Any lawnmower gurus?

[Ryan]

I pulled my lawnmower out today because my grass is looking kinda bad - after getting it started, it dies if it's on any kind of incline/decline. If the area I'm mowing is flat, it'll run fine - but once I get to an uneven surface, it just dies.

What would cause that? Spark plug and air filter look fine - what would cause that?

 

[Rallispec]

gas tank almost empty?

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
gas tank almost empty?

No - I emptied what had been sitting in the tank over the past two months, and filled it up with some fresh stuff.

 

[acemcmac]

How does one become a "lawnmower guru?"

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
How does one become a "lawnmower guru?"

I dunno - maybe just someone who knows alot baout their engines 😛

 

[skimple]

How old is the gas? Unless you add stabilizer, gas can decay pretty quickly. Let the engine run out of gas, and then refill it with FRESH gas (not gas out the can that has been sitting in the garage since last summer).

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Sounds like the carb needs cleaning and seals replaced.

 

[lozina]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
How does one become a "lawnmower guru?"

simple- when you become "one with the lawnmower".

typically you achieve such synergy with the lawnmower after a rigorous 6 month training seminar on a remote lawn on the Tibetan platteau

 

[skyking]

Tip it on the side so the carb is up.

Take the bowl off, and use some carb cleaner to rinse off the jet area, and needle/seat area. Be sure to keep it clean and reassemble. If it is a tecumseh engine, be sure to inspect and rinse the bottom plug that holds the bowl on. It has the main jet in the side of it, and it is a tiny hole that is easily blocked by fine hair ir anything, really.

After you start it, it will smoke some from the oil that leaked past the rings while it was on its side.

if it still behaves the same, then the float level is wrong, prabably because of gunk or gum in the needle/seat area.

 

[DainBramaged]

Put the motor and such on a free floating platform so that when you go downhill, it will still stay upright.