For over 20 years back in the UK, I had just 2 petrol lawnmowers, both Briggs and Stratton engines and both just about always started on the first pull of the starter even after a winter layoff. On moving here I decided to go for a top of the range Honda engine model and from day one its the most fifficult beast to start up. Once started it runs as sweet as you like. A typical day with it was like this morning, it must have taken around 50 pulls before it started with the lever in just about every position possible more than once, not so much as a cough or splutter, then when it did decide to start it did it as usual with no effort as if to laugh at me, to which I then needed a coffee break just to recover from the effort. So, what am I doing wrong with the thing, anyone else have the same problem, any tricks anyone knows about or do I simply have a Friday afternoon machine which will promptly be going in the bin sooner or later.

Look for a little rubber button near the carburetor that you press to prime the engine. Press it a couple of times until fuel starts to squirt out. Then try pull starting. The Honda I bought recently has this button.

I was disappointed with the Briggs and Stratton lawnmower I looked at. The shop prepped it for purchase and once started sounded like a freight train, to top that off it blew more smoke than a mosquito fogger.

It went back into the shop and I took the Honda.

Look for a little rubber button near the carburetor that you press to prime the engine. Press it a couple of times until fuel starts to squirt out. Then try pull starting. The Honda I bought recently has this button.

I was disappointed with the Briggs and Stratton lawnmower I looked at. The shop prepped it for purchase and once started sounded like a freight train, to top that off it blew more smoke than a mosquito fogger.

It went back into the shop and I took the Honda.

Mine doesn't appear have this button, but I've tried sqeezing the petrol pipe near the carb and it makes no difference at all, on enquiring in Homepro when I bought it the salesman said it didn't need one, the engine is a 5.5 OHC model, the instruction manual simply states move lever to start position and tug the pullcord.

Another suggestion is contaminated or old fuel. If thats the case, drain the fuel, clean the carby and fuel tank, then fill with freshly bought fuel.