Simple Lawnmower Repairs

Once the growing season has ended, it is time to repair that lawnmower of yours. Depending on weather or not you store your grass cutting machine inside or outdoors, basic maintenance is always beneficial. Most lawnmowers are a two-stroke motor, which require specific oil. There should be a drain cock located towards the bottom of the oil reservoir. Loosen the nut and drain the oil into a small container. The type of spark plug your mower uses varies upon models. These are relatively easy to find at your neighborhood hardware store. Just take out your old spark plug and take it in the store with you or match up the numbers on the side of it. If your lawnmower has an electric start; I would remove the battery leads before changing the blade. You can prop the lawnmower up on some wooden blocks so you can access the blade easier. It may be necessary to lock the blade with a piece of wood so the nut can be loosened.

The more challenging procedure is cleaning the carburetor. In preparation for this procedure, make sure you have a clean working surface, and as you take the parts off, lay them in the order and directions that they would go back on. This will make reassembly simpler. The carburetor has three parts to it. First the top, this is where the choke and throttle connections are made. Secondly, you have the main portion of the carburetor the body. The third portion of the carburetor is the bowl. Make sure before you clean with carburetor cleaner that all gaskets and seals are removed otherwise the cleaner will cause them to swell. The carburetor has a float in the float bowl. As the float bowl fills with gas, the float and needle move up, releasing the gas through a jet and into your motor. Corrosion and small dirt particles block the flow of gasoline through the carburetor. Using compressed air and some carburetor cleaner, force these passages open and visually inspect them for clearance. If you want to drain the gasoline before storing, now would be a good time to do that. Instead, I would just treat the fuel with a fuel stabilizer. I would spray the machine with a rust inhibitor or a good oil penetrating liquid. Change your air filter and your maintenance is finished.

In order to achieve a smoother running, more efficient machine, the scheduling of maintenance is important. Like any motor with moving parts, the periodic service keeps them running for years. So get your green machine all tuned up and hit the trails. Happy mowing!