Resussitating a lawn mower

I have not mowed the lawn in 10 years! There I said it. No, it does not stand 10m high - it has been done by a contractor in the intervening years. But the time has come to bring mine out of moth balls and use it in anger (or, should I say, time that my young son assumed this role!).

Needless to say it needs attention. It was working perfectly before it went to sleep, but I neglected to remove the petrol, and this likely has turned to varnish inside. I have not yet looked - still have my head in the sand.

So where do I start? Any tips, short-cuts to getting it running again? As I recall (a long distant memory since it still lies beneath many other Things in the garage) it is a 4-stroke. Oh, I also have a Weedeater in the same predicament. Help there also needed. Or do I just take it off to the local service agent to do?

Regards from Perth

Derek

The diagfram ???? rubber bit in the carbi is probably shot, easier to get it serviced.

I'm no mechanic but I might be inclined to remove the cylinder head and check the bore for rust. If it looks ok then change the oil and the air filter, put some petrol in it and see if it'll start. A bit of additive in the petrol to clean the fuel circuit may be all thats required.

With the wipper snipper it might be worth removing the drive shaft and greasing it, remove carbon build up from the muffler, change spark plug, then fuel it and try for a start.

Derek,
why don't you go darkside and get yourself one of those push reel mowers, or better still (really darkside) a scythe (and a sickle for the edging). :D

Seriously though, Benny is right, the diaphragm is probably perished as is the primer bulb, possibly the plug lead and other bits as well. You could spend many a frustrating hour trying to ressurect the machines. It would be different if they hadn't been used in a few months or even a year, but ten years, that's long time.

Mick

I 'did up' an old mower a few years ago. the petrol had turned to varnish and the hoses were pretty rotten. (it is so old the petrol ratios are printed on the side in pints and gallons... well before my time!)

I think just take the chance, i was lucky as it had a steel tank on top which could be lifted off and cleaned out. replaced the hoses, filled with clean petty then pulled like buggary til the old girl remembered how to run.

give it a go and let us know how it comes up.

Hi Derek

For the mower;

Pull the tank off, flush it with new fuel making sure there is no rust/dirt/grease.

Take out the spark plug, drain the oil.

Spray wd40 into the bore through the spark plug hole. Go crazy so that everything is well and truly soaked.

Take off the valve cover. On an Over Head Cam (Honda etc) engine it will be above the cylinder near the spark plug. On a side cam (briggs n stratton) it will be on the side.

Spray the valve stems and springs liberally.

Leave it overnight to soak.

Next day slowly rotate the engine with your hand on the baseplate, watch out for the blades and redbacks ;)

As you rotate the baseplate watch and see if the valves are moving up and down.

If they are moving then squirt some new engine oil on the valve stems and put the cover back on.

Put new oil in the sump.

Two squirts of oil into the spark plug hole and then using the pull start do a dozen or so pulls to spread the oil around the bore and rings.

Have a freeloader pull on the pull starter while you put your thumb or finger over the spark plug hole to see if there is compression. Your thumb will be pushed away with the air pressure.

Put a new spark plug into the spark plug holder, place it against a bare steel part of the mower (the head is best) and have freeloader pull on the cord. You should see a blue spark.

Put new plug in hole and tighten lightly, fill up with fresh fuel, turn on fuel tap. Undo the bottom of the carburetor so that the carburettor fuel bowl can be dropped away. Fuel should flow past the fuel needle onto your hand. If no fuel tap with a spanner near the needle/seat to try to dislodge it.

If no fuel still remove the fuel float, usually a pin that goes between a couple of posts, so that you can access the needle and seat. Twist and pull until it comes out. Fuel will flow so turn off the fuel. Clean the needle with fine abrasive paper very lightly to remove muck (usually some oxidation)

Put back together, turn fuel on and give it a try.

If you have to pull more than say twenty times there is something wrong and more pulling wont help.

A couple of things -

4 strokes that are stored often have a problem with stuck valves. This happens where a steel valve is in an alloy casing. Yo may have to take the head off so that you can lightly tap the valve back in to loosen.

A yellow/orange or very pale spark can be the result of rust on the magneto which is the big round thing with fan blades on it. Take the case off the motor and put a thin piece of wet and dry between the round thing and the magneto that sits close to it. Get rid of any dust. Dont undo it to clean as they need to be adjusted correctly.

Good luck!

The brushcutter;

Drain fuel, new plug, new fuel and thats about it.

Most brushcutters dont have a fuel bowl as such so there should not be a problem there.

If it doesnt start with this stuff take her to a hospital. Brushcutters are :mad: of things.

cheers

dazzler

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give it a go and let us know how it comes up.

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And besides, if you take it to the repair shop your Blokliness quotient would take a major hit on top of the damage already done by getting a chap in to do your lawns for the past 10 years.:eek::D

Derek, personally, unless you like to get your hands all greesy and like to tinker, I'd get someone else to do it, or just buy a new one........ sounds like a lot of frustration with little results. But I don't knooow. Goodluck.

:) So, having a scythe and an old push reel mower in the shed is Darkside?, Ok, count me in :D
Only one of them is sharp though :mad:

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Originally Posted by bennylaird

The diagfram ???? rubber bit in the carbi is probably shot, easier to get it serviced.

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Sage words. If you've neglected it for this long, take it to a service guy. He'll know all the bit that have degraded. You also have the potential to be a long-term customer so maybe you should push that barrow as well.:D

If it's a Briggs do as Dazzler said. If it is a rice burner, dump it.

I agree with dazzler.

I would also use premium fuel. In my experience, the normal fuel has a reputation for perishing components of small engines over time.

Good luck,

Buzzer.

OK, here's what I did ...........

Life is too short to spend woodworking time resussitating a lawn mower. I took it to a pro.

Thanks for all the replies

Regards from Perth

Derek

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Originally Posted by derekcohen

OK, here's what I did ...........

Life is too short to spend woodworking time resussitating a lawn mower. I took it to a pro.

Thanks for all the replies

Regards from Perth

Derek

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Derek the scaredicat
:p

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Derek the scaredicat :p

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Dazzler

Mmmmmmm? I don't mind a day of tinkering with the motor of my Porsche 356 (1957 "A" Coupe). I have 8 years invested in a total restoration. I spent one winter under the car (on blocks) grinding off every vestige of corrosion and rust - THAT had to be the worse job I have ever done. In spite of masks, etc dust and grime got into every crevice in my face, hair and body.

Perhaps we should turn this into a thread that starts "things I would not do instead of woodworking .." :D

Regards from Perth

Derek