Getting a Riding Lawnmower Working Again
So your lawn mower has been stored in the shed or garage all winter long. Now you're having trouble getting information technology started and you're wondering how to start a lawn mower that has been sitting.
Or maybe y'all found or inherited a lawn mower second hand that hasn't been used in years.
Well, you lot've come to the correct place. Here'southward your introductory guide to lawn mowers and how to kickoff a backyard mower that has been sitting!
Start and foremost, proper safety measures are important when working with a lawn mower. Call back to utilise some safety gloves, rubber spectacles, and to be enlightened of the sharp blade and engine parts.
Use this article every bit your guide. Y'all tin also find how-to videos on Youtube specifically for your brand or model of mower
This commodity will provide y'all with the data you demand to go your mower started.
Information technology should aid regardless of what type of lawn mower you ain.
Permit's go started.
Check & Change the Oil
For a mower that has been sitting for quite a while, information technology'southward definitely a adept idea to cheque the oil. The best fourth dimension to change the oil in your mower is virtually an hour after you terminate mowing. But if information technology has been sitting all wintertime, check the oil before you even try to starting time it.
Outset, check that the oil is adept quality, doesn't accept residue in it, and that in that location is enough of it.
If the oil is very dark or blackness, it's time to change the oil then your mower runs smoothly and lasts a long time.
I alter the oil in my mower twice a year – once at the showtime of the flavour, and once only earlier I put it abroad for the winter.
If you lot haven't washed it recently, just give the lawn mower an oil change. Even if this isn't the main issue that'southward preventing your mower from starting, information technology's probably a contributing factor.
Mowers are small engines that don't require a lot of oil at all. This makes it a pretty cheap tune-upward to exercise yourself at home. With a walk-behind mower you're looking at ten minutes or less.
Disposing of Your Lawn Mower Oil
Be sure to collect the oil in an advisable container (I apply an empty Gatorade canteen). You want something that caps tight and that won't spill. I bring information technology to my local motorcar store for disposal.
Your local mechanic or oil change store will ordinarily accept your used motor oil. But if not, there may exist disposal programs at your city dump.
If smoke is coming from the mower, that'southward some other sign that the oil needs to be checked and inverse.
A mower that won't start obviously is non going to smoke. Even so, it's worth mentioning equally something worth watching for so you lot can stay on pinnacle of mower maintenance.
A smoking mower could indicate that in that location is an oil leak somewhere. The leak causes the oil to fire as it comes into contact with hot metal.
Information technology could besides indicate that there is not plenty oil, which can permanently damage your engine.
Check the Gas Tank, Genius
Accept you lot always called tech support and the first thing they ask you is if your computer/Telly is plugged in?
Same goes for your lawn mower.
Make sure you have gas in the tank!
Gasoline isn't very stable. If the gas in your mower is more 30 days one-time, you'll demand to empty the tank. You may be able to dump the tank by tipping the mower. If not, you will demand to siphon it.
Subsequently you're done, put fresh gas into the mower.
The exception to this fix would be if you personally put fuel stabilizer into the gas tank earlier storing information technology.
My Recommendation for No-Hassle Gas
Personally I employ a product called TruFuel (you tin can get it at your local box store and almost hardware stores carry information technology). This product is pure, "old schoolhouse" gasoline without any ethanol added.
You lot don't accept to add fuel stabilizer, it runs clean, and it can sit in your mower all winter and your mower volition showtime up beginning pull. I utilise information technology in my mower and snowblower and it's awesome.
It'due south expensive compared to regular gas, only information technology's cheaper than replacing your mower or buying a new carburetor every few years.
And I'g the Lawn Chick! My mower deserves the best. 🙂
If y'all do accept to siphon out old gas and supervene upon it, think that mowers take the same gasoline that goes into your car. Rather than trying to dispose of information technology, y'all can usually just top off your auto's gas tank. Just make sure that it'south not contaminated gas – if that'southward the case then make certain to dispose of it properly according to your municipal guidelines.
Change the Air Filter (it's easy)
After checking the gas tank and changing the oil, cheque the air filter on your mower. These can become chock-full.
Oxygen is a vital component for combustion in an engine. If your mower's air filter is muddied your mower won't run well (or at all).
Information technology is best to replace a clogged filter every bit opposed to trying to clean information technology. Even a small perforation in the filter can allow in dust or residue that will ruin your engine.
A particularly telling sign of a clogged air filter is if your mower starts but and so stops while yous are mowing the lawn.
Also, you lot can await at it. If it's dirty, you'll be able to tell because, well, information technology will expect dirty.
Where to Get an Air Filter for Your Mower
Most box stores near you will probably carry the right size air filter for your mower. You can expect to pay around $10 for a new one.
I recommend replacing your air filter annually equally function of your regular maintenance.
If you tin can find the air filter on your mower, and then y'all tin can replace information technology. Don't be intimidated. Replacing the air filter is as simple as removing the old one and placing the new one in its place).
A chock-full air filter may not be your only consequence. But it's a expert thought to replace your filter when yous're fixing up a lawn mower that won't beginning.
Replace Your Mower'southward Spark Plug
Yous will find your mower's spark plug at the front end end of the mower (especially with a walk-behind mower). It is easy to locate considering it has a wire that attaches to it. This is normally black condom and covers the spark plug to keep dirt and droppings out.
Make sure that the wire is in good shape and that there is a good connexion there.
The side by side affair to bank check is the spark plug itself.
You can remove your mower'southward spark plug using a socket wrench. Yous may demand to experiment to find the right size. Or you tin can await it upward online. The former spark plug should come out with a few simple twists.
When you remove the spark plug it will be obvious if you need a new i. Look for corrosion or discoloration at the concern cease of the spark plug. That's the end that was in the mower (the one with the threads and the small metal piece sticking out). There should not be any corrosion on it.
You tin attempt to clean it up and reconnect it to encounter if information technology will work. But, when in doubt just supersede the spark plug.
How to Replace a Lawn Mower Spark Plug
Like the air filter, this is not a complicated task. You just demand to observe the correct socket wrench for your plug and be careful not to over-tighten it when installing the new one.
My advice is to supervene upon your spark plug, even if your spark plug looks relatively new. I replace mine every other yr.
In my experience if your mower isn't starting upward after sitting over the winter and you've checked the oil and replaced the gas, it's usually a problem with your spark plug. Parts can frequently exist constitute at your local hardware store or on Amazon, and a new spark plug is only a few dollars.
Speaking of spark plugs. This is a good time to remind you that it's e'er best to disconnect the spark plug if you decide to troubleshoot anything with the backyard mower's engine.
This is a safety measure out to ensure that the engine doesn't start while you're working on it. Just unplug the blackness wire/cable that runs to and covers the end of the spark plug.
Tighten the Mower's Brake Cable
If the brake cable is loose on your lawn mower, then the mower may non beginning. To check the tension on the brake, pull the brake handle and then use your manus to pull on the brake cablevision to run across if it is properly tense or if in that location is whatever give.
I trick to bank check to run into if this might be your problem is to try starting the mower while y'all old the brake cable tight. If the mower starts then you lot'll know your brake cable needs tightening.
This is usually an piece of cake chore. Y'all can complete it quickly with a crescent wrench and a set of vice grips.
What a Dirty, Dirty Carburetor
Bug with the carburetor (or the carb, every bit it is affectionately known in the biz) are an incredibly common reason for a faulty mower.
After you cheque the gas, oil, filter, and spark plug, a dingy carburetor is probably the culprit if your mower notwithstanding won't start afterward sitting a long fourth dimension.
Ofttimes, yous'll notice that the carb is corroded or that information technology has clogged if fuel was left in the engine and left to evaporate leaving behind a sticky residue inside the mower's carburetor.
Information technology's possible to try cleaning the carb by giving information technology a adept, long soak in a carb cleaner or in vinegar.
If this doesn't piece of work, carburetors for lawn mowers are not incredibly expensive and they are too relatively easy to find online.
Can I Do This Myself?
Of all the repairs yous tin tackle, this is the one that people go near intimidated virtually, merely if you lot're handy, you can probably detect and follow a YouTube video for your model mower that will bear witness you the steps involved.
Are there Other Options?
One work-effectually if you don't have the fourth dimension right abroad to take your lawn mower engine apart to make clean out the carb is to employ some starting fluid spray.
A can will just cost a few bucks, and you lot spray it into the engine right behind where the air filter is (don't spray it on the air filter). This will typically get your mower running until you take fourth dimension to get it properly serviced.
Supervene upon Your Fuel Pump?
The fuel pump does exactly what it sounds like … information technology pumps fuel from the gas tank into the engine via a serial of 3 ports.
If there is besides much oil in the engine, then the oil can leak into the fuel pump (specifically into the pulse port line) and make your mower's fuel pump defective.
To run into if the fuel pump isn't working anymore, check the pulse port line, valves, and the diaphragm within the pump.
If you've tried most of the other potential problems in this commodity and your mower still won't start, supercede your fuel pump.
Unfortunately it is not possible to repair the fuel pump, information technology must exist replaced. It's a lot cheaper than buying a new mower, though.
Check For a Broken Flywheel Key
The flywheel is the big horizontal spinning wheel in the mower.
This is the office that begins spinning when you lot pull the starter cord on your walk-behind mower.
Sometimes hit a hard object with the mower can break the flywheel key, which prevents the mower from starting when y'all pull the cord.
While this probably isn't the issue if you lot're wondering how to start a lawn mower that has been sitting over the winter … if you hitting a root, rock, or a large felled tree branch on your last mow of the flavor then this could be the culprit. So I thought information technology was worth mentioning.
To check the flywheel key, y'all volition demand to remove the flywheel on your mower.
Removing the flywheel is a deadening process considering the nut keeping it on is very tight and the flywheel needs to remain stationary in social club to loosen the nut.
What Not To Do When Replacing This Part
Almost guys and gals trying to DIY this will stick a broomhandle or some tool between the blades of the bicycle, but this is a bad thought. This can easily break the blades, which are expensive to replace.
I recommend that you utilize a clamp – which is secure and condom.
To find a method that will work with your mower, find a YouTube video. If your mower'southward flywheel key is indeed cleaved, then you can supersede it in less than an hr once you have the new flywheel key.
The fins of the flywheel itself tin can also become clogged with grass or clippings – this is easy to determine just by uncovering the flywheel itself. If in that location is any droppings, use a clean pigment brush to brush information technology abroad.
Don't Surrender On Your Backyard Mower, it's Probably Worth Saving
I cannot tell y'all how many people give up on a iii-year old mower that won't start after the wintertime, sending information technology forth to the state fill and shelling out big bucks for a brand new model.
There are exceptions, merely virtually of the time a lawn mower that won't start after sitting is non defective, information technology has simply lacked proper maintenance.
Don't give upwardly on that old mower only withal!
Troubleshooting most lawn mowers can effectively get them working again, and usually in one case you do resolve the issue with your mower successfully, you'll be so much more knowledgeable about maintaining them that you won't take whatever problems again.
Price constructive repairs are easy to practise at home in your own garage, even if it's your first time doing them. Yous can notice the parts you need at the hardware store or online.
Not only does repairing your mower save it from the landfill, but it saves you money and can bring you great satisfaction.
However, if all else fails and you exercise end up needing a new mower, see if your old mower could exist useful for spare parts before taking information technology to the dump. There are probably plenty of small engine repair shops nearby that would exist happy to pay a few bucks for it, or accept it off your hands for gratis.
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Source: https://lawnchick.com/how-to-start-a-lawn-mower-that-has-been-sitting/
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