Current Events > alright wtf did i do to my lawnmower

(+) Yeah! (+)

gassed up a little bit, turned it on, mowed most of the yard. engine straight up died towards the end. didn't really surprise me, i figured i didnt pour enough gas in. let it cool down and gassed up a good amount.

however, now it just wont start.

i will say, a little gas did get in the area around the top. is it possible that dripped in and flooded the engine or something? (tried after letting it cool/dry/etc for a while of course)

i let it sit for a while. try to start it and it gets close to turning on all the way. try 1-2 more times after that and it just doesn't even make a sound or any sort of indication that it's trying to fire.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

it's oldish but it's a hand-me-down from my girlfriend's dad. he refurbed it from top to bottom, which im thinking includes spark plugs, but not sure. it got through the whole yard last week and most of this week with no issue until now

Play with the spark plug connection then see if it's burned/broken.

Next, open the air filter and make sure it's dry and clean.

Does it even try to turn over?

modena posted...

Does it even try to turn over?

when i let it sit for longer, it does try and sounds like it gets close-ish. but when i try once or twice more immediately after that, it doesnt even try.

Is your engine flooded? Like you put in too much fuel and primed it too much.

If so, gotta wait half hour until enough evaporates before starting it agai

-Kicksave- posted...

Is your engine flooded? Like you put in too much fuel and primed it too much.

this is what im thinking/hoping. i probably overcompensated with the gas-up so it would be ready to go next time around without needing fuel.

ill give it a few hours and try again this evening.

hoping it's not the spark plug because otherwise gf's dad's gotta come back because this shit is so out of my league (and i say that knowing how easy it actually is)

Also try cleaning out the Carburetor Float Bowl. I've had that be an issue before. What kind of mower is it?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


This, your carb is probably dry from running out of gas

If your lazy like me, grab some starting fluid and squirt in the air intake and fire it up unless it has a rubber bulb you can press to just prime it like intended

Friends,

short answer, I do not know.

Long answer, I do not know, but this is why I HATE engines. I got a battery powered weed wacker, its not as tough, but no engine or gas mix to worry about.

with that said, you might need to LEARN about engines. it seems like you will be around them for years still . Good skills to have.

Was the gas you used fresh?

My first thought was air filter. Did we get word on the air filter?

TheGoldenEel posted...

Was the gas you used fresh?

i got it from holiday earlier today so as long as it was fresh from there then yeah it's fresh
NeoShadowhen posted...

My first thought was air filter. Did we get word on the air filter?

i gotta get back there and look at it (but first figure out what that is and where it is)

TC died. Probably from explosion

TaylorHeinicke posted...

when i let it sit for longer, it does try and sounds like it gets close-ish. but when i try once or twice more immediately after that, it doesnt even try.

I'm late to reply,I was driving. But it does sound like a fuel/air mixture. Let it sit, and forget about it. Next time add some new fuel and be sure to properly prime it. I have some chainsaws that are moody AF about that.

drclaeys posted...

short answer, I do not know.

at least your honest about it.
+ points for being honest.

i was going to suggest when person gets the lawnmower working again. should mow the lawn at 3am to annoy everybody.

Battery

PoopPotato posted...

Battery

Mine is a self propelled and I've never replaced/hooked up the battery.

I'm assuming TCs is a push mower from the sounds of things since they never clarified.

Oh, I was assuming riding

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Yeah I had this thought too. A lot of old mowers are two stroke and need oil too

fuel/spark/air

usually one of these three if an engine isn't starting. did you change oil? old gas? do you have to mix your gas for this mower?

drclaeys posted...

Friends,

short answer, I do not know.

Long answer, I do not know, but this is why I HATE engines. I got a battery powered weed wacker, its not as tough, but no engine or gas mix to worry about.

with that said, you might need to LEARN about engines. it seems like you will be around them for years still . Good skills to have.

most hardware stores have a small engine repair area in the back where they will fix your mower/snowblower and it's usually not that expensive

Ditch it and get a Battery Power Mower if you can.
I got sick of fixing my mower each year.

That is not an issue with the Mower I have now.
Mine is a Greenworks.

You gotta gently tap it on the top of the engine and call it a good boy and say you believe in it.

Then you grab the cord with one hand with the other on the handlebar, and push it away as hard as you can while also pulling the cord as hard as you can at the exact same time.

Works 80% of the time every time.

but if all else fails buy a robot mower and never worry about it again. One of my neighbors has one, its like a Roomba for your yard. It cuts the grass every two or three days.

two of my neighbors (both of whom know wtf they're doing) came over and both finagled with it. they checked all the stuff. air filter, cleaned the spark plug, got as far as they could without opening up the carborator basically, and neither could get it to work.

best they could diagnose was something to do with a loose choke cord or something like that. got closer to turning over but no dice.

gonna wait for gf's dad to come up next week smh

TaylorHeinicke posted...

two of my neighbors (both of whom know wtf they're doing) came over and both finagled with it. they checked all the stuff. air filter, cleaned the spark plug, got as far as they could without opening up the carborator basically, and neither could get it to work.

best they could diagnose was something to do with a loose choke cord or something like that. got closer to turning over but no dice.

gonna wait for gf's dad to come up next week smh

Fuck all that shit.

Get a fucking Greenworks...or something comparable.

SiO4 posted...

Fuck all that shit.

Get a fucking Greenworks...or something comparable.

trust me, that was the original plan. but my girlfriend's dad wanted to give this to us for housewarming

(and he's not the type of guy who would just pawn dead shit off -- he cleaned it, changed the oil, fixed the spark plugs, sharpened the blades, everything)

so i just didnt want to refuse that... but if he comes over and can't fix it then problem solved

TaylorHeinicke posted...

trust me, that was the original plan. but my girlfriend's dad wanted to give this to us for housewarming

(and he's not the type of guy who would just pawn dead shit off -- he cleaned it, changed the oil, fixed the spark plugs, sharpened the blades, everything)

so i just didnt want to refuse that... but if he comes over and can't fix it then problem solved

SiO4 posted...

Fuck all that shit.

Tell him you found it in a ditch or some shit.