Category: Lawn Mower Repair Tips

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My Lawn Mower is Hard To Start

A hard starting lawn mower can be a real pain to get started and it can be even harder to start after you shut it down for a minute or so to pick something up from the yard.

Hard starting is generally a carburetor choke problem or a valve issue. But there are other things that can cause it and they will be covered here as well.

Choke springs or incorrect setup of the choke can make your engine very hard to start. It will not be resolved until the choke is repaired properly and tested when the engine is cold and hot.

A valve issue is a little more complicated. A valve could have a lot of carbon buildup on the valve stem causing it to stick open or closed. Or the valves could be out of adjustment. A good lawn mower mechanic can adjust the valves and get your engine starting much better and easier. A pull start lawn mower should start within 2 pulls of the starter cord. A riding lawn mower should start within a few revolutions of the engine. Another thing that can cause hard starting is a valve seat that is coming loose and not sealing well. The seat will have to be replaced to correct this issue.

One more possible scenario is that your air filter could be so clogged that the engine is not getting enough air to start. Check the air filter to see what condition it is in and replace it if it is suspect.

Your engine could also have a leaking head gasket. A compression and leakdown test will need to be performed to see if that is the issue here.

Lastly, you could have water in your fuel or the wrong fuel in the fuel tank. It is not uncommon to see diesel fuel filled gasoline tanks, so if the fuel is in doubt, drain the tank and carburetor and refill with fresh fuel.  Check our locations page for a shop nearest you.

I hope these tips will help you get your my lawn mower is hard to start back up and running once again.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My lawn mower is leaking gas

A gas leak can be a dangerous situation that can lead to a fire. You could come out to the garage and smell gas and find a puddle under the lawn mower. The first thing to do in that situation is turn off the gas at the shutoff if it has one and then push it outside. You don’t want to take the risk of it catching fire in a garage or outbuilding.

Gas line connections are a common place where leaks occur. Gas line fittings in the bottom of gas tanks and gas filters are areas that commonly leak.

The lawn mower can also be leaking from the carburetor. The needle and seat is where the leak develops as the needle does not seat properly. Fuel then goes through the carburetor and into the cylinder of the engine. Then the gas will seep past the piston and into the crankcase and can fill it up to overflowing.

Your next step should be to take your lawn mower to a repair specialist who can properly diagnose this problem and resolve it. Gas leaks are a serious safety hazard and with some lawn mowers holding several gallons of gas, you don’t want to chance making a repair that might fail and cause a fire.

By inspecting your lawn mower each time you use it, you can catch that gas drip before it turns into a full blow leak. My lawn mower is leaking gas is a serious situation and should be remedied quickly.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My Lawn Mower is Surging

Carburetor Jet Plugged

A surging lawn mower is one of the most common problems that an engine has. It normally occurs in the springtime when you first pull out your lawn mower to get it ready for spring. You start it up and then it may slightly surge or it will be extreme. The engine gains RPM and then loses RPM and this cycle will continue nonstop until the condition is repaired.

The mechanics behind it is quite simple. The engine is being starved for fuel. The carburetor jets are plugged up and the engine will suck a little fuel to keep it running and then will start to run out of fuel. Then the engine governor comes into play. As the engine is losing RPM, the governor flyweights retract and will try to increase the RPM by opening up the throttle more. So a little fuel comes in again and the cycle repeats itself. This condition is known as a lean surge.

Air Leak

There could be another factor in play here. An air leak could have developed in the intact tract between the carburetor and the engine. When there is an air leak it will pull in more air than fuel and result in a lean mixture. The engine will run for a short time and then the surging will begin. There is less fuel to burn so it does not produce the power required to keep the engine running. The surging is usually worse at idle than at full RPM.

Elevation

I want to throw in a third possibility and that is elevation. When you live at high elevation, your carburetor fitted engines should have the main jet replaced with one for high elevation. Everyone calls it a high altitude jet, but altitude means the distance above the ground so that is not the correct term unless you are working on an airplane. This problem can also be worse at low RPM. The cause of this problem is that a standard elevation main jet has a larger hole for the fuel to flow through and you need less fuel when you are at a higher elevation because the air is less dense. Less dense air means less air molecules to burn with the fuel mixture. So you will have the wrong air to fuel ratio and will get too much fuel and run richer than normal. This condition is known as a rich surge.
By knowing the symptoms of these individual problems, this should help you diagnose them. Take your lawn mower to a reputable repair shop to resolve my lawn mower is surging.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

How To Buy a Good Used Push Mower

So you have a small yard and only need a push mower to cut it instead of a self-propelled or rider. That simplifies things immensely and with these tips it will help assure that you get a good one.

I have been a push lawn mower repair technician for over 5 years and from that experience I can tell you what to look for and tests to do when looking at your prospective used push mower.

First I would stick with the major brand names of engines. Briggs & Stratton, Honda and Kohler are the most popular although you probably won’t find a Honda engine on a push mower. More than likely it will be a Briggs and Stratton which is perfectly fine.

For the most part the decks, handles and controls are basically the same. The deck will be a stamped piece of metal but it could be a welded deck. Welded decks are much heavier and will last for a long time.

The engine should start on the first or second pull. If it doesn’t, that is a good time to move on. If the push mower has sat for an extended period of time, it may not start on the first or second pull so take that into consideration.

Check the engine for any oil or fuel leaks. Check the engine oil to see if it is black and the quantity of it. Is it low on oil? Black oil is a sign that the engine was probably not maintained as well as it should be. Is the engine dirty or have spots of grass stuck to it which would indicate an oil leak? Grab the engine (after it has cooled) and try to move it around to see if there are any loose mounting bolts.

Check the control cables for fraying and ease of operation. Does the safety bail spring back or does it slowly retract. It should spring back after you release it.

Pull the spark plug boot from the spark plug  for safety and look under the deck to see if there is rusting or if there is a large buildup of grass under it. Wet grass will lead to rusting of the deck and it can rust completely through.

Check out the blade for straightness and sharpness. Is it worn out or worn down and needs replacing? Are there any big nicks in the blade that would indicate it struck something?

Lastly, roll the mower and pay attention to the wheels. Do they spin freely? Are they leaning outwards or inwards? Are they broken or the tread is worn down?

If you suspect anything that is not quite right about the push mower, ask the owner to clarify what service work has been done. They may or may not know or choose to not answer your question.

I hope this arms you with enough information to make a good informed choice in how to buy a good used push mower.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My Lawn Mower is Blowing Black Smoke

To understand this problem, you also must know that there are different color smokes that a lawn mower can blow out the exhaust pipe. Blue, black and white smoke are the colors that you would normally see and in this article we will concentrate on black smoke.

Black smoke means that the engine is running rich. Running rich means that the engine is getting an incorrect fuel/air mixture. It is getting more fuel than air and thus burning in a rich condition. A clogged air filter is often the culprit here.

Black smoke is normally a rich condition. In most cases the engine is getting too much fuel to burn and cannot burn it all thus making the black smoke. The engine could also not be getting enough air. Things that can cause this is an air filter that is very dirty or a setting in the carburetor or fuel injection that is incorrect.

Try removing the air filter and inspecting it for dirt buildup or grass clippings. If it is clogged, purchase another filter and install and then test the engine. Carburetor or fuel injection settings should be performed by a qualified lawn mower repair technician.

Each lawn mower engine smoke condition has its cause and by knowing what color to look for and the steps to take to correct it, you can cure the my lawn mower is blowing black smoke problem.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

How to Get My Lawn Mower Ready For Spring

With spring just a short while away, now is the perfect time to get your mower out and make sure it is ready for the busy cutting season ahead.

Gas – If your lawn mower has sat with gas in it all winter long and there was not any fuel stabilizer in it, it most likely is bad. That gas will need to be removed and fresh gas put into the fuel tank.

Air Filter – Check your air filter and if it is dirty, change it out with a new one. Hold a flashlight on one side and you should see a lot of light shining through. Paper air filters are not reusable but the foam air filters can be washed in some mild dish soap and dried out to be used again.

Spark Plug – Remove the spark plug and clean and re-gap it or replace it with a new one.

Oil – Change the oil and filter with the recommended grade of oil.

Deck – Scrape the deck of all the grass that has accumulated over the past year.

Blade – Remove and sharpen the blade. Be sure to remove the spark plug wire from the spark plug for safety. Check the blade to ensure straightness and look for any cracks. Balance the blade as well.

Belts – Inspect them for cracks and if they are riding deep in their pulleys. This means they are worn out and need replaced.

Tires – Inspect them and fill them with the proper amount of air pressure. Check the drive mechanism inside of the wheel if these are from a self-propelled lawn mower. If it is worn, replace the wheels.

Chassis– Make sure all the controls are working and adjusted properly as well as lubricated.

Steering – Lubricate any grease fittings for the steering system.

Clean – Clean the engine and chassis as well as the deck and transmission of any grass clipping, dirt, sticks and other debris.

Battery – Top off the acid level to the fill mark and clean the battery terminals and terminal lugs.

Controls – Lubricate and adjust any control linkages or cables.

Valves – Adjust the valves if the hours of operation recommend it.

This is a fairly comprehensive list of things that need to be accomplished with any lawn mower tune-up each year. This tune-up will help ensure that your mowing season will be trouble-free and that you will have fewer breakdowns during the lifetime of your lawn mower.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

5 Reasons To Buy A Honda Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

The Honda brand has been around for a long time with cars and motorcycles and they began to delve into the lawn mower market to diversify their product line. Today they offer a wide range of lawn mowers to fit just about any size and type of yard imaginable.

I work on Honda self-propelled lawn mowers each week and am a Certified Honda Small Engine Technician so I have seen them only get better and easier to maintain.

Here are some great reasons to make your next self-propelled lawn mower a Honda.

  1. Reputation

The Honda reputation is second to none. When the Japanese design a product, they do so from the ground up and consider everything that will go into their lawn mowers. Their cars and motorcycles have already proved that they know how to build a great product.

  1. Quality

With the invention of the GCV160 and GCV190 engines, this has made the Honda self-propelled lawn mower a real home run. These engines are extremely reliable and require very little maintenance other than the normal oil, air filter and spark plug changes. The engine valves will need to be adjusted when the hours accumulate, but in most cases, it doesn’t seem to affect the performance of the mower.

The deck and handle assembly is well thought out on the newer models and is very intuitive to use.

  1. Ease of Use

With only a safety bail, it makes for a pretty simple machine to operate. Other models have a blade engagement lever and speed control to match your walking speed. They are simple to set up and use immediately.

  1. Easy Starting

Most of the Honda’s that I have worked on over the years will start in one pull. Occasionally you may need to pull it twice, but if everything is working properly, they are usually a one pull start. The pull starter is smooth and doesn’t require a lot of strength to pull.

  1. Great Cut

Many models have a twin blade system and it mulches up your grass very well. Instead of 2 cutting surfaces, you now have 4 that slice and dice their way through your yard with ease.

With so many nice advantages, you should consider making a Honda self-propelled lawn mower your next mower.

Check out this great Honda self-propelled lawn mower Honda HRX217K5VKA 187cc Gas 21 in. 4-in-1 Versamow System Lawn Mower with Clip Director and MicroCut Blades 660250

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

Electric PTO Will Not Engage Blades on Riding Lawn Mower

So you pull up on the PTO knob and nothing. Nada. Not even a sound. Here are some tips that may help you get that riding lawn mower PTO working once again.

With you in the seat, turn the key one click to the on position. Now pull the PTO knob up and you should here a fairly obvious clicking sound. This is the magnet engaging the clutch plates and pulling them together. If you don’t hear anything, check for 12 volts DC at the connector that is about a foot away from the clutch. It could be beneath the chassis or above it near the starter. If you have 12 volts DC there, check the connector at the clutch to be sure it hasn’t come loose. If it hasn’t, more than likely your PTO clutch is bad and needs replaced or adjusted. Most of the time the clutch is bad so it normally is replaced.

If you do not have 12 volts DC, check your fuses to see if they are good. You should have 12 volts DC going across them as well. If they are good, you could have a bad PTO or Seat switch.

Check those switches for power and continuity to rule out why you do not have power going to the PTO clutch on your riding lawn mower.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My Riding Lawn Mower is Losing Power

There are several things to consider if your riding lawn mower is losing power.

The first is age. If your riding lawn mower is over 10 years old and is moderately used, it could begin to lose some power.

Second is the number of hours. If your riding lawn mower has over 500 hours, it could also begin to lose power.

The two scenarios above are focusing on the mowers engine wearing normally and becoming less efficient. This is part of an engine wearing out and there may not be anything wrong with it.

If neither above is true, then you have an issue that needs some troubleshooting. The first thing to do is to check for ample spark at each cylinder. If you have good spark, it’s time to move onto a compression test. Test each cylinder and you want to see a minimum of 100psi. Preferably you want to see 150psi. On twin cylinder engines, if you see a big difference between the two cylinders, you have a problem.

If you have low cylinder pressure, the second test to do is a leakdown test to determine where the air is leaking out of the engine. It can be the valves, the head gasket or the piston rings. If the leakdown results come back good, you can suspect that the intake and exhaust valves are out of adjustment. The engine could also have overheated and caused a valve guide to move towards the rocker arm and now the arm will not move the full travel and ends up bending push rods. In this case, change the cylinder head.

If air is escaping from the piston rings, then you may have a broken piston ring or they are worn out.

A lack of fuel or air can also cause your riding lawn mower to lose engine power. Check for clogged air and fuel filters or a fuel pump that is going bad. Your carburetor could also be dirty and require cleaning.

These are the main things that cause an engine to lose power and by systematically checking each one, you will be pointed in the right direction to determine the cause of your riding lawn mower losing power.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

6 Things To Check If Your Riding Lawn Mower Will Not Start

You turn the key and NOTHING. Great…looks like you are not getting much grass mowed today and now you are going to have to haul the mower to the shop or have someone come and get it!

Well….not so fast. Let’s check these 6 things to see if one of them is a simple fix that will get you mowing today.

  1. Is the PTO lever or switch in the engaged position? If so, move it to the disengaged position.
  2. Is the Clutch Pedal depressed all the way in? If not, push it until it stops.
  3. Is the mower in gear? Some riding lawn mowers will not start if they are in gear. Place it in neutral.
  4. Is the battery weak? Use a test light or voltmeter and test across the battery terminals. The test list should glow brightly and the battery should read at least 12.6 volts. Are the battery terminals tight and clean?
  5. Check the main fuse. It could be located under the hood or under the battery in the rear of the riding lawn mower.
  6. If the riding lawn mower turns over, is there fuel in the tank?

By checking those simple things you could be up and running again. Always check the easy things first and in many cases, you will find out what is causing your riding lawn mower to not start.