# Hard Starting Craftsman



## Dleeder (Mar 15, 2011)

Hi all am having an issue with my 22 hp tractor.It does not want to start after sitting -will kill the bat and boost a lot before it will start. After it starts runs and starts perfect and if I run it the next day its ok. I've checked all the obvious plugs ,lite oil,fuel ,spark-all seems good except for fuel for that 1st start. Would a check valve stop it from draining back to the tank.? This seems to be the issue ????? not sure. It is a 2009 with low hours. Hope I can get this under control soon 
Thanks for now Dennis


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

The fuel shouldn't be draining back into the tank from the carburetor bowl. Even if the lines were empty, the bowl should still have fuel in it for the engine to start and run. How long is it sitting when it doesn't start? How old is your fuel? Gas these days only has a 30-60 day shelf life, so if your can has been sitting a long time, it may be getting stale. Have you tried brand new fuel from the pump (ethanol free)? Have you tried removing the carb bowl and checking to see if there is any dirt, varnish, or water in there? Also, check to see that your choke is working properly. When the choke lever is activated, it needs to pull the choke plate on the carb completely closed for it to work. Yours might have moved, not allowing it to close completely.


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## jc56 (Jan 16, 2012)

I'm wondering if it could be an oil pressure sending unit.Bye


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## tcreeley (Jan 2, 2012)

Sometimes it is just a good idea to just replace the filters- fuel, air, and PVC? -plastic canister recycling the air back in (on my craftsman/25 Kohler) Sometimes the battery clamps need to be loosened and sanded clean, along with replace the connector on any wire coming off the battery. I do one, and try it. I find that just looking it over is not always reliable for me! I hate small engines- confusing, but they certainly are work horses!
Do you just need a new battery?
I am thinking that if it is an oil pressure sending unit- it wouldn't start at all.


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## Dleeder (Mar 15, 2011)

*Hard starting*

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went out this AM early , took air cleaner off and put a shot of fuel in air intake. Wow , hardly turned the key and it was alive. Started perfect every time after that . My thoughts are in the area of not keeping fuel up to the carb. Possibly siphoning back when it sits for a few days ? Thanks again


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

Like CB said, shouldn't be a way for gas to drain back out of the carb. Normally there is an air pocket between the inlet valve and the top of the gas. Due to heat, might be possible gas is boiling/evaporating between last time tractor was used and presently. To add to that, there may be a weakness in the fuel delivery system and fuel is not getting up into the carb as quickly as it should.

Before starting, remove the fuel bowl and check for gas. If fuel bowl is full, don't have an answer for the problem but if empty you need to find the cause. Carb running too hot and/or fuel delivery not sufficient.


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Did you check that choke linkage? I know Husqvarna had issues with that on some of their tractors with Briggs engines the last year or two. Husqvarna makes many of the Craftsman tractors. The choke plate must be completely closed when activated, or it won't start well when cold. Take off the air cleaner and move the lever or pull to the full choke position. Make sure the butterfly in the carb is closed completely when you do and open when its off. If it isn't you'll need to adjust the linkage so it works properly.


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## Kohuth77x (Mar 16, 2012)

I would take you cover off and clean your magneto/coil pick up and fly wheel, mine did the same thing and if not that I would replace your fuel line pump and filter depending on if you have one of those cheaper plastic cam pressure driven pumps and maybe a new fuel cap if the engines sucking fuel from the tank when you running it then you shut it off for awhile the pressure from the inside of the tank can cause it to siphon backwards like that I did all this to mine just in reverse and never had a problem again


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

I have to agree with CountryBoy,as it seems to be an initial-start problem.Another cause could be a carb solenoid sticking/defective.


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## Kohuth77x (Mar 16, 2012)

Try hitting your linkages with some white lithium grease


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## karlinoz (Jul 26, 2015)

*Hard start fix*



Dleeder said:


> Thanks for all the suggestions. I went out this AM early , took air cleaner off and put a shot of fuel in air intake. Wow , hardly turned the key and it was alive. Started perfect every time after that . My thoughts are in the area of not keeping fuel up to the carby. Possibly siphoning back when it sits for a few days ? Thanks again


Hi Guys, I have a near new 24hp briggs and stratton which has been hard to start from day 1. As stated above, the issue is lack of fuel to the carby. A squirt of fuel in the intake starts it immediately. It has to be the pathetic vacuum fuel pump. I solved this by fitting a marine style fuel priming bulb in the fuel line. $6 on ebay for the primer. I shouldn't have to do this to a new engine, where is the quality control on these engines?


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## TominDallas (Aug 4, 2015)

Really sounds like it's siphoning back but I don't understand. The float valve should remain closed on an engine recently run with a bowl full of fuel. There should be a small pocket of air inside the bowl above the float valve preventing siphoning. There should be enough fuel left in the bowl to be sucked up by the main jet and fire the engine when it's cranked.

If the engine is running and not flooding when the pump is operating then you can assume the float valve seals properly. If this is true, it should never siphon back. This is a real mystery.


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