My lawn mower cord won't retract. Craftsman self-propelled lawn mower. Honda engine.

SOURCE: Lawn mower will not start and run

Sounds like a clogged carb or a cracked primer bulb. I would install a carb rebuild kit and new primer bulb if your mower uses one.

SOURCE: my craftsman rotory lawn mower 6.5 hp self

You have water in in the carborator, I'll bet. I had this same problem. Here's what I did.

I emptied the gas tank, put in a new spark plug, changed the oil and then unscrewed thd big nut on the bottom of the float container (attached to the carborator near the rubber gas injector button) and emptied and cleand the float container. Then i put it all back together, pulled the cord and the same thing happened, but this time i could keep it going by having my daughter constantly pushing the rubber gas injector button. After it had run for a minute with this constant pushing of the button, all the water was gone from everytwhere and it worked.

Roy Cagle

• 1545 Answers
• Posted on Apr 13, 2011

SOURCE: where is the carburetor on

The carburetor would be located BEHIND the air filter housing and air inlet tube. The air filter housing should have a removable (by screw or clip) cover.

SOURCE: my craftsman 22" self propelled

My Craftsman mower lost the self propel feature. The small pulley on the top of the transmission would slip under load, There was just not enough tension on the belt to over come it. Tried a new belt and also replaced the tensioner spring...still slipping when going uphill or with full bag. Possible pulleys worn...not wanting to gamble more time and labor, I bought a 4" 1/4" cap screw with extra nuts and flat washers, a 3"16 eye bolt as well. Drill a 1/4" hole in the bracket that holds the trans activation cable in place and a 3/16" hole in the mower deck so the holes are in alignment with each other. Put the cap screw through the 1/4" hole with the threads facing toward the front of the mower. Fasten the eye bolt into the 3/16" hole in the mower deck locking it in place with one nut on each side of the metal. Now you have the 1/4" bole protruding through the eye bolt. Using a flat washer and nut, tighten then nut easily and when there is room put a second nut on it. When you have tightened it up to the desired belt tension lock the two nuts together using two wrenches. Note...do NOT make the belt incredibly tight or you will destroy the trans in a short time. Go a little at a time till the drive does not slip under load. Good luck hope this helps. Oh....you will have to trim the plastic cover that covers the transmission so the added bolt will clear it and you can put the cover back in it's proper place.