Mower engine needs fuel pump button pressing

[cryptogram]

OK Richard, maybe a carb kit's the answer. adw above said he thought spares were a problem for this engine!

[Richard 1234]

2 minutes ago, cryptogram said:

OK Richard, maybe a carb kit's the answer. adw above said he thought spares were a problem for this engine!

No idea re spares! Try no air filter first. It then will probably be cheaper to buy a generic carb from eBay if it’s still not working. 

[lurkalot]

Carb just needs a proper cleaning is the problem.  Give it a clean out and always use fresh fuel. 

[spudulike]

22 hours ago, cryptogram said:

Hi, I have a Subaru engine on my Ryobi mower

Is that the flat four Subaru engine straight out of the Impreza? Possibly a Wastegate issue?

[cryptogram]

No, it's not a car engine. It's a single cylinder four stroke mower engine.

[cryptogram]

Lurkalot, I think there's more to it than that. When I first tried to start it this spring, the priming button would not pull fuel up. I had to take it apart an put fuel into the carb itself. When it eventually started I needed to pump the primer every few seconds and then it ran alright. And that's the position now. Is there a diaphragm that now has a hole in it?

[Richard 1234]

38 minutes ago, cryptogram said:

Lurkalot, I think there's more to it than that. When I first tried to start it this spring, the priming button would not pull fuel up. I had to take it apart an put fuel into the carb itself. When it eventually started I needed to pump the primer every few seconds and then it ran alright. And that's the position now. Is there a diaphragm that now has a hole in it?

Old fuel eats away at the diaphragms. Not a hole necessarily but could be brittle. I’d stick a new carb on.

[lurkalot]

16 hours ago, cryptogram said:

Lurkalot, I think there's more to it than that. When I first tried to start it this spring, the priming button would not pull fuel up. I had to take it apart an put fuel into the carb itself. When it eventually started I needed to pump the primer every few seconds and then it ran alright. And that's the position now. Is there a diaphragm that now has a hole in it?

Exactly why I'm saying the carb needs proper cleaning.  Did you leave any fuel in it from last season?   As I'm not 100% sure what carb you have on there, posting a pic would help.  I doubt it has a diaphragm though.   Usually primer on one of these would just push air into the float bowl, and that induced pressure pushes a small amount of fuel up the main jet for starting.   It's running far too lean which is why you have to keep priming until it warms up.   Cold engine needs more fuel to run than a warm one. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by lurkalot
missed a bit.

[cryptogram]

Yes, you're probably right. Question is, which one to get. All the ones I've seen have been for a Subaru engine powering a pressure washer. None for mowers. Now, they may be the same and I don't see why they shouldn't be, But are they? I've asked the eBay sellers and basically they say 'sorry mate, look at the picture'.

[Ratman]

Remove the bowl and then main jet/emulsion tube, clean it “thoroughly” (and i say thoroughly cos had to do it twice on my honda/bomag whacker plate) what sometimes appears clean really isn’t clean enough. Ensure all gaskets etc are in tact too, clean and check as you go, preparation/cleanliness is the key.