1811 hard to start when hot

[ideal_trucks]

My 1811 has almost 2000 hours on it. Never been overhauled, I bought it from original owner.
It starts up great cold, and runs great hot or cold. Doesn't really smoke. Burns about 1.5 quarts a summer (~60 hours)

When I cut it off after it's hot, and come back say 30 minutes later to mow some more, it takes a long time to start back up. Throttle wide open. It will start to sputter some eventually, and then take off. After it takes off, it might surge some for about 30 seconds, then it's good to go.

Any ideas? Am I just getting due a rebuild?

[Mike McKown]

Originally Posted by ideal_trucks

My 1811 has almost 2000 hours on it. Never been overhauled, I bought it from original owner.
It starts up great cold, and runs great hot or cold. Doesn't really smoke. Burns about 1.5 quarts a summer (~60 hours)

When I cut it off after it's hot, and come back say 30 minutes later to mow some more, it takes a long time to start back up. Throttle wide open. It will start to sputter some eventually, and then take off. After it takes off, it might surge some for about 30 seconds, then it's good to go.

Any ideas? Am I just getting due a rebuild?

You could be getting close to a rebuild but you could also have a leaky needle/seat in the carb and letting if flood when you shut it off.

[j4c11]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

You could be getting close to a rebuild but you could also have a leaky needle/seat in the carb and letting if flood when you shut it off.

That's what happened to me, same symptoms. Easy way to tell, take the spark plugs out then crank it , if you see plumes of gasoline being ejected it's flooded.

[ol'George]

Prolly flooding a stated before, but check to see if it has spark.
Some electronic mags start dying just that way, will start cold but not hot.
pull plugs and check for spark when you shut it off.
I'm betting on flooding when hot. ----I got one that does it.
I'm gonna fix it some day.

[Gaden]

If it was a leaking float needle, wouldn't it be hard to start when cold? Especially after sitting over night? Seems to me that's when it would be flooded.
A lot of times a coil that's going bad will fail when it's hot.

[ol'George]

Maybe I should of said possible fuel peculating from heat.
That is what mine does, you can see it pushing black smoke on hot start up
--sometimes.
If you shut it down after hot, say running an hour, and go potty and have a sandwich, it starts hard pushing some black smoke and you can hear/see it rich.
Float is ok, prolly needle/seat is worn some also.
I understand it, so it don't bother me,-- it is just a good old tool that is showing it's age ---like me Ha,LOL!

[J-Mech]

My bet is fuel related. Needle and seat, or even fuel pump. Could be ignition. Either is a good guess. Diagnose and repair.

[Mike McKown]

Also check the float level or the presence of gasoline inside the float.

[ideal_trucks]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll check these things.

[PeterJ]

The 1811 I just bought this summer has an in-line fuel petcock installed, where it can be easily reached, just left of the carb.

If you put one in your fuel line, then when you're going to take that break, lift the hood and shut off the gas before you drive it the last bit. When you come back out, turn the gas back on. That should help with the hot start richness.

Also, I'd check to make sure your screen is clean and flowing good air. Maybe check under the engine shrouds too. Maybe it's getting too hot?

PeterJ