Lawn Mower That Consumes Too Much Gas
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Lawnmowers are not supposed to consume gas like a thirsty runner who just ran a full marathon without having a bottle of water. If yours does, a clogged air filter is typically your number one suspect.
This causes your mowers engine to work overtime, forcing it to consume more gas to perform its normal capacity. To fix this, just clean your air filter thoroughly or replace it if its over a year old already.
How To Hire A Lawn Mower Technician
- Read customer reviews. Reading customers testimonials will help you get an idea of the technicians quality of work, communication, attention to detail, punctuality and reputation.
- Get free estimates. Talk with your lawn mower repair pro about total repair costs and compare that against the original cost of the machine. In certain cases, it may be more cost effective to donate the old mower for parts and invest the repair money you budgeted in a new mower entirely.
- Ask about a contract. Some lawn mower repair services offer a workmanship guarantee that outlines what type of lawn mower repair services will be provided, which new parts will be included and the total cost for the parts and labor.
- Ask about discounts. Some motorized lawn equipment maintenance facilities will meet or beat competing companies prices, and some offer military and senior discounts so make sure to ask.
Signs You Need To Buy A New Lawn Mower
Is your old lawn mower struggling? If its not doing the trick and your lawn is suffering, it may be time to invest in a new lawnmower. Most mowers will last around 10 years, but that may vary based on how often you use it, the climate you live in, and the size of your lawn. If you notice any of these problems with your mower, it may be time to look into purchasing a new one.
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Change Lawn Mower Oil
To ensure it performs up to its maximum capacity, make sure you change lawn mower oil at regular intervals. Old oil that is black or contains debris should be drained and replaced. This will improve performance, reduce costly repairs and extend engine life of gas lawn mowers. A push mower has an oil capacity of 15 to 18 ounces. It should be changed either every 50 hours or annually, whichever comes first. A riding mower has an oil capacity of 48 to 64 ounces. It should be changed either every 100 hours or annually, whichever comes first.
- Before changing the oil in the lawn mower, disconnect the spark plug.
- Remove the drain plug underneath the mower and allow it to drain into an oil-safe container.
- If the mower does not have a drain plug, use an oil extractor kit to remove oil from the compartment.
- Add new small engine oil to the compartment up to the dipstick fill line. Oil formulated for small engines will keep your mower running at its best.
- Be sure to recycle the old oil properly.
Allow The Topsoil And Seed To Settle
Part of how to level a lawn with topsoil that many people miss is allowing the new soil to settle. To do this, thoroughly water the new soil, then leave it to settle for a couple of days.
After Watering the lawn, you can visually check the yard in a few days, and check whether it remains level and no settling or water pooling has occurred in unlevel or low areas.
If your sight check proves you have no pooling from water, youre probably good to go.
If not, though, you can add a bit more topsoil to any remaining low spots and level it out some more.
In no time, you will on your way to growing healthy grass and fortunately or unfortunately mowing it very soon!
Heres a Quick Video on How to Reseed A Lawn The essential steps for fixing a bumpy lawn:
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Mower Slows Or Stops Mid
If your mower stops in mid-cut all of a sudden, it may have too much grass built up on the underside of the deck. When this happens, the drag on the blade increases, and the motor attempts to compensate for it. Other signs include slowing of the blades with increased motor noise before shutting off. This will cause the mower to pop the breaker. Clean out your deck , and reset the breaker.
Another common cause here is that vibrations from running the mower have caused connections to come loose. Unplug your mower and check all other connections. For some, it may be a good idea to secure them better with electrical tape.
Lawn Mower Engine Hard To Start
Petrol mowers have several reasons why they wont start, with a common one being the spark plug. If the spark plug is not firing, then there is no way to ignite the fuel to fire up the engine. Remove the spark plug and give it a clean to remove any built-up carbon and check the gap is set correctly. If it has not been replaced recently, replace it with the recommended spark plug for your mower.
Next, remove and replace your fuel filter in case it is blocked. While your lawn mower may have a full tank of fuel, it could have been left too long or is not the correct type to use with your mower engine. Empty the fuel from the tank and check the intake system, also check the air filter. You should also top up your oil level before starting it up.
Check that the choke plate closes completely when you engage the choke. If the choke plate does not close completely, then adjust it so it does. If the choke plate is already completely closed, then check that youre getting spark to your spark plug. If the spark is working as expected, then check the compression as per your owner manual. If all is well with the compression, check for a sheared flywheel key. If the compression is not within specification, then you will need to inspect the valve settings, cylinder bore and piston rings.
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What Type Of Wheels Should I Buy
For most lawnmowers, the wheel size is approximately 8 inches. However, some high-wheeled lawnmowers have wheels that range from 9 inches to 12 inches.
If your lawn area has high hills or rough terrain, then buy a high-wheeled lawnmower. The large wheels will cause less stress to your lawnmower and can travel through uneven surfaces better.
On the other hand, high-wheel lawn mowers are difficult to push. In addition, they require more effort to rotate at 180-degrees. If you have a small lawn, get a mower with 8-inch wheels as they are less expensive and can cover the area.
Flush Clean Gas Through Gas Tank
Once everything in your gas tank has made its way out through the fuel line, I would recommend adding a little bit of fresh gas to the tank to help flush out any residue. You dont need to use too much gas, but this can help get any remaining oil out of the tank and fuel line.
Though a little bit of oil residue wont kill your engine, it can make its way into the carburetor and cause it to get gunked up. If the inside of the tank looks pretty clean after youve added and drained some new gas, you can move on.
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Frayed Or Broken Cord
If your mower comes with a cord permanently attached and it becomes frayed or broken, you dont necessarily need to go through the trouble of replacing the whole thing. Use wire cutters to remove the damaged section. Strip about an inch off the end to reveal the black, white, and green wires. Get a male plug end and, using the wiring pattern that comes with it, wrap the three wires around the appropriate contacts . Repeat this with the other cut end using a female plug, or simply plug the remaining cord into an extension cord.
There are more extensive repairs that may be necessary, for which youll need new mower parts and possibly professional help.
Should I Roll My Bumpy Lawn
Answer: In most cases, the answer is no. If you have a lawn with some moderate bumps, rolling may be a viable one-time solution. With that said, its a bad idea to roll frequently, as this could damage your grass. In the majority of cases, correction of the uneven areas by filling in with topsoil will be a better solution.
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Lawnmower With Uneven Mowing
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Uneven mowing is often caused by one of two things:
- Dull blades: For your mower to function well, the blades underneath have to be equally sharp. You can either sharpen the blades using a metallic file, bring them to your local lawn mower repair shop, or replace the blades altogether if they are too worn.
- Unbalanced buildup: Grass, leaves, and other debris might have built up on one side of your mower. Clean these out and empty as necessary.
How To Clean A Lawn Mower
A couple of times a year, give the mower a good cleaning.
- With the gas tank empty, turn the mower on its side.
- Remove any debris that may be wrapped around the blade or caked up on the underside of the mower deck.
- Spray the underside of the mower deck with a garden hose to loosen dirt and dried-on grass.
- Scrub the deck with a soft brush and soapy water. Then rinse off with a hose.
- Dry the mower thoroughly before storing.
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Bad Lawnmower Spark Plug
Without a proper spark delivered from the lawnmower engine spark plug, the engine will not run correctly. If youre not sure How to tell if a lawn mower spark plug is bad, check out this article from Best Home Gear.
We recommend the following 4 steps to inspect and repair a bad spark plug:
How To Repair a Bad Lawnmower Spark Plug
- Disconnect the spark plug wire
- Carefully remove the spark plug
- Inspect the spark plug for any cracks or a worn-out electrode.
- If worn replace the spark plug with a new spark plug use the size recommended by the manufacturer.
Reconnect Spark Plug Cable
Last but not least, take your spark plug hood and snap it back onto your spark plugs terminal. Once you do this you are ready to fire your mower up.
You can expect a little bit of white smoke when running the mower at first while any oil residue is burned off. This shouldnt take long and after a while, no more smoke should be coming from the exhaust.
About Tom Greene
I’ve always had a keen interest in lawn care as long as I can remember. Friends used to call me the “lawn mower guru” , but I’m anything but. I just enjoy cutting my lawn and spending time outdoors. I also love the well-deserved doughnuts and coffee afterward!
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Lawn Mower Repair Tips A Self
Like any machine, every lawn mower needs regular maintenance. Without regular maintenance, the chances of problems developing increases significantly as time goes by.In todays modern world, we all get busy from time to time. Perhaps youve missed a service or two and now your lawn mower is showing early warning signs that it is in need of repair. If you are having problems with your lawn mower, for any reason, we hope this guide helps to point you in the right direction.It is worth noting that, depending on the make and model of your lawn mower, the steps and information contained within this article may not be consistent with your lawn mower. This article is intended as a general guide only. It is recommended to seek professional service assistance from a qualified repairer if you suspect your lawn mower is in need of repairs.
Stuck Or Too Hard To Pull The Starter Rope
This issue is a result of the engagement of the flywheel brake. Before you pull the rope once more, its crucial to examine whether the flywheel brake is pressing against the handle. If the flywheel brake does not cause the issue, examine the lawnmower blade.
A rope that is stuck or difficult to pull may be as a result of the blade dragging on the ground or due to attachment of the cuttings onto the blade. To solve this problem, lay down the mower on a hard surface. Turn off the engine and ensure there is no engagement of spark plug wire. Clean the bottom side of the blade with care to get rid of any cuttings or dirt. Place the mower back to its position and try to pull the starter rope once more. If the problem continues, then there is a likelihood that more than one part of the lawnmower is not working accordingly and need to be repaired. Here you need to check the manufacturers guide to find out the repairs for the various model and brands of the mower.
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Why Does A Lawnmower Engine Backfire
Even though it sounds bad an engine backfire does not typically damage a small engine. It can, however, be a sign that one of the following issues is occurring:
- Using gasoline with too much alcohol
- Turning the engine speed down too quickly
- High engine temperatures
- Lack of adequate air
- The carburetor is running lean
Its Running But Not Well
Your lawn mower cranked. Happy day! Yet, its running choppy and unsmooth. Youre not sure how long it will continue to run in this condition.
Its most likely still a wise decision to replace the carburetor. Sometimes it can be the difference between equipment barely running and running like a champ.
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Help My Lawn Mower Is Blowing White Smoke
Your lawn mower is blowing smoke. What should you do?
The answer can range anywhere from do nothing to do a bunch. If your lawn mower is blowing black smoke, its burning more fuel than it is air.
If the lawn mower is blowing blue or white smoke, it means the mower is burning oil. Dont panic because this could be a simple fix.
Lawn mowers are meant to work at certain angles. Lets say you became carried away and ran over something which jolted your mower at a steeper angle than intended.
At this point, oil couldve leaked. The lawn mower will burn the oil off, and life is good. If you notice the mower only blows smoke briefly, youre probably in the clear.
However, lets say the mower continuously blows smoke. This could be anything from the crankcases breather, a blown head gasket, or an old cylinder or rings.
Check all of these possibilities and again, you may need to call in a professional or someone more experienced to help.
Bagging Discharging Or Mulching Poorly Problems
Lawnmowers are vulnerable to mulching, bagging, and discharging. These problems occur when the engine is not functioning at full throttle as it should be. Such issues can be addressed by ensuring the engine is working at full throttle. The deck should put up accordingly and need to be at the same level, and the back should be 3/8 higher than the front.
If the problem persists, think of sharpening or replacing the worn-out blades.
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Causes Of Spark Plug Failure
Its worth noting that you should also think about the reason behind the spark plugs failure. Why did your mowers spark plug fail in the first place? Was it just because of regular wear and tear and use, or could there have been another reason?
Sometimes these spark plugs can become worn or damaged due to other problems with the mowers engine. If thats the case, and you replace the plug without identifying the root cause of the damage, your new spark plug is likely to suffer the same fate.
Think about possible root causes of the spark plug failure, such as a dirty air filter, a faulty or filthy fuel injector, damage to the distributor case, or some problem with the mixture of fuel and air within the gas mower tank.
Check all of these potential issues to ensure that your mower is in good shape. Just like your car, the mower needs an occasional tune-up, and this is as good a time as any to make that happen.
Why Is My Mower Not Cutting Correctly
A mower not cutting correctly is usually caused by problems with the lawnmower blades. To get the most efficient cut, the blades need to be sharp, however after a long lifespan they can become blunt. When this happens, the blades will tear the grass rather than producing a clean cut, which damages the grass. It is an easy fix all you need to do is sharpen or replace your lawnmower blades.If you opt for the sharpening route, you will need to make sure they are perfectly balanced when they are returned to the lawnmower. The lawnmower blades spin incredibly fast so you need to make sure everything is in perfect condition. If you over-sharpen your blades on one side the blades become unbalanced and unstable. This is not only bad for the lawn, as it will affect the quality of the cut, but it can also cause irreparable damage to the lawnmower itself.
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