all back up and it starts, but still dies a few seconds after turning off the choke.

[jeff lary 171]

I am guessing you have a fuel delivery issue.

 1) Pull the line off the inlet side of the fuel pump (if it has one) the one that comes from the fuel tank and attaches to the pump,.. see if gas flows out,.. if not the line has crud in it or maybe the inline filter (if it has one) is plugged but if fuel flows out re-attach it to the fuel pump and go to step 2.

 

2) Remove the line and filter from the tank connection( the petcock) and blow compressed air back through the line. If air does flow out of the line then put the gas line back on to the fuel pump and back onto the fuel petcock.

 

3) Now take the fuel line off the delivery side or out let side of the pump and crank the engine over to see if it squirts fuel out of that line that is headed to the carb. If it does you have fuel flowing from the fuel tank through the pump and into the carb .

 

4) If it does all this and it still does not start  (AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE SPARK) you have crap or blockage some where in the carburetor. Remove carb and clean and rebuild it.