Fixing a petrol mower
Discussion
Ok - I have two lawnmowers, both petrol, neither will start. Both are four strokes.
I haven't looked at the second yet. The first one has been abused, left outside in the rain, it was run for quite a long time on a mixture of petrol and two stroke, with two stroke instead of four stroke in the mower in the mistaken belief it was a two stroke mower. The blade has probably been ploughed into tree stumps and drain covers. Unsurprisingly it won't start. It was only a cheap mower to start with and so is probably uneconomic to repair. Rather than simply throw it away I thought I would try and learn a thing or two about fixing an engine.
At the moment I don't know much about engines. So far I have done the following:
1. Emptied the petrol tank of the wrong fuel mix, as well as the filter and pipes to the carb and refilled.
2. Changed the oil for the correct oil
3. Cleaned out the carburettor, but only with tissue - I think you can get carb cleaner?
4. Checked that the fly wheel pin is still in one piece
5. Changed the spark plug and checked that it is sparking which it is
It still won't start, and doesnt sound like it wants to at all. It doesnt have the usual push button to prime the engine, it has a red lever which opens/cuts fuel to the carb. What shall I check next - any ideas?
What will running the engine on two stroke as opposed to four have done to it?
I haven't looked at the second yet. The first one has been abused, left outside in the rain, it was run for quite a long time on a mixture of petrol and two stroke, with two stroke instead of four stroke in the mower in the mistaken belief it was a two stroke mower. The blade has probably been ploughed into tree stumps and drain covers. Unsurprisingly it won't start. It was only a cheap mower to start with and so is probably uneconomic to repair. Rather than simply throw it away I thought I would try and learn a thing or two about fixing an engine.
At the moment I don't know much about engines. So far I have done the following:
1. Emptied the petrol tank of the wrong fuel mix, as well as the filter and pipes to the carb and refilled.
2. Changed the oil for the correct oil
3. Cleaned out the carburettor, but only with tissue - I think you can get carb cleaner?
4. Checked that the fly wheel pin is still in one piece
5. Changed the spark plug and checked that it is sparking which it is
It still won't start, and doesnt sound like it wants to at all. It doesnt have the usual push button to prime the engine, it has a red lever which opens/cuts fuel to the carb. What shall I check next - any ideas?
What will running the engine on two stroke as opposed to four have done to it?
Would the top of the plug actually be wet - I dont think it is so perhaps that is the problem. The fuel is def getting as far as the carb.
Would the use of two stroke over a long period have adversely affected the engine? I read somewhere that it may coat the internals in soot/black gunk
Would the use of two stroke over a long period have adversely affected the engine? I read somewhere that it may coat the internals in soot/black gunk
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