Lawnmowers are a big investment for any homeowner, so it is important to take care of them. If you have been using your mower for some time and notice that the engine starts up but doesn’t run smoothly or has lost power, then there is a chance that the carburetor needs to be cleaned. Here’sHere’s how to do it in easy steps.
How Often To Clean a Lawn Mower Carburetor?
The easiest way to determine if the carburetor needs cleaning is by starting up your lawnmower. If it starts and stops within a few seconds, then there’s a good chance that you need to clean your carburetor. However, this might not always be true as some older models of lawnmowers take more effort for them to start up and run smoothly. You can also try running your lawnmower without its grass bag attached or with an empty fuel tank, which will help determine whether there are any problems with the engine performance.
Detailed Guide on How to Clean Lawn Mower Carburetor
If this is the case, then you need to clean your carburetor. One of the easiest ways is by running warm water through it and flushing away any debris stuck inside. We recommend using a garden hose for this process as most standard metal ones will work perfectly fine with no problems whatsoever. To do so:
Safety First
Before starting this process, make sure that your lawnmower is turned off and cooled down. This will help prevent any mishaps while cleaning the carburetor out with hot water.
Remove the Outer Casing and Air Filter
Once the engine has cooled down, remove its outer casing and air filter. This is where most of the grass clippings will usually get stuck inside, resulting in a dirty carburetor later on.
Removing the Carburetor
Take out the carburetor from the engine and give it a thorough clean. Just make sure that you know where each part belongs to put them back together later on.
Unbolt the carburetor’s bowl and clean the nut
Unbolt the carburetor’s bowl and clean the nut and bolt as well. You can use a brush or screwdriver to do this, but make sure that it’s completely clean before putting it back together.
Replace the Carburetor and Outer Casing
After cleaning the carburetor, please put it back in its place and reattach the outer casing and air filter. Ensure that all of the bolts are tight so that there is no air leakage.
Startup your lawnmower and see any noticeable improvements with its engine performance. If not, you might need to take it in for professional help like kyles lawn care.
Replace The Needle Valve and Seat
If you have cleaned the carburetor and it’s still not running properly, there might be a problem with the needle valve or seat. You can try replacing these parts yourself, but we recommend taking it in for professional help if you’re not comfortable doing so.
Spray The Carburetor With Cleaning Fluid And Clean Inside The Holes
If you’re still not getting the results you want, you can try spraying some carburetor cleaning fluid inside the holes. Make sure to let it sit for a few minutes before flushing it away with warm water.
Replace The Main Gasket
If the main gasket is damaged or worn out, you can try replacing it. However, this might not be easy to do on your own, so we recommend taking it in for professional help.
Reassemble And Reattach The Carburetor
Once you have cleaned and replaced all of the necessary parts, reattach the carburetor and test it out by starting up your lawnmower. If it still doesn’t run properly, there might be a more serious problem requiring professional help.
Final Thoughts
By following these simple steps, you should be able to clean your lawn mower’s carburetor in no time at all. Just make sure that you know where each part goes and how it works to avoid any problems while doing so. If everything is done correctly, your lawnmower should be running like new in no time.
