Gas is Leaking From Air Filter on My Mower

Are you seeing gas pouring out of the air filter area on your lawn mowers engine? When you remove the air filter is it soaking wet with gas?

This is a common problem when a lawn mower sits for a long time such as over the winter. Some lawn mowers have a shutoff valve that allows you to turn off the gas and not let the weight of the gas overcome the needle and seat in the carburetor. A needle is the size of a pencil lead and it has to force itself down on the seat to seal off the gas from coming through the carburetor and flooding the engine.

If the needle and seat becomes dirty or gummed up with fuel residue, gasoline will begin to seep past it and come out the throat of the carburetor and thus into the air filter. It will continue until the gas tank is empty and could cause a fire in your garage or shed.

This problem is a safety concern and should be inspected and repaired by a small engine repair shop. You can find one near you by visiting our Locations page.

My Lawn Mower is Leaking Gas From The Air Filter

If any gas is leaking from your lawn mower, that is a safety hazard. The fumes can ignite from a hot exhaust  and cause a fire. When you have a gas leak, it is best to get it addressed by a lawn mower repair professional immediately.

Many times the cause of this leak is the needle and seat in the carburetor is not sealing. The weight of the gas from the tank is sitting on the needle which is the size of a sharpened pencil lead. If there is any buildup of oxidation on it, it will begin to leak. It could leak out slowly or it could come out gushing and empty the tank quickly.

Garage fires have been caused by leaking lawn mowers, so be careful about paying attention to the top of your mower on a push or self-propelled and on the floor if it is a rider or zero turn.

The carburetor will need to be disassembled and cleaned or replaced if the fuel oxidation is too bad.

If you need lawn mower repair, visit our Locations page for a shop near you.

Gas is Leaking From The Air Filter on my Lawn Mower

When your lawn mower sits for a while, this can happen and fuel will either spill all over the floor or will end up inside the engine crankcase.

As the fuel in the carburetor begins to degrade and breakdown over time, it can cause the seal of the needle and seat to lose its seal. When this happens, fuel from the tank will seep through the carburetor and overflow the float bowl.

The fuel then will flow out the throat of the carburetor and through the air filter and then you will see it dripping from the air box cover.

In cases like this, the carburetor will need to be cleaned, the oil changed and the air filter as well. You may also have to remove all the fuel from the fuel tank and replace with fresh fuel.

If you need help with this problem, our Locations pages has lawn mower repair companies that can clean the carburetor, change the oil and air filter and get your lawn mower working as it should once again.

Leaking fuel can cause a fire and should not be operated until the source of the problem has been corrected.

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.