Push Mower Keeps Dying Wait a Minuete and Dies Again

Ahhh…the smell of fresh-cutting grass. There'south actually aught like it. However, it's pretty frustrating to exist all set up to tackle those tall green blades only to take your mower burn upwards and and so sputter out. If your lawn mower starts then dies, you want a quick answer about what'southward to blame, and what to do to fix it. I'll share the four most mutual causes to this mower problem and what you need to do to address each.

When your mower starts and so dies it tin feel like you're lonely, but this trouble is more mutual than you might think, and the fix tin can be an like shooting fish in a barrel one.

Let'due south take a look at the iv virtually mutual reasons backside that false commencement and how to ready them.

Causes for Lawn Mower Starting then Dying

If your lawn mower starts, runs briefly, then dies these are the iv about mutual reasons that'due south happening:

• Dingy carburetor / clogged carburetor basin
• Onetime gasoline that has gone bad
• Dingy or defective spark plugs
• Besides much oil in your resevoir

Beneath I'll become into each potential problem, why information technology tin can result in a mower that starts then dies, and what you should do to set it.

Dingy Carburetor or Clogged Carburetor Bowl

When your lawn mower starts then dies, your carburetor is most likely involved somehow.

Call back about information technology. If you live in a northern region, your mower sits all winter … waiting months without any activity.

And, if you live in a more temperate zone, your mower works hard year-effectually.

In both cases, your carburetor is going to demand a little TLC.

What's and so important about the carburetor?

Your engine needs a steady menstruation of gasoline to run correctly. The carburetor is responsible for mixing gas with just the correct amount of oxygen to create combustion.

This combustion supplies a continuous rotation of the crankshaft that is necessary to run the mower'southward engine.

If your carburetor is dirty or the carburetor bowl is chock-full, the procedure above is compromised, and your engine may start up, merely it volition not run properly and may die shortly later you pull the cord.

How do I prepare information technology?

Your muddy carburetor needs a expert blowout with an aerosol can of carburetor cleaner. This will toll you less than $10 and will final for a season or two. I use the WD-forty Specialist Fast Acting Carb/Throttle Body Parts Cleaner (Amazon link). This cleaner uses a solvent formula to breakup carbon contaminants, leaving your carburetor make clean and mucilage-free. I give my mower a shot of that every time a mow, right before pulling the cord, and recommend that you do the aforementioned.

The only drawback to this particular cleaner is it does not have a straw for targeted spraying. If you need a more than precise application, Gumout makes a cleaner (Amazon link) that will do the trick with its jet spray applicator.

You can purchase either product locally, or online.

Now for the procedure.

Unscrew the carburetor bowl and give it a in one case over with the cleaner. Be sure to clean the screw and pigsty with the carburetor cleaner besides. This is where the directional spraying straw is peculiarly handy. When reattaching the bowl, don't over-tighten the screw. This could strip the threads plenty to distort the seal.

What I Practice

For carb maintenance, give a light spray near the air intake pigsty for your mower's engine only before you showtime it up. This is typically just behind the air filter. Remove the filter, requite the hole a spray, so supplant the filter.

When you get-go the mower, it'll be pulled into the engine and clean deposits in your carb.

Old Gasoline in Your Mower

You know your mower tin't run without gasoline, only the quality of the gas is equally of import.

If the gas in your mower has been sitting inactive for a while, evaporation has most likely created a damaging residue.

This residue leaves particles that clog your mower'due south internal parts.

The end result is restricted gas catamenia, which means your mower can first and dice shortly thereafter. Sometimes, your mower won't start at all.

How do I fix it?

If your mower tank is less than one-half full of former gas, you might effort adding new gas to dilute the impurities. If the old gas is more than half of a tank, it would exist best to siphon information technology out and fill the tank with fresh gasoline.

In both cases, adding a stabilizer such as Sta-bil Fuel System Stabilizer (Amazon link) is a smart idea. Stabilizers prevent the bottleneck residue for up to two years, and at effectually $ten a canteen, they are an inexpensive additive that tin go along your mower running like a champ.

Ever read the directions to know the proper fuel to stabilizer ratio for your mower.

What I Practise

I used to mix Sta-bil into my fuel, but now I only pay a piddling actress for four-bicycle TruFuel – an ethanol gratuitous gas product that tin can sit for years without going bad.

It'due south more expensive than regular gas mixed with Sta-bil, simply a couple of larger cans volition get my Honda cocky-propelled mower (this one from Dwelling house Depot if you're curious) through the mowing flavour up here in New England, and I like the peace of mind that comes with knowing my mower and snow blower always start on the showtime pull, and I don't take to worry most bad gas giving me bug when I'm fix to mow or demand to clear the driveway.

Y'all tin can buy it online, or locally at Home Depot or some local hardware stores.

Dirty or Defective Spark Plugs

Spark plugs supply the "spark" that ignites the air/fuel mixture in your engine.

This pocket-size explosion makes your engine produce ability.

The spark plugs are an essential component of your mower'due south ignition organisation. If they are dirty or faulty, they will not spark, and your mower will not outset, or may start and then quickly die.

How do I fix it?

Your mower's spark plug(s) are like shooting fish in a barrel to find. In near walk-behind mowers they're covered with a black cablevision and right in the front end of your mower.

You'll need a socket wrench of the right size to remove your plug (check your manual to discover the correct size for your mower/spark plug).

If your spark plugs are not besides heavily coated with build-up, y'all can endeavor cleaning them. You should never clean a spark plug with a shot-blasting cleaner. A wire castor and appropriate cleaner volition do the trick if the plug is just muddy.

However, if your mower's spark plug looks filthy or appears to have a dark carbon balance, yous might exist better off replacing.

This is an easy job and information technology'south inexpensive – a new spark plug with be $8-nine and your size is probably available locally.

What I Exercise

Spark plugs should be replaced every year or two for problem-free mowing, and I exercise mine annually every bit part of my spring mower maintenance.

I get a new air filter and change the oil in my mower at the aforementioned fourth dimension. This runs me about $20 full, takes me nearly fifteen minutes, and keeps my mower in perfect working condition.

Replacing Your Spark Plug

Removing your spark plug is an easy task anyone can do. Simply unhook the spark plug wire and remove the old plug with a spark plug socket.

Replacing a spark plug tin be a flake more than challenging for a offset-timer, but I still consider it an easy job.

Employ a spark plug estimate to measure the gap between the two electrodes at the tip of your spark plug. Check for the specifications for your model to know the recommended size of the gap.

If necessary, use a spark plug approximate to adjust the gap by gently bending the curved electrode. When the gap is correct, the guess will drag a scrap as you pull it through the gap.

At present yous tin can install the new plug and attach the spark plug lead. Be conscientious not to over-tighten on installation.

If you accept never done this before, there are several videos online that can be of peachy assist, simply my advice is that as shortly as it starts to feel snug, requite it no more than another quarter turn to prevent impairment.

Too Much Oil in the Mower's Reservoir

If your carburetor is clean and the spark plugs are firing, the problem might exist too much oil.

I believe it's human nature to want to over-fill a backyard mower'south oil reservoir, peculiarly if you're not specially handy. You experience so accomplished that we're doing the task yourself that you go overboard and over-fill the tank.

Information technology happens, and it's not the end of the globe (or your mower).

White smoke coming out of the engine is a tell-tale sign that excessive oil is the culprit.

If a lot of smoke is coming out, your mower might exist running, just non for long. In this case, the excess oil volition eventually drown out the engine and cause information technology to die.

How do I prepare it?

This is actually an easy fix. If you have besides much oil, y'all simply need to drain some. You can apply a siphon, or (if yous accept a walk-behind mower) you lot can tip your mower and drain the oil from the hole where yous add together information technology.

What I Do

I'm guilty of overfilling the oil tank sometimes too, then I've learned to go deadening when I add oil. I cheque, and check again with the dipstick and gradually bring the level up to the proper identify.

If yous have overfilled your oil tank, I advise that you use a dipstick to measure the amount of oil in the reservoir before removing it, and then again later on to make sure you get the right level.

Not enough oil is another (and more serious) trouble, and you lot would not want to inadvertently merchandise one issue for another.

After draining some oil and checking to see if you have an adequate amount, start the mower again.

If the mower fires and stays running without the billowing puffs of white smoke, you lot have corrected your trouble.

Backyard Mower Starts Then Dies: When it's Fourth dimension to Call a Professional person

If y'all have tested all of the methods I've shared for fixing your lawn mower that starts and and then dies, hopefully your problem is solved.

Merely if not, it might exist time to throw in the shop towel and call a professional.

The post-obit are other bug that could be keeping your mower from running properly.

More than Serious Reasons Your Lawn Mower Starts Then Dies

1. Worn out carburetor:  If your carburetor is more than than muddied, it might be time to replace it.
2. Faulty asphyxiate: Unless y'all are extremely handy, identifying this problem and restoring the delicate residue necessary to get your engine purring like a kitten is another outcome for the experts.
3. Gas tank or gas line blockage: Anytime your gasoline is not getting to the engine, your mower volition not run properly. A blockage of any kind that prevents the constant flow of gas is a trouble that might take a trained eye to identify and fix.

The boilerplate weekend warrior with limited knowledge on the matter will probably feel more comfy hiring someone with the feel and the tools to get the job done right.

I recommend that you showtime past checking your mower's warranty. If it's covered, a repair may non toll you anything. Some companies volition transport someone right to your home, or come to pick up your mower to save you lot time.

If your mower isn't covered by warranty, find a local small-engine repair shop that has good reviews. These guys tin can gear up most anything, and their prices are typically lower than you'd look.

Preventing Mower Problems

The best way to ensure your mower volition fire upwardly and run like a gnaw is to put preventative measures in identify.

I have tips for winterizing your mower, and a jump maintenance checklist that y'all can check out if yous'd like to learn more.

To summarize those here, nonetheless:

1. Clean your air filter regularly (replace it annually).
2. Change your spark plugs every 1-2 years.
3. Proceed stored oil and gasoline clean. Use a stabilizer in your gas to keep information technology fresh for up to two years, or pay actress for 4-cycle TruFuel.
4. Keep your engine clean with an engine degreaser.
5. Use the dipstick and don't overfill your oil reservoir.
6. Keep your carburetor clean with a carburetor cleaner spray.

Performing regular maintenance on your mower is the best mode to keep information technology running smoothly, and investing a few bucks per twelvemonth in this is worth information technology.

You'll avert headaches, repair costs, and your mower will last a long time, starting correct up when you need information technology.

If you lot do encounter a problem with your lawn mower, decide if you lot are comfortable with trying to fix it yourself.

If the consequence seems to be something beyond the nuts, don't hesitate to phone call a professional. In that location's no shame in this, and sometimes do-it-yourself repairs are merely not worth the time, free energy, or frustration.

Only if yous are upwardly for the challenge of fixing the problem yourself, the above guidelines provide a good starting place, and online videos may likewise be useful. I remember YouTube is a slap-up resource.

The master matter is that you get your mower fixed so you tin go out in that location and make your lawn the envy of the neighborhood.

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