Ask the Mechanic

Steve Thompson, Contributing Columnist

I'm going to predict that all readers of this article have "roped" on a small engine until their tongues were hanging out. I receive many questions about small engine starting problems, and most of them end up dealing with fuel problems. The electrical side of these little critters sort of went away when the electronic module began showing up on them, replacing the old conventional coil, points and condenser electrical system. One of the most common fuel problems that is hard to diagnose on these small engines is the primer bulb (see photo accompanying this article). If you have cleaned and recleaned your carburetor and checked your fuel lines, but it's still roping, you may want to look at the primer bulb. Always check the primer bulbs for small cracks. Even the tiniest crack in the bulb will not allow your engine to get fuel to run. They will fool the keenest eye.

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-- Email Steve Thompson care of askthemechaniccolumn@gmail.com, and be sure to include your contact information and phone number.

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