Heading out on a Sunday morning to mow the garden is good, particularly when the mower solely takes one or two pulls to start out. Nonetheless, mowing loses all its enjoyable when the mower acts up and dies proper after beginning. So, in case you’re one of many unfortunate ones with a garden mower that begins after which dies immediately, you’ll have to head again to the shed and seize some instruments to get the mower fastened.
Why is My Mower Beginning Then Dying? (The Quick Reply)
A garden mower that begins however received’t keep working might face a number of mechanical issues. Listed below are 4 widespread causes which may be the supply of the issue.
- Soiled Carburetor
- Clogged Gasoline System
- Dangerous Gasoline
- Faulty/Soiled Spark Plug
Verify These 7 Issues If Your Garden Mower Begins Then Dies
So earlier than you ditch the garden mower for a brand new one or pay for an costly restore, let’s check out what you are able to do. Listed below are seven issues to examine that might be the basis causes of your garden mower troubles.
Blocked Carburetor Jet & Gasoline Float
The carburetor is likely one of the first locations I look at any time when my push mower begins after which dies. If the carburetor jet or float turns into clogged or jammed, the engine rapidly turns into gasoline starved. That is why the engine will stall straight after it has fired up. So, seize your self a small socket wrench and take away the bolt holding the carburetor’s gasoline cup to the carburetor.
When you take away the cup, you’ll have the ability to see if the gasoline float can transfer freely or if it’s jammed. If it doesn’t transfer freely, you then’ll know why the gasoline is being starved and inflicting the engine to stall.
Subsequent, you’ll want to examine the jet. In some instances, the bolt you eliminated that holds the gasoline cup on is definitely the jet. That is widespread for engines equivalent to Briggs & Straton. You’ll often discover the jet centered between the gasoline float for different carburetors. When you’ve got a screwdriver at hand, it’s best to simply have the ability to unscrew the gasoline jet.
With both sort of jet, upon getting it eliminated, you’ll must look to see whether it is blocked or not. I like to carry it as much as the sunshine to see if I can see by means of the tiny jet gap. Should you can’t, you’ll have discovered why your garden mower received’t keep working.
Clogged-Up Gasoline System
Clogged gasoline programs are extra widespread than you’ll suppose. The gasoline programs can rapidly turn into clogged when you have a dusty and sandy yard. Additionally, in case you enable particles, like grass clippings, to get into the gasoline tank, you’ll discover your gasoline system will get clogged faster than it ought to.
So, if the garden mower runs and dies, you’ll need to examine the next gasoline system components.
- Gasoline Filter
- Gasoline Pump
- Gasoline Line
Checking the Gasoline Filter
The gasoline filter is the very first thing I like to check within the gasoline system. A number of the time, these are see-through components that may be inspected in a couple of seconds. When you’ve got a clear gasoline filter, then examine it to see if it appears to be like discolored or has particles inside.
You’ll must take away these that aren’t clear and provides the influx facet a faucet on a tough floor, like a workbench. Should you discover that particles or grime comes out of the filter, you then’ll greater than doubtless have to vary out the filter.
Checking the Gasoline Pump
The quickest approach to check the pump is to disconnect the gasoline line from the carburetor. The gasoline line is the road between the gasoline pump and the carburetor. Then, place the indifferent line right into a small container, like a cup, and provides the engine a pull.
When you pull the starter wire, the engine prompts the gasoline pump. If all the things works because it ought to, then gasoline ought to steadily move from the indifferent gasoline line. If it doesn’t, then you’ve got identified a problem between the gasoline tank and the pump.
Checking for Clogged Gasoline Strains
Clogged gasoline traces are often brought on by particles stepping into the tank after which into the gasoline line. One protection you’ve got is the gasoline filter, which doesn’t cease blockages within the gasoline line earlier than the filter.
So, in case you disconnect the gasoline filter from the gasoline line going to the gasoline tank, gasoline ought to move freely out of the road. If it doesn’t, you may have discovered the reason for the difficulty. Changing the affected gasoline line in your mower might be the answer.
Checking if Your Gasoline is Dangerous
Dangerous gasoline is quite a bit much less flamable than contemporary gasoline. Should you handle to get an engine working with dangerous gasoline, it’s both going to chop out fairly rapidly or run poorly. Often, it’s going to chop out rapidly. What about different signs of dangerous gasoline in a garden mower? A fast visible inspection is what I love to do to positively inform if that is the difficulty.
Seize your self two small clear containers and a plastic syringe. Use the syringe to suck out some gasoline from the garden mower’s gasoline tank and place it into one of many cups. Then place some contemporary gasoline into the second cup. If the gasoline from the garden mower’s tank is a darker shade, extra yellow or brown, then it means the gasoline has gone dangerous, and you could get it eliminated.
Drawback with the Spark Plug
An intermittent spark is a standard symptom of a foul or soiled spark plug. Which means the spark can’t be produced precisely to ignite the vaporized gasoline within the cylinder head. The engine will stall if the spark isn’t produced on the proper time and with the correct sized spark.
Utilizing an inline plug tester is the quickest, most secure, and most correct approach to examine a garden mower spark plug. This small inline machine tells you if the plug is working appropriately. I don’t actually advocate simply trying on the finish of the spark plug for a spark, as this doesn’t provide you with an entire image. So, in case you don’t have already got a tester, I’d advocate grabbing your self one.
Find out how to Repair a Mower that Gained’t Keep Working (My Favourite Suggestions and Methods)
Should you’ve discovered why your garden mower begins after which dies from my listing of causes, you then subsequent must know the right way to repair the issue. Let’s take a better take a look at the right way to restore every merchandise on the listing and what instruments you’ll must get the job finished.
Unblocking a Carburetor Jet
Inspecting a carburetor jet requires you to finish half of the work of getting it clear. Eradicating the jet is half of the job. After getting the jet in hand, you’ll be able to both attempt to clear it or just change the half.
To wash it, all you could do is take away the blockage after which clear it. I discover all you could use is a wire sufficiently small to go by means of the outlet within the jet. Poke the wire by means of the outlet within the jet and push out any blockage.
Additionally, blockages aren’t all the time bits of particles. Jets can get blocked by gasoline that has gummed up and cut back the dimensions of the outlet. So, seize some carburetor cleaner and provides the jet a very good spray. As soon as the cleaner has labored its approach into the grime, use the wire to reopen the jet’s gap.
After you end, you’ll be able to put the carburetor again collectively and take a look at the engine.
Instruments Wanted to Unblock a Carburetor Jet
- Skinny Wire
- Carburetor Cleansing Spray
Unblocking a Gasoline Float
Once more, inspecting the float is half the job. As soon as it’s uncovered, raise the float up and down a couple of occasions and free it up. A tiny piece of grit is sufficient to create an issue with the gasoline float, and lifting it up and down could be sufficient to repair it.
Should you discover that the float is stiff and received’t transfer, then spraying it with a carburetor cleaner must be sufficient to unencumber the motion. As soon as it strikes freely, the carburetor could be put again collectively and examined.
Instruments Wanted to Unblock a Gasoline Float
Altering the Gasoline Filter
A very powerful factor about altering a gasoline filter is utilizing the proper alternative. Gasoline filters are particular to the engine and the gasoline move price. Should you use the flawed one, you’ll in all probability find yourself with the identical drawback you began with—the garden mower begins after which dies due to the wrong gasoline move.
So, take a set of needle nostril pliers and take away the clips holding the gasoline line in place on the gasoline filter. Then, take away the gasoline traces from each ends of the filter.
Subsequent, connect the gasoline line to your new gasoline filter and reposition the spring clips utilizing your pliers. While you’re putting in the brand new filter, you should definitely set up it the proper approach. An arrow on the facet ought to point out the route of the gasoline move.
Instruments & Components Wanted to Change a Gasoline Filter
- Alternative Gasoline Filter
- Needle Nostril Pliers
Changing the Gasoline Pump
When you’ve got found that your gasoline pump is appearing up and received’t pump because it ought to, you then’ll want to switch it. Verify all the opposite objects on the gasoline system first to ensure it’s not one thing else inflicting the pump to have an issue.
When you find yourself assured that the pump is at fault, you’ll must take away it and set up a brand new one. So, begin by switching off the gasoline and seize your pliers. As soon as the gasoline is off, take your needle nostril pliers and take away the spring clips holding the gasoline line to the pump. On ride-on garden mowers, you’ll discover three traces.
- Gasoline Line Between Pump & Carburetor
- Gasoline Line Between Pump & Gasoline Filter
- Line Between Pump & Overhead Valve
So, when the spring clips are eliminated, you’ll must then take away the three traces. Subsequent, take away the bolts holding the gasoline pump onto the engine. Often, on the larger garden mowers, you’ll discover two bolts. A small socket wrench ought to do the trick to take away the bolts.
As soon as these bolts are eliminated, the pump will likely be indifferent from the engine. Now it’s time to put in the brand new pump. All you do is reverse the method. Place the pump on the engine, set up the bolts, set up the road, and reclip the traces.
As soon as all that is accomplished, you can provide the engine a strive. It’s going to take a minute to start out the engine because the gasoline system won’t have any gasoline in it. Simply bear in mind to modify the gasoline again on.
Instruments & Components Wanted to Change a Gasoline Pump
- New Gasoline Pump
- Needle Nostril Pliers
- Small Socket Wrench Set
Unclogging the Gasoline Strains
Should you discover {that a} gasoline line is blocked, you’ll want to determine how and why. A gasoline line that’s blocked by outdated gasoline gumming the road will greater than doubtless should be changed. But when your traces are blocked with particles, then a pipe cleaner must be sufficient to get gasoline flowing once more.
So, take a pair of pliers and take away the spring clips holding the pipe in place. As soon as the clips are out of the way in which, the road ought to come unfastened.
Subsequent, poke a pipe cleaner by means of the gasoline line. Something that was caught within the line must be dislodged pretty simply. After getting the pipe cleared, it may well then be reinstalled on the garden mower with the clips repositioned.
Instruments & Components Wanted to Unblock a Gasoline Line
Eradicating the Dangerous Gasoline
When you’ve got carried out a gasoline check and located that the gasoline within the mower is dangerous, you then’ll want a approach to take away it from the mower. However don’t fear – fixing a foul gasoline drawback with a garden mower is often simple.
Some small mowers could be tipped over, and the gasoline poured out. With two individuals, it is a fairly straightforward job. When you’ve got a much bigger garden mower that’s too heavy to tip, you then’re going to have to make use of a siphon or a pump to empty the gasoline out of your mower.
To siphon or pump out the gasoline out of your garden mower, place the influx finish of the siphon/pump into the garden mower’s gasoline tank and the outflow finish right into a spare gasoline can.
To switch the gasoline, you simply must activate the pump or begin the siphoning course of. As soon as the gasoline has been utterly drained, you’ll be able to fill the tank with contemporary gasoline and strike up the garden mower. It’s going to take a couple of pulls to flush out the outdated gasoline and get the brand new gasoline by means of the gasoline system, so anticipate a number of pulls to get the engine began up.
The two foremost issues to recollect are that the pump/siphon must be appropriate for gasoline switch and that you could get rid of the dangerous gasoline safely.
Instruments & Components Wanted to Drain/Siphon Dangerous Gasoline
- Siphon/Pump
- Spare Gasoline Tank
Altering out the Spark Plug
The spark plug is final on my listing of potential causes your garden mower begins after which dies. You’ll first must get a brand new spark plug and a plug wrench to vary the spark plug. It solely takes a couple of minutes to vary out a spark plug upon getting all the required supplies.
First, take away the ignition cable from the top of the spark plug and tuck it out of the way in which. Then, take your plug wrench and take away the spark plug. Subsequent, place the brand new spark plug into the engine and tighten it in place utilizing your fingers.
As soon as the plug is finger-tight, change to your spark plug wrench and end tightening. Simply watch out to not tighten the plug an excessive amount of. As soon as the plug is put in, change the ignition cable and provides the engine a check.
Instruments & Components Wanted to Change a Sparkplug
- New Spark Plug
- Plug Wrench
If None of These Fixes Assist…
There comes a time that repairs are past what we will obtain in our garages and sheds. A number of the points can require alternative components, equivalent to a brand new carburetor, which for lots of people, is just too huge of a job to tackle. Earlier than you guide any work at a restore store, I recommend you analysis the prices. Components and labor for repairs can mount up and generally get near what it prices to switch the garden mower with a brand new one.