Carburetor on a mower. How to Clean Lawn Mower Carburetor

How to Clean Lawn Mower Carburetor?

Truth be told, there are a few home maintenance equipment that serve us faithfully than a lawn mower. Sadly, despite their rough life, lawnmowers rarely get the attention they deserve.

This is very evident when it comes to a mower’s carburetor which is a very key component for functionality. A lawnmower’s carburetor determines the period that your lawn mower will serve you.

Also, in addition to dirty spark plug, old fuel and unclean air filters, a dirty carburetor is one of the key reasons why a lawn mower may stop running propeller fail to start. As such, the need to clean lawn mower carburetor can’t be overlooked.

Lawn mower carburetors aren’t hard to unfix and clean. Unfortunately, many mowers fear taking the carburetor apart, opting to take it to a repair shop. Undoubtedly, by doing so you ought to cough out some cash regardless of the fact that a dirty carburetor is something that you can easily fix.

If you’re an enthusiastic DIYer or just a normal mower who who wish to save him/herself some cash, learning how to clean lawn mower carburetor will come in handy. Additionally, it’s a vital maintenance routine.

How Often To Clean Lawn Mower Carb

As expected, this varies. A regular user will undoubtedly have the lawnmower’s carburetor covered with lawn debris faster compared to a non-regular user. The logic here is simple: with continued use, the grass, debris and twigs find their way into the carburetor and eventually clog the fuel and air passages. Needless to say, this makes the mower’s engine inefficient

We recommend an annual lawn mower carburetor maintenance schedule to increase the lifespan of the machine and improve its fuel efficiency.

For heavy users, it’s advisable that you clean your lawn mower carburetor more than once annually. Here is all you need to know on matters cleaning a lawn mower carburetor.

Detailed Guide on How to Clean Lawn Mower Carburetor

If this is the first time you’re cleaning the carburetor and you’re not sure about how to reassemble it afterwards, you can take a video/photo every stage you unfix something. This will serve as a guide when reassembling it to ensure everything goes back to its place.

1.Safety First

They say that ‘safety is better than first aid.’ As such, it’s very important that every time you carry out repair or maintenance work of any kind, let safety be a key concern. For instance, when taking apart a carburetor, the old oil can be highly toxic, ensure you’re working in a well-ventilated area. In case you’re in your home garage, ensure that all the Windows and doors are open. You can also use a garage fan, if you have one. If your shed does not have any ventilation areas, consider working elsewhere.

Remove the Outer Casing and Air Filter

The procedure on this depends on the type of your lawn mower. Ideally, it involves un-tightening of a few screws and removal of the covering panel to reveal the mower’s innards. Once your remove the air filters, you’ll see the carburetor. Check your Air Filters to ensure they’re clean and free of debris. Dirty air filters can create black smoke that spills from the exhaust thus making it hard for the carburetor to get the air it needs to function properly.

Removing the Carburetor

The carburetor is normally firmly bolted in place but it comes off easily. Using a nut driver, unbolt it and then drain the fuel line while holding it to the engine.Detach the throttle cables and be ready with a rag or any piece of cloth to wipe any spillage of fuel on the carburetor and the fuel line.

Detach the carburetor from the engine and inspect all connections that run to and from the carburetor’s choke plates and throttle. If you find out that the carburetor is corroded, it’s toast, replace it with a new one. If not, proceed as below

Unbolt the carburetor’s bowl and clean the nut

Use a carburetor cleaner to clean around it.Unscrew the nut to remove the bowl. This nut is usually a jetted hole. Poke a paper clip inside to ensure that the hole is free of any dirt.

Presence of simple debris inside this hole will readily make the carburetor stop working properly; cleaning it may fix the problem.

Replace the needle

After removing the bowl, you’ll see a pin attaching the float attached to the carburetor. Remove it and replace the needle-normally found in a small gasket inside the carburetor.

Consider replacing it and be keen to fit it the right way to avoid future malfunctions.

Use a carburetor cleaner to get rid of dirt deposits within the carburetor

Dirt within the carburetor can block both fuel and air passages thus interrupting its performance.

The commercial lawnmower carburetor cleaner comes in a spray can that can easily clean the inside and outside parts of the carburetor.

Having removed all parts of the carburetor, clean them by applying a spray of the carburetor cleaner.Using a paperclip, remove any dirt inside the holes of the carburetor. Ensure they are clear of any debris.

Replace the gasket

After taking apart the carburetor, we advise that you replace the main gasket.

This is normally found between the bowl and the carburetor itself. What’s more, these gaskets are inexpensive. Simply get a new one and fit it in its place.

Check its settings

After the cleanup, check the carburetor’s settings and find out if there’s anything that should be updated or adjusted.

For those mower users who don’t buy this idea, here’s the truth: carb cleaning is incomplete without this step, why? Simply because while you were busy cleaning, you could have opened up some wires that are very essential for your carburetor’s engine to function. It beats logic, right?

To do this, use a flashlight to inspect if everything is fixed rightly. After ascertaining that all this is done, start the engine. Ideally, it should have a smoother start and shouldn’t produce any shaking sound after cleaning the carburetor.

Reassemble and reattach

If you had taken some photos during the process, let them guide you in putting back the carburetor and reattaching it to the engine. After this, add fuel and start the engine. If your lawn mower had start up problems because of dirt, it should now start up very easily.

Takeaway

As you can now affirm, cleaning a lawn mower carburetor is that easy and can save you money, even if you aren’t experienced in working with machines and engines. After understanding how to clean lawn mower carburetor, your lawnmower will stay in good shape and will serve you for years to come, regardless of how hard you use it.Best of luck in your next carb cleaning project.

You can Read Our Various Mower’s Reviews:

How to Use Lawn Mower Carburetor Cleaner

Wondering how to use lawn mower carburetor cleaner? You’re in the right place.

Give your mower the care it needs to help extend its useful life. We’ll show you the steps to take in our complete guide below.

The Quick Answer

If you’re in a hurry, the following steps are the basics you need to know to use lawn mower carburetor cleaner:

• Get your lawnmower ready
• Remove its air filter
• Access the carburetor’s interior
• Spray the cleaner
• Remove extra buildup
• Put the mower back together

It might seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but using a carburetor cleaner on your lawnmower is a relatively simple process. Keep reading for a complete walkthrough.

Using Lawn Mower Carburetor Cleaner

Let’s take a deeper dive into using lawn mower carburetor cleaner. But first, a carburetor often gets clogged over time.

It’s critical that you clean it from time to time to prevent it from creating sludge which it then puts into the engine. That said, only a few quick steps are standing between you and a cleaner machine.

Get Your Lawn Mower Ready

When getting ready to use a carburetor cleaner, the first thing you need to do is prepare your lawnmower. It’s easy.

All this it entails is ensuring the mower’s engine is off. If you operated the mower recently, you also have to wait for it to cool down. After making sure the engine is off and cool, you can safely perform the following steps.

Remove the Mower’s Air Filter

When the engine is cool, it’s time to remove the mower’s air filter. The air filter is usually toward the top of the engine and located within a plastic casing. Sometimes the case lid snaps into place, while on other models, you’ll need a screwdriver to remove it.

Dust off the area around the air filter before removing it. The air filter helps keep dust and dirt from getting into the engine. You don’t want to accidentally create more of a mess while trying to clean the carburetor.

Access the Carburetor’s Interior

With the air filter and its casing out of the way, you should be able to see the connections and links running from the carburetor to other parts of the engine. You need to disconnect and remove these connections to access the carburetor’s interior.

Make a careful note of where and how these connections were attached. You’ll have to reattach them when you finish cleaning the carburetor. If you’re not confident in your ability to remember where everything went, it can help to take a picture with your cellphone.

Spray the Cleaner

Now that you have access to the carburetor, you can clean it properly. To do so, you’re going to want to start the lawnmower engine. When the mower is operating, spray the carburetor cleaner directly into the center of the carburetor.

A high-quality commercial lawn mower carburetor cleaner works best for this step. It might seem counterintuitive, but spraying the cleaner while the engine runs allows it to penetrate deeply and remove more debris. Exercise care to avoid spraying other parts of the mower’s engine while you work.

Remove Extra Buildup

As you’ve been spraying the cleaner, dirt might fall and stick to the lower throttle of the carburetor. If you see debris, remove it. Ensure the cleaner is reaching the carburetor’s throat. With that done, you can again turn the mower off.

It should still be relatively cool because it hasn’t been running long, but exercise caution just in case. Keep spraying the carburetor to remove any extra buildup.

Put the Mower Back Together

All that remains is to put the mower back together. First, reattach and replace any connections you undid to access the carburetor’s internal parts. If you took a picture before disassembling the pieces, take a look at it now. Make sure the links are securely attached to the correct areas.

Now, you can replace the mower’s air filter. Take a moment to knock some of the dust and debris off the filter, then put it back where it was. Reattach the air filter’s casing cover by snapping it into place or putting in the necessary screw.

Things to Consider

When you follow the above steps, the result should be a clean carburetor. Other things to consider include:

• Has it been a few years since the last time you cleaned the carburetor? Typically, it’s best to clean it once every season. If it’s been a while, expect more dirt.
• Do you have the proper protective gear? Gloves will help keep you safer and clean while you work.
• Do you disconnect the spark plug? If you don’t, you’re at risk for an electric shock.

Keep these considerations in mind while you work.

Frequently Asked Questions

You might still have questions after reading about how to use lawn mower carburetor cleaner. Read further to discover answers to some of the more common inquiries.

Is the Cleaning Process Different for Riding and Push Lawn Mowers?

The carburetor cleaning process should be similar between riding and push mowers. The location of the carburetor itself will vary slightly but not considerably.

You might need assistance if you’re working on a riding lawn mower, as some models have a dead man’s switch built in to stop the engine if there isn’t enough weight in the seat.

How Can You Tell the Cleaning Helped?

If cleaning the carburetor helped, your lawnmower should start up much more smoothly than it did previously.

What if the Lawn Mower Still Isn’t Working Well After Cleaning?

Sometimes, cleaning a lawn mower’s carburetor won’t noticeably improve its performance. If you’re still having issues, it’s best to contact someone specializing in small engine repair. An expert can diagnose and solve more complex problems.

Should You Use Lawn Mower Carburetor Cleaner?

Using lawn mower carburetor cleaner isn’t difficult. With the proper precautions, you can do it safely and efficiently. Doing so is an important maintenance activity, and it will help keep your lawn mower functioning at its highest level.

If you found this guide useful, consider taking a moment to look at more of our how-to guides for homeowners.

Where Is Carburetor On Lawn Mower? A Complete Guide

“Spring is sprung, and the boidy’s on the wing, but that’s absoid, the wing is on the boid,” or so the lyric goes. There is always so much hope which Spring represents; swimming pools are opened, owners give their homes a good “spring clean,” and the grass starts growing. Time to bring out the trusty old lawnmower.

A lawnmower’s carburetor is typically positioned under the petrol tank; on the side or top of the engine, behind the air filter, on the opposite side to the muffler. The carburetor is sometimes hidden from view, and a non-mechanically minded person may find it challenging to locate.

Internal combustion engines need a spark, fuel, and air. The lawnmower carburetor plays a critical role in mixing the correct amount of gas and air required for the sparkplug to create combustion.

How To Find The Carburettor On Your Lawnmower?

If you are struggling the identify the carburetor on your lawnmower, here are a couple of Sherlock Holmes-type clues to help you on the road to finding it.

A carburetor is generally a shiny metal object with small metal components with several screws, levers, and springs; underneath the unit, there will be a bowl-shaped component.

There will be a gas line that enters the carburetor. The carburetor will have openings on the front and back where the air enters (from the air filter) and is forced into the piston chamber.

Carburetors used only to be made from metal; however, some newer model lawnmowers have introduced a plastic unit.

Every lawn mower has unique features, and the carburetor placement may vary slightly. You should quickly locate the carburetor on your lawn mower’s engine if you follow the steps below.

There will also be differences between the different types of lawnmowers.

Push Behind Gas Powered Lawnmowers

Push behind lawnmowers, which use a gas-powered engine, are the most common type of lawnmower sold.

They have many benefits over other lawnmowers, including mowing the lawn in restricted spaces, more reliability, better stability, lower cost, and a great form of exercise for the owner.

Each manufacturer’s engine layouts are similar, and finding the carburetor will not be difficult.

Under The Gas Tank

The first cryptic clue is that the carburetor will be installed lower than the gas tank.

In this way, the manufacturer can use gravity as the primary fuel feed from the gas tank. Below the gas tank, you will find a fuel pipe with a filter.

Follow the fuel line until you see where it enters the lawnmower innards.

Behind The Air Filter

It makes sense for the manufacturer to position the lawnmower carburetor directly behind the air filter.

The principal function of a lawnmower carburetor is to mix the fuel and air in the correct quantity. The optimal position to install the carburetor is directly behind the air filter; this ensures that no complex ducting is needed to get the air to where it is required.

Find the air filter, and you have solved the mystery. Air filters tend to be a black rectangular or round box with a black plastic air filter cover.

Most lawnmower manufacturers make the air filter housing easily accessible and easy to identify.

Once you find the air filter box, you can remove the air filter by simply unclipping the latches which hold the cover in place and pulling out the soft foam or paper air filter.

Once you have done this, a quick peek inside will reveal the carburetor.

Riding Lawn Mowers

On a riding mower, the carburetor is typically installed on the side of the Riding Lawn Mower’s engine.

The carburetor is located below or behind the air filter on the walk-behind Lawn Mower. Once again, the air filter and the air filter housing will need to be removed to access it. The steps to safely access the carburetor are as follows.

Turn off the ignition switch.

Raise the lawnmower’s seat to access the battery.

Remove the negative (black) cable from the battery

Pivot the engine hood up.

Pull off the air ducting after removing the mounting screws.

Remove the air filter cover.

Remove the air filter from its housing.

Unscrew the bolts holding the air filter housing and remove them, careful not to damage the gasket.

Depending on the make of riding lawnmower, you should now have access to the carburetor.

Some model lawnmowers may also require removing the front and rear blower housing mounting.

You can now access the lawnmower’s carburetor.

Why Do You Need To Know Where The Carburettor Is?

If your lawnmower’s carburetor is faulty, it will probably display the following symptoms.

Spoiler alert, although a faulty or dirty carburetor may cause the problems listed below, there may also be another cause of the fault.

The Lawnmower Engine Just Won’t Start.

If you pull the starter cord repeatedly, or with electric start lawnmowers, the lawnmower’s starter cranks over, and the engine won’t fire, then it could be due to a carburetor problem.

If the carburetor is dirty or the jets are blocked, the unit will not provide the correct amount of gas to the piston chamber. If this is the situation, the engine will typically not start at all.

The Lawnmower Engine Is Running Lean

If the lawnmower engine misfires or makes “popping” noises, the ratio of gas to air may be incorrectly set. Apart from misfiring, the lawnmower engine will also refuse to run at 100% power and will seem to be noticeably less powerful.

If too little gas reaches the piston chamber, the engine is running lean.

Remove the spark plug and match the color of the two electrodes. If they are a light grey or white color, the engine runs lean.

There are two leading causes of a lawnmower engine running lean which are.

The Lawnmower Engine Is Running Too Rich

When a lawnmower engine runs rich, too much gas is being sent to the piston chamber. As there is no corresponding increase in air, the mixture ratio is wrong.

The symptoms of a lawnmower engine running rich may include

• The exhaust smokes more than usual and, generally, is black.
• You struggle to start the lawnmower because it always seems to be flooded.
• When the lawnmower engine does run, it uses more gas than usual.

The Lawnmower Engine Keeps Getting Flooded

If dirt gets into the fuel bowl, which is at the bottom of the carburetor, it is possible that the needle valve is blocked and is being prevented from closing. The fuel overflows from the bowl into the carburetor.

Gas will flow out of the bowl vents, which will cause the air-to-fuel ratio to become incorrect.

One way to check for this condition is to remove the spark plug once again. If the spark plug electrodes are wet, too much gas is being delivered, and unburnt gas is left in the cylinder.

The Lawnmower Starts But Quickly Dies Again

If the lawnmower briefly starts but dies again, not enough gas is getting through to the engine.

A dirty carburetor could cause the carburetor bowl to be clogged.

How Do You Fix The Problem?

If you experience any of these problems, the carburetor may need to be cleaned.

Carburetors are specialized, finely tuned devices, so experts should do most repairs.

There is one easy “fix” that you could try, which often has a good chance of success.

Purchase a good quality carburetor cleaner – Amazon – and follow the listed steps to clean out the lawnmower carburetor.

• Identify the carburetor bowl and unscrew it from the carburetor body.
• Spray the carburetor cleaner onto the inside surface of the bowl. Also, spray the cleaner onto the holding screw and hole to which the screw attaches.
• Give a light dusting spray to the hole through which the air enters.
• When you start the engine, it draws the carburetor cleaner into the device, and it will begin to clean any deposits which are blocking the fuel.

If this doesn’t help, it is recommended you consult a professional lawnmower technician.

Conclusion

A lawnmower’s carburetor will generally be mounted behind the air filter and in a position that is lower than the gas tank.

If you need to access it, the process is simple and can be achieved by a person with regular DIY ability.

Author

Jason is an expert writer and is passionate about Smart Homes and Home Improvements writing as well as lifestyle and Lawn Care. He spent the past twelve years living in Hawaii, where he worked closely alongside event planners and resort owners to perfect his knowledge of luxury products and aesthetics. He discovered his passion for DIY projects and home improvement there. Currently, he lives in Washington D.C with his family and 2 pets. View all posts

Where is The Carburetor on a Lawnmower Located?

The carburetor in your mower’s engine is essential, so it becomes a problem for you and your lawn when it isn’t functioning correctly. Integrating regular engine oversight and maintenance into your lawn care schedule will help keep your mower’s carburetor working reliably.

What Is A Carburetor?

A carburetor is part of an internal combustion engine that adds oxygen to fuel vapors by air intake to a ratio that produces an even stream of power to whatever the motor is attached to.

Gas-powered push mowers and riding mowers use carburetors to deliver a consistent blade movement for a level cut.

What Does A Carburetor Look Like?

Since it’s at the center of the engine’s combustion process, it makes sense that a carburetor looks like a metal heart, with its multiple chambers, valves, and connections to feed air and fuel through the engine for propulsion.

A carburetor is usually a few inches long and a couple of inches wide, fitting in the palm of your hand.

How Does A Carburetor Work?

Carburetors have two internal chambers: the first is the carburetor bowl, which is the reservoir that stores fuel to be injected into the second chamber, where it’s mixed with air and combusts, powering the pistons of the engine.

A float pin in the reservoir controls the amount of fuel that enters the bowl, helping manage the amount of gasoline flowing at any time.

When there is too little gasoline in the mixture, the engine is known to be running “lean.” This uses less fuel, but it can be straining on the engine to run on light combustion: it might sputter and die quickly, or it might overheat.

When there is too little air in the chamber, the mixture is fuel “rich,” and the engine will perform powerfully but at a high use rate of gas, which can lead to the buildup of solids.

Where Is The Carburetor Located?

The lawn mower carburetor is located behind the air filter (on the side or top of the engine), which is connected to the carb for air intake. The air filter helps remove impurities and solid materials that might get pulled in, to keep the inside of the carburetor clean of buildup.

Those materials will build up in the filter, though, so those should be changed regularly.

The carburetor is connected to the fuel tank by a tube, which provides the reservoir chamber with gasoline. If you’re unsure of the carb location on your mower’s engine, you can follow the fuel line to it.

If you’re uncertain after examining it, or you want to check before, consult your model’s manual.

How Does The Carb Work With The Other Engine Components?

Fuel intake is regulated by the fuel valve, which adjusts flow and will keep the reservoir from flooding with gasoline when not in use. Fuel movement is desirable when the machine is on, but too much-unused fuel in the carburetor can lead to buildup and blockage.

An engine’s spark plug delivers the ignition for combustion of the mixed fuel and air from the carburetor. Spark plugs can be a good indicator of the carburetor’s performance and, by extension, the engine as a whole.

Over time, they’ll be in different conditions based on the fuel use and mixture ratio:

• Blackened plugs show that there is a lot of buildup and fuel use and that the carburetor is running on a rich fuel mixture
• A cleaner-looking spark plug that is white or colorless means the carburetor is running on too little gasoline and too much air
• A good indicator of a balanced fuel ratio is a tan or light brown spark plug

The efficacy of the carb in mixing fuel has important effects on the performance and lifetime of your engine. Spark plugs are only changed once every year or two, so even though they may not need to be changed every time you give your engine a routine inspection, they can be an indicator of overall engine health, as well as that of the carburetor.

How Do I Know If My Lawn Mower Carburetor Is Bad Or Needs To Be Cleaned?

If there is a problem with the carb, a few telltale signs will encourage you to check the engine:

• Poor performance – if there is an issue with the consistent movement of the engine, or if it halts or dies over and over, it could be a problem with the fuel ratio. This might be due to the carburetor’s connection, whether it’s dirty or not, or structural wear.
• Difficulty starting – when you start up an engine for the first time for that use, it’s called a “cold start” because the engine is cold from rest. Once it warms up, the fuel will be more easily evaporated for mixture with air and combustion. A dirty carb, or one whose internal structure is malfunctioning, might take longer to get going.
• Overheating – If the fuel-to-air ratio is off, it can lead to your engine overheating. When there’s too little fuel in the combustion mixture, the excess air in the chamber will heat up, warming the whole engine over time. Lean fuel mixture is the main cause of overheating.
• Black smoke – if there is buildup in the carburetor or the air or fuel filters, it might burn as the engine heats up, resulting in worrying black smoke. Usually, this can be remedied by cleaning the carb.

When you inspect the carburetor for structural damage, you may find some of the components have been worn down or degraded and are interfering with the process. A carburetor repair kit will come with replacement washers, screws, gaskets, springs, and pins that you can remove and install yourself.

Peripheral components, like the air and fuel filters or the fuel line, might also be degraded or full of buildup and may need to be replaced. Often, however, the signs mentioned above are the symptoms of a dirty carburetor.

Cleaning A Carburetor

If you’ve decided that the carb needs to be cleaned rather than replaced, you can clean the lawn mower carburetor without removing it. After disconnecting the battery line from the engine to be sure it won’t start, you can remove the air filter with a screwdriver to expose the carburetor.

You can put carb cleaner in your lawn mower by using an aerosol spray cleaner. There are specific carburetor cleaner formulas available, and WD-40 can often do the job. Usually, the need is to loosen solid buildup inside the carburetor’s bowl or the jet that transfers it from the reservoir to the mixing chamber.

The diameter of this inter-chamber jet plays a part in how much fuel is transferred between chambers, as well as how easily it may get clogged.

If you notice any rust or buildup on the outside of the carburetor, you can use sandpaper to wipe it off. This will prevent rust and corrosion from spreading.

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Lawn Mower Carburetor?

Maintaining your lawn mower’s engine in good condition will take regular monitoring and a small investment in materials, but a few small steps will extend the life of the machine and save you from having to replace the whole thing following an engine burnout.

A repair kit costs between 15 and 40, and a replacement carburetor will run from 60 up to one or two hundred dollars.

If regular maintenance or DIY repair won’t solve your engine problem, having a professional examine the engine for troubles might cost you a little more, but it can also be more cost-effective than the total replacement of your lawnmower.