It might be lean when the choke is fully opened. Leaking vacuum lines can often cause a lean condition.
It's also a possibility that the coil is not performing at full capacity and gets worse as it gets warm.
running lean can cause your 400ex to backfire ..if it backfires on deceleration its lean ...if it pops on acceleration its running rich.====carb issues
If it backfires thru the intake/carb the spark arrester prevents this. It is the metal looking air filter on carburetor...
If it backfires after you shut it off then it is probably running too rich. Any unburned gas the that is exhausted out and into the muffler will explode with a backfire. With a 1990 model you won't have the anti-backfire solenoid on the bottom of the carb like the newer ones have. If it backfires while it is running it might be out of time. Check the keyway between the crank and flywheel to make sure it is not partially sheared.
It backfires because it's lean. The trick is to figure out why. Check your vacuum lines and anything that could obstruct fuel flow.
you did't specify if it is carburetor or fuel injection.if the backfire is out the exhaust or through the intake. if out the exaust it is usually ignition and if it is through the intake/carb or the plenum/fuel injected it usually is a lean or fuel starvation...
Because somehow fuel gets in the exhaust and backfires, the best way to fix this problem is to clean out your carb, clean the pilot and jets inside of it, most people that done this said that it was the problem.
possible need carb rebuild, or a flat cam lobe . Could be timing or bad timing chain.
timing or carb
after rebuiling carb jet have 2 b adjusted, check ur timing also If you have any exhaust leaks close to the engine it will promote backfires.
That is caused by too much gas getting into the engine after the key is turned off. If the mower is new enough to have a anti-backfire solenoid on the bottom of the carb then it must not be working. If it is an older mower and doesn't have one then the carb needs adjusting to back off the amount of gas.
Check your timing and your vacuum advance.
Yep.