My Craftsman Lawn Mower Dies on a Hill

Check the Fluid Levels

• The fuel sits inside the tank just to the right of the combustion chamber on a Craftsman lawn mower. When the mower drives or gets pushed onto a hill, the fuel will move to the lowest side. If the fuel gets pulled too far away from the fuel hose, which runs to the carburetor, the mower will die, which can happen if the level of fuel is too low or close to empty; the same holds true for the oil. Always check the levels of fuel and oil inside the tanks before starting to cut grass.

Examine the Fuel Filter

• The fuel filter sits inside the tank and purifies all incoming gas, protecting the carburetor and combustion chamber. Attached to the end of the fuel hose at the bottom of the fuel tank, this filter may get pushed to the side or moved away from the bottom. As the fuel moves away from the filter and hose on an incline, the filter will no longer suck up enough fuel and the engine will die. A dirty fuel filter will also cause a drop in fuel, and, on an incline, this can be enough to shut off the engine.

Inspect the Fuel Hoses

• After the gas passes through the filter, it travels through the hose to the carburetor. If the fuel hose is dirty or clogged, the engine will already be short on fuel, and, as the engine needs to work harder on an incline, this loss in gas will cause the engine to shut down. Fuel impurities, grass clippings and dirt can all get trapped in the fuel hose, so these hoses need to be inspected seasonally and replaced at least every other season.

Clean the Carburetor

• When the mower reaches the incline, it will need more power to operate -- and more power requires more fuel. A dirty carburetor will also cause a substantial drop in fuel reaching the chamber, which will shut down the engine when it needs more. However, the decrease may not be substantial, and the operator may only notice these problems when they reach the hill. Clean the carburetor every time the fuel hoses get replaced.