How to Start a Small Engine That Has Been Sitting for Years
Start A Lawn Mower That Has Been Sitting
Modern lawn mowers benefit greatly from the last 50 years of technology. Unlike early models, today's gas-powered mowers are so reliable, that if they won't start, it's probably not the mower's fault.
The procedure to start a lawn mower that has been sitting is fairly straightforward. If it's your mower, you already know it used to run, and that's a great help. You know it's history, like when it was last tuned-up or how old the gas in the tank is. Then it's just the logical progression of going through the basics; fresh gas, good spark, and clean air filter.
The bigger challenge is when you have no history of the mower. Then there are no guarantees that it will start, but a lawn mower will always give you clues as to why it stopped running.
Why Are They Throwing Away A Lawn Mower?
As I was driving through a local neighborhood, I noticed someone had put an old lawn mower out to the curb. Taped to the bars was a handwritten sign that said, "Free". So I stopped, got out, and loaded it onto my truck.
After getting back home, I examined the lawn mower closer. Overall condition wasn't bad. I took ID numbers off the engine and mower deck and did some on-line researching. You can easily download owners manuals from several websites.
The lawnmower was a Husqvarna 6021P powered by a Chinese-produced Kohler 149cc OHV engine. It was the popular 21" cutting width, and probably sold new for about $225.
The first thing I did was smell the gas, which smelled more like varnish than gas. This was the big clue as to why the owner had thrown it away.
Remove Bad Gas From Lawn Mower
There are several methods to drain bad gas from a lawn mower. My method was fast and easy; I flipped the lawn mower upside down on top of a 2' by 4' drip tray. The drip tray is metal, which was then lifted and poured into a suitable container for disposal.
Caution: When you flip a lawn mower upside down, you may jam the float in the carburetor. This was not a concern here, as I was rebuilding the carb anyway to clean it out.
Drain And Refill Oil
If the previous owner let the gas go bad, chances are the engine oil wasn't changed regularly. To drain the oil, I set up two crates about two feet apart, then picked up the mower and propped it on each crate.
While draining the oil, I inspected the cutting blade, which didn't look bad. I took a 3" scraper and cleaned off the dried mulch from underneath. Since it was Summer, I refilled it with SAE 30 (10W-30 for colder temperatures).
The Importance Of Air Filters
Like all gas engines, a lawn mower engine pulls needed air through the air filter. If it's dirty or clogged, it may run badly or not at all.
Take the air filter out, shake any debris you can from it, and hold it up to the light. If you can't see light through it, replace it.
Replace Spark Plug
The old spark plug may have some life left in it, but why take a chance for $3.00? I replaced it with a Champion #8815 set at .030" gap. Although most spark plugs come pre-gapped, I always double check.
Starting The Lawn Mower
I filled the gas tank with fresh, non-Ethanol gas. After a few prime pulls, the lawn mower started up easily.
Read: Best Fuel For Small Engines
I walked it up and down my driveway and let it run for about 10 minutes before shutting it off. It started up again on the first pull, just like it should.
Lawn Mower For Sale
After getting the old lawn mower running again, I advertised it on the local CL for $75, hoping to get $50. I received a phone call on the first day the ad appeared, and the guy showed that same day.
Judging from the stuff he already had in the back of his pickup, I presumed the buyer was a either handyman or a junkman. He checked it out, started it up, and after a couple minutes asked me if I would take $50 for it. I countered with $60. Sold.
My total investment was about two hours of time, a gallon of fresh gas, a quart of oil, and a spark plug. Getting this old lawn mower running again was a good feeling, but the $60 in my pocket was an even better feeling.
Read: Lawn Mower Maintenance
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How to Start a Small Engine That Has Been Sitting for Years
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