Is Your Gasoline Lawnmower Not Working? Here’s How To Fix It!
Gasoline or petrol lawnmowers are a versatile way to keep your garden lawn manicured. For a start, you don’t have to worry about electrical cords getting in the way. Nor do you even need electricity to power the device! Another advantage is they are powerful enough to tackle even thick grass and weed.
When they are working, gasoline lawnmowers are efficient and easy to use. But, if they seldom get maintained, they can become troublesome. Of course, general wear and tear can also cause them not to work properly.
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If you can’t fire up your trusty lawnmower, put your wallet away! You won’t need to spend money buying a new one. And, in most cases, you won’t even have to buy any replacement parts. Most issues get caused by blockages that you can easily clean. Here’s how to troubleshoot a gasoline lawnmower that won’t start
You’ve run out of gas
Perhaps the most obvious fact about a gasoline lawnmower is that you need to fill up the tank with gas! Like with a car, if you don’t have any gas, it won’t start. I won’t bore you with the details of how many people I know that keep forgetting that fact!
The gas tank on a gasoline lawnmower is quite small. As such, they can “drink” fuel if you have a large amount of grass to cut! To check what you’ve got, open up the gas tank cap and look inside. You’ll soon discover if you’ve got any gas left or not.
The spark plug wire got disconnected
The motor on a gasoline lawnmower is a simple version of what’s under the hood of your car. It’s a four-stroke engine that comprises of just one cylinder. As such, it only needs one spark plug to operate.
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Sometimes, the spark plug wire can get disconnected by accident. Before assuming that your lawnmower is dead, check the wire is connected to the spark plug. It could even be that it’s not been pushed back on properly!
The spark plug needs replacing
Every so often, you will need to fit a new spark plug to your lawnmower for efficient operation. Before you replace it, look through some service manuals for your lawnmower. That’s because you may need to set the “gap” on the electrode. They will usually tell you what width that gap should be.
Yes, the same thing often has to get done for cars as well. If you’re a keen car enthusiast, you should probably know how to do this anyway. If not, your lawnmower’s service guides will describe to you what you need to do. Checking the gap can save you buying a new spark plug.
The carburetor or air filter needs cleaning
Last, but not least, two things that sometimes need cleaning is the carb and the air filter. They are quite simple to check and clean on most gasoline lawnmowers.
Again, refer to your service manuals for more information. If the carburetor needs cleaning, make sure you do so in a well-ventilated area.
Good luck!
