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Q: I can’t seem to figure out why my lawn mower won’t stay running. There’s plenty of gas and oil in it. Can it be repaired, or is it a lost cause?
A : Lawn lawn mower seem like simple machines , yet they require some TLC to operate smoothly , especially if they ’ve been sitting in the shed for a while . A full throttle army tank and oil artificial lake are the essential first steps when break why the lawn lawn mower wo n’t delay running , but the trouble could also be a foul filter , choked carburettor , wrong fuel mixture , or a dirty electric discharge plug . If you ’re quick to get your hand dirty , check out these troubleshooting tips to get your lawn mower escape again . However , you may necessitate a lawn mower specialiser to get you back to trimming your grass . Alternatively , a landscaping professional can take care of it for you .
The fuel might be old and dirty and needs to be replaced.
Fuel that has sat in the motor for a while can evaporate and go out a sticky residue . The recess and outlet port wine leading to the carburetor could be clog , as well as the fuel filter . In cold , wet winter time of year , condensation can collect inside the cooler , which does n’t flux with the fuel . Replace honest-to-god , unsportsmanlike , or diluted fuel ; adding saucy fuel to it wo n’t lick the job . debilitate the old fuel out of the tank and hoard it to be dispose of safely per local requirements . Clean off the carburettor ports before refilling the armored combat vehicle .
The air filter might be dirty, which prevents it from getting enough air.
motor have melodic line filters to collect and snare debris and rubble that could clog the machine ’s inner workings . Over clock time , they become clotted and take to be supplant . If an zephyr filter is n’t crop correctly , the motor ca n’t get enough air travel to prevent overheating . Inspect the aura filter for carbon deposits or fossil oil , and replace it if it ’s pollute . newspaper filters always require immediate replacement if they ’re pollute , but a dust-covered froth filter could do good from being lap and dried at least once before transposition . It ’s recommended to replace the breeze filter after every 25 hour of use .
The carburetor might be clogged and dirty.
One inconvenient reason a lawn mower wo n’t detain bunk is aproblem with the carburetor , which mixes the air and fuel for internal burning . The carburettor bowl may be clogged , or the inlet and outlet ports are slimy from fuel balance . Remove them and spray them with an aerosolised carburetor cleanser ( not water system ) . you’re able to try disconnect the fuel line and spraying them out with dry cleaner to move out any sitting sludge as well . Replacing the fuel filter is also commend if the carburetor is showing signs of contamination . If the lawn lawn mower has a petrol cap vent , spread it to clear any seeable clogs . If none of these steps solve the trouble , it ’s deserving having the carburetor replaced by a pro .
Tried-and-True Advice
“ I once circumstantially clog my fuel line while cleaning the carburetor . Some detritus must have scram dislodged and stop up in the line , probably when I disconnected and reconnected it without see for closure . I spent hours troubleshooting why the engine would n’t start afterward . Now , I always scrutinise the fuel lines before and after cleaning the carburetor . If I point out any cracks , looseness , or signs of wearing , I replace them right away to avoid repeat publication . ”
You forgot to reset the choke, so the fuel mixture is too rich.
Most lawn mowers have a choke coil to change the fuel - to - air smorgasbord , which keeps the locomotive running until it ’s warm up up . Unless you ’ve had cool weather for a while , the choke coil should be off to forestall overloading the motor with the untimely mixture of fuel . If the choke is left on for too recollective , redundant fuel flows into the burning sleeping accommodation , make it to seize up and stall . If this occur , the lawn mower will take to sit idle for several hour to set aside the fuel to run out out of the chamber . Turn off the choke and try again later . If the job still is n’t solved , a faulty choke switch could be the problem . Clean it with carburettor spray or exchange it alone .
A dirty spark plug is misfiring and needs to be replaced.
A faulty or dirty spark plugcould be the reason your lawn mower wo n’t stay run for . It might produce the initial light , but the spark wo n’t be enough to keep the locomotive campaign if the cud is clogged with dirt and crude . Spark plugs are unremarkably located on the front of a push lawn mower and connected to a black cable . transfer it with a socket wrench and clean with a wire brush and some bracken dry cleaner . A dark , glutinous carbon balance indicate a want to replace the spark plug . specially if you have restate time when the lawn lawn mower wo n’t ride out running , schedulingregular air - upscan aid keep spark plugs in great shape all year .
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Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila