The Lawnmower Thread

[Ship Wreck PE]

Sounds like your jets are stopped up. You need to disassemble the bottom of carb and poke small wire thru holes. Cutting torch tip cleaners work well or pull a wire out of wire brush.

 

[jeb6294]

A lot of times the fuel filter is nothing more than a small filter in the tank stuck on the end of the fuel line. 

Mine still runs but I have to leave the choke on. I took the carb off to clean it and didn't have a new gasket so I had to re-use the old one. I believe mine is getting enough air through the crappy gasket that it needs to be choked. Might want to check the gasket if you're taking the carb off to clean it.

 

[DuckFlats]

If you have trouble finding the right gasket, there is a liquid gasket you can buy. Just make sure to use gasket remover to get all that old crap off. I used it on my boat motor and it worked fine.

 

[Road Guy]

so got an email from my 16 year old, said he "flushed" the carb with the garden hose and now its working fine!  ? :huh:

 

[matt267 PE]

so got an email from my 16 year old, said he "flushed" the carb with the garden hose and now its working fine!  ? :huh:

nice....

 

[DuckFlats]

so got an email from my 16 year old, said he "flushed" the carb with the garden hose and now its working fine!  ? :huh:

Was the garden hose full of acetone?

 

[Road Guy]

he was trying to fix while I was at work, guess hitting it with the hose from the outside worked for one lawn, then went back to not working as well..

 before I got home he had researched how to clean the carb on "youtube" and took it apart, then left to go to a friends house without putting it back together again!

So now its still sitting in little buckets inside the garage, not many pieces, but I guess this is a good learning experience for him..

 

[knight1fox3]

I remember our lawnmower project in shop class. To completely dismantle and re-assemble.  It was fun and definitely a good learning experience.

 

[DuckFlats]

I remember our lawnmower project in shop class. To completely dismantle and re-assemble.  It was fun and definitely a good learning experience.

I wish they required that type of stuff when I had shop class. I was lucky to have my dad teach me some basics, along with trial and error on my own. I'd be surprised if half the people my age could even figure out how to start a mower...

 

[Road Guy]

They just call someone to mow their lawns probably...

My kids middle school had wood shop- supposedly it was the last one in the state, but they all really enjoyed it...when the teacher retires they are no longer going to offer it...

My older son has gotten more interested since he has been driving... I had him change the oil and will do the plugs before winter...

His car battery died last week while I was at work and he was able to figure out how to replace that on his own. I was a little impressed...

 

[Ship Wreck PE]

Send pic of broken down carb

 

[Ble_PE]

Send pic of broken down carb

Dude, keep your fetishes to yourself.

 

[Dleg]

I've got a carburetor sitting on my workbench now, waiting for me to clean it.  It's from a used 4-stroke Troybilt weedeater I bought recently from a friend who was moving away.  The gas tank had a bunch of dirt in it, maybe from the filter on the end of the hose, which looked like it had rusted away (??) and then just broke off the plastic fuel hose. I'm going to try to find another, but in the mean time I figured it would be fun to take apart the carburetor, in the name of thoroughly cleaning it.

 

[Road Guy]

well we both took the carb apart a few times and no dice.. just said to hell with it and bought a ******* Honda (I am sorry Grandfather).....

Haven't used the Home Depot no interest if you pay it off in a year card yet so I got the $599 one with the fuel shut off and the electric start..

our POS Toro was on its 3rd year and for the last 4 months my son has been mowing 10-12 yards a week, maybe that is just the life expectancy  of one of those..

I made jr kick in $100 bucks since he is the one that pushed it to an early grave..

 

[MA_PE]

I have not had luck rebuilding carbs for small motors.  A new carb bolt on is like $50 so I just replace the whole thing.

 

[Supe]

Just pulled the trigger on an Echo SRM 225 weed whacker.  We'll see how it does.  Husqvarna lasted 6 years, but won't idle/go WOT anymore.  Carb is fouled, primer bulb is toast, clutch is sticking, and I HATE the small line and ****** bump feed on it.  .095" line with easy spool bump head, here I come!

 

[kevo_55]

Damn, that thing could take out an arm!!

 

[Supe]

Damn, that thing could take out an arm!!

The one I have now uses .080 line, and I HATE it.  My property has an aluminum wrought iron-looking fence, and the fence posts destroy the line to where I have to bump every 4-5 feet just about.  Lattice around the shed tears it up too.  Not anymore!

It was between the Echo and the Stihl model 56, but the Echo had killer ratings, a better bump feed system, and 5 year warranty vs. 2.  

My Honda mower is still running without a hitch.  It really doesn't like 87 octane, though.  Cheap **** makes it a bit harder to start, and it would want to die occasionally when the blade would engage with grass under it.  Put in the ethanol free 89, and it's like a whole new machine.  

 

[Dleg]

^I'll be interested to see how easy my Honda mower is to start this spring, after sitting at -40 all winter.

I'm interested in trying one of the newer rechargeable string trimmers.  I hate hauling around those noisy gas-powered ones, plus mine is sitting disassembled on my bench right now in need of new fuel line, primer bulb, etc..  It seems like battery power and life have increased to the point now with those things that i could do my whole lawn in one charge.  No noise, no cords.  Sounds good to me.  

 

[P-E]

My lawnmower starts but the cord recoils very slowly.  I'm assuming either the spring is bad or it needs grease.  Anyone have this happen?