The best way to keep your riding mower running [SOLVED]

Thanks for the question Jack. It’s likely you have a varnish restriction in the mower’s carburetor. Adding starting fluid to the carburetor throat only creates ignition vapor for the spark plug to ignite, then the engine fizzles out because there’s not enough gas vapor being pulled to continue ignition. What I would do: Remove the old fuel from the tank and use it in your car. With an empty tank, add a full can of Sea Foam (16 oz) with a quart (32 oz) of fresh gasoline. Crank the engine for about ten seconds to draw the Sea Foam and gas concentration through the carburetor circuits, then leave everything alone to sit/soak overnight or longer (2 or 3 days if possible – Sea Foam will reliquefy the old fuel varnish). After the sit and soak period, start it up and see what happens. If it runs, let it idle for at least 5 minutes. Then add fuel and go mow the yard. The remaining Sea Foam in the tank will continue to clean as you run the engine under load.