Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): 16.5 ohv Briggs and Stratton Carb, briggs and stratton, fuel tank

Question
I have a troy built mower and it won't start this season. The problem is that it isn't getting any fuel. It will run as long as I pour gas into the carb but it dies about 20 seconds after I stop. How does the carb prime the gas into it. Could that be the problem or something else?
                      Thanks, Ricky

Answer
Depending on the engine model you may have a fuel pump.  When you parked the mower last season did you add fuel stabilizer to keep the fuel from going bad?

If you did not use fuel stabilizer then odds are the old fuel is no good.  You can drain the fuel tank and re-fill with fresh fuel.  Once you have new fuel in the tank you can try to run the old fuel out of the carburetor by keeping the engine running by priming for a couple of minutes.

Below is a link describing the fuel pump operation:

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/engines/support/frequently-asked-questions/Serv...

Let me know about the fuel stabilizer.

Eric