How To Fix A Lawn Mower

How to operate a lawn mower
How to work with a lawn mower Any advertisement presents a modern lawn mower as a versatile tool that can do the work of a dozen mowers in an hour. Besides the big

How to mow without blunders

First of all, you need to mow without putting excessive unnecessary force on the control handle. The lawn mower was designed without taking into account this overload on the rear axle. For the front-drive version of the mower, this will impair the mowing quality. When working on a rear-wheel drive version, this “help” wears out the transmission and leads to the appearance of potholes in the lawn, it becomes more difficult to mow. In addition, it can easily damage the knife, motor or cut grass on the ground.

The art of lawn mowing comes with practice. Most often, the direction of movement is corrected by moving the handle to the left or right. In particularly difficult cases, you can mow even on difficult paths by slightly tilting the mower body to the left or right, increasing the traction of the wheels on one side and loosening on the other. The controls are simple, but require practice and skill.

It is considered most difficult to mow near a curb or fence. Such work requires precision and a good eye. Most often, damage to the knives occurs when trying to mow in areas interspersed with gravel or under the edge of a stone blind area.

Models with a piano suspension of the front pair of wheels are best mowed in such difficult conditions. For complex edge configurations, mowing with such a lawn mower is much easier.

Lawn mower practice

Any complex technical device takes some time to get used to. If you have not had the experience of working with mowers of any design, the first step is to study the instructions in order to clearly understand which levers and knobs are used to control the mower motor, and which ones are used to adjust the cutting parameters. In addition, you will need to learn how to set the adjustments to the position of the cutting edge of the lawn mower so as to mow the grass in an even and neat layer, leaving the laid 3-4 cm of vegetation throughout the entire area.

How to operate a lawn mower

Any advertisement presents a modern lawn mower as a versatile tool capable of doing the work of a dozen mowers in an hour. In addition to high productivity, the lawn mower allows you to get a good quality lawn and mow successfully, regardless of skill, with relatively little physical activity. But working with a lawn mower is not so easy, it requires some skill in operating the machine and a good knowledge of the terrain features.

Handle adjustment

Modern lawn mowers make it possible to adjust the position of the handle for any height or features of the constitution and physique of a person. The easiest way to mow and steer the cart is if your hands on the handle are at the level of the center of gravity of the body or 2-3 cm higher.

With a large mass of the lawnmower, the control handle has a lot of force, so when choosing a model, choose a design with an aluminum or steel tubular frame.

This is especially true for front-wheel drive lawn mowers. Owners of front-end mowers like to hang the front axle, thereby reducing traction and adjusting the direction of travel of the machine by turning the body on the rear axle in the desired direction.

Lawn Mower Control Basics

In fact, any of the lawn mowers is a motor with a pair of sharp knives mounted on the motor shaft. The entire structure of the motor shaft with the impeller is covered with a plastic or steel guard and fixed to the wheel cart. Despite the relatively large weight of the unit, in theory, any adult without special physical training can mow with a lawn mower. However, mowing grass is not as easy as the advertisements might look like.

To operate the lawn mower correctly and safely, you must:

• Correctly service the device, adjust and prepare the mower for work;
• It is good to navigate the terrain of the mowed area. Before starting work, inspect the area and remove stones, large branches, any debris that can break off the cutting edge, knife and engine;
• If there are flower beds or shrubs on the lawn, plan the mower’s route and where to unload the cut grass container in advance.

Adjusting and starting the lawn mower motor

Maintaining and adjusting engine speed is considered to be the most difficult stage in preparing a lawn mower for work. Therefore, before engaging in the struggle with complex equipment, even with some experience, be sure to read and re-read the operating instructions. A typical procedure for preparing a new motor for operation looks like this:

1. The lawnmower must be placed on a firm, level surface, and all folding elements and handles must be screwed into position. The wheel drive engaging lever must be switched off. If the mower is equipped with a spark cut-off system, be sure to turn it off;
2. It is only necessary to mow with an absolutely serviceable lawn mower, therefore, before starting the engine, it is necessary to inspect it and make sure that there is no oil and fuel leakage. With a gloved hand, check the tightness of the chip on the candle and proceed to refueling with fuel and oil;
3. The filling of liquids is carried out using the dipsticks; for the oil sump of the motor, it will be necessary to fill in the lubricant according to the average measure, no more. If overflowed, liquid may squeeze out of the vent or gasket;
4. Be sure to change the oil after running in. If you decide to use semi-synthetics, do not switch to mineral water, and vice versa. For about the first 20-30 hours after running in the engine, it is necessary to mow the grass at medium and low speeds. The performance will be low, but in the end you will significantly benefit from the resource of the motor, after a couple of mows it will be possible to mow in normal mode.

What kind of oil should I put in the mower? High quality mineral or semi-synthetics. It is most appropriate to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, rather than follow the advice of the seller of motor oils.

Do not believe the fables of sellers and advertising slogans about preliminary running-in of motors at the enterprise. This procedure is carried out in full at the enterprise only for powerful high-speed motors with a high degree of boost.

It is easiest to mow with high-octane unleaded fuel, but only if you are 100% confident in the quality of the gasoline. The engine of the lawn mower keeps the revs well and practically does not get warm. American and Chinese engines work fine on the A-92, European versions may be more capricious in the choice of gasoline. For two-stroke engines, gasoline is mixed with a special oil in a 50: 1 ratio.

We start the motor in the following sequence:

1. Before starting, check the position of the lawn mower motion control knob, the transmission must be turned off, otherwise the mower will start moving and mowing on its own when the engine starts. We turn off the power to the magneto or the ignition system and turn the motor shaft several times with a starter cord or with a starter.
2. We turn on the ignition, close the air damper and try to start the engine.
3. If the start fails, turn off the ignition, open the air damper and, turning the shaft with the starter for a few seconds, blow through the combustion chamber.
4. After successfully starting the engine, move the throttle control lever to the position corresponding to the rpm between medium and lowest.

Start the mower motor only if there is no fuel leakage at the pipe connections.

Almost all models have the ability to mow and dump the grass into the grass catcher, so we choose a convenient place for the lawn mower parking to remove and unload the grass box and convert the machine or simply inspect it if necessary. There will also be fuel, tools and spare candles.

DIY lawn mower repair: the main causes of problems and their elimination

Owners of beautiful and green lawns using lawn mowers can face problems while working. In this article, we will tell you how to repair gasoline lawn mowers with your own hands, and you will also find out the common causes of breakdowns of this device.

• Features of the structure of lawn mowers
• The main causes of lawn mower problems

• Rattling and rumbling during operation
• Intense vibration during operation
• Whistling while cutting grass
• Lawn mower leaves grass behind
• Mower runs intermittently or does not start at all

How to extend the life of a lawn mower in the country: tips for care

Features of the structure of lawn mowers

Most mowers are push-driven from the rear, but there are models that can be steered using the steering wheel. A certain type of device is designed for different jobs. Small ones handle a normal medium-sized area, while large steering mowers are used for large lawns.

But all devices have the same structure. Let’s start with the case. Gasoline mowers have aluminum and steel housings.

Electric lawn mowers lighter than gasoline ones and their body is made of ABS plastic. It is used to create car bumpers. The mower wheels should be large in diameter, so they can easily overcome bumps. They also create less pressure on the ground and do not injure the lawn. The bearings will provide high reliability and durability.

Many manufacturers make the two front wheels swivel. This allows for increased maneuverability. The front wheels pivot around an axle so you don’t have to lift the mower to change direction. Let’s talk about knives. All of them are usually rotary and located on the working shaft. The diameter of the blades determines the cutting width of the mower.

The rotor performs following functions:

• Support of knives at a certain distance from the ground;
• Rotates quickly and cuts grass;
• Has blades serving as a fan. The air flow from the fan carries the cut grass into the grass catcher.

All knives are made of high quality steel.

Grass collector Is a large bag or plastic box with air holes. It can be easily removed and the contents discarded. Many mowers not only cut grass, but can grind it into flour. This process is called mulching. In this case, a grass catcher is not used, since the greens after mowing will serve as fertilizer.

Starts bad, but works fine

A do-it-yourself mechanical lawnmower with a gasoline engine does not start well, but it works normally in operating modes (when gas is supplied). This malfunction can be caused by two reasons. A malfunction of the idle system in the carburetor or an incorrect fuel composition.

Exploded drawing of a petrol lawn mower

To eliminate it, you should start with fuel, combine gasoline and oil of the required brands in the required proportion and pour this fuel into the tank instead of the old one. If that doesn’t work. Remove and disassemble the carburetor and adjust the idle system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

DIY electric lawn mower repair

Not only factory, but also home-made electric lawn mowers fail. The main reason for stopping the motor is loss of contact and lack of power at the motor terminals.

Drawing of an electric lawn mower using the example of TBH 1650

Therefore, first of all, we check the presence of voltage in the power outlet, the condition of the electrical cord and the absence of its breakage. Then, if a collector motor is used, you need to check the condition of the brushes and replace them with severe wear. The brushed hand lawnmower offers increased durability, but requires regular brush replacement.

DIY electric mower engine repair

Asynchronous motor mowers also have problems. The phase-shifting capacitor often fails, but testing it in the field is problematic. An indirect indication of a capacitor failure is:

• Jerking of the motor at the time of power supply;
• Strong heating of the engine even at low load;
• Reduced speed;
• Characteristic buzz.

Do-it-yourself electric lawn mower is made from scrap materials that can fail. If a malfunction is detected, in any case, you need to make sure that voltage is applied to the motor terminals, and if it is not. Check the operation of the switch.

DIY electric lawn mower

If there is voltage, capacitor or brushes. Ok, the most likely cause of failure is a burnt-out winding. In this case, the unit will have to be handed over to a repair shop. Home-made electric lawn mowers most often have to be repaired on their own, since when assembling the device, all the nuances of its work are not taken into account.

Repair of a lawn mower with a gasoline engine

The lawn mowers use gasoline two-stroke internal combustion engines. When deciding how to make a do-it-yourself lawn mower, motors from other household devices are often used. Chainsaws, compressors, motor plows and trimmers. The process of finding and fixing problems with these engines is carried out according to one algorithm. Do-it-yourself gasoline lawn mower repair begins with determining the cause of the failure.

General diagram of a gasoline lawn mower

Engine starts and runs normally, but knives do not rotate

In this case, failure of the mechanical part is guaranteed or, as an option, its attachment to the motor shaft is destroyed.

Damage to the mechanical part and repair of the Viking lawn mower with your own hands

Do-it-yourself electric lawn mower repair. The engine starts poorly and runs unstably in all modes

Most likely causes: clogged fuel jets, clogged fuel filter, clogged air filter. For elimination: jets are blown with compressed air, filters are changed or washed, depending on their design.

Bosh lawn mower engine repair

Engine starts and runs normally, but knives do not rotate

In this case, failure of the mechanical part is guaranteed or, as an option, its attachment to the motor shaft is destroyed.

Damage to the mechanical part and repair of the Viking lawn mower with your own hands

Engine starts but does not hold load

If the engine starts and runs at idle, but does not hold the load poorly during operation. Most likely, “oxygen starvation” takes place. Such do-it-yourself lawn mower repair is performed by replacing or cleaning the “blow-through” air filter.

Repair of a lawn mower with a gasoline engine

The lawn mowers use gasoline two-stroke internal combustion engines. When deciding how to make a do-it-yourself lawn mower, motors from other household devices are often used. Chainsaws, compressors, motor plows and trimmers. The process of finding and fixing problems with these engines is carried out according to one algorithm. Do-it-yourself gasoline lawn mower repair begins with determining the cause of the failure.

General diagram of a gasoline lawn mower

Do-it-yourself electric and gasoline lawn mowers repair

Repair of both gasoline and electric lawn mowers may be necessary at the most unexpected moment. We will tell you about the main breakdowns of home-made and branded equipment, tell you what to look for, and by what signs you can recognize a malfunction.

Repairing lawn mowers if the engine won’t start

It happens that, despite the presence and normal supply of fuel, the engine does not start. Most often, the absence of signs of life indicates a failure of the ignition coil. If, upon visual inspection, all electrical circuits are in order, then this coil will need to be replaced.

DIY lawn mower engine repair

Less common case. Severe carbon deposits or spark plug failure. It is determined by visual inspection of the unscrewed candle. The most effective way to identify this problem. Replace the candle with another, obviously working. When thinking about how to make a lawn mower if the engine does not start, pay attention to replacing the spark plugs with new ones, and preferably more reliable ones.

Starts bad, but works fine

A do-it-yourself mechanical lawnmower with a gasoline engine does not start well, but it works normally in operating modes (when gas is supplied). This malfunction can be caused by two reasons. A malfunction of the idle system in the carburetor or an incorrect fuel composition.

Exploded drawing of a petrol lawn mower

To eliminate it, you should start with fuel, combine gasoline and oil of the required brands in the required proportion and pour this fuel into the tank instead of the old one. If that doesn’t work. Remove and disassemble the carburetor and adjust the idle system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.