Lawn mower carb problems. How to Clean Carburetor on Husqvarna Lawn Mower

Lawn Mower Won’t Start After Cleaning Carburetor

The carburetor is a vital component but not the only part involved in starting a lawn mower. A visibly clean carburetor is not necessarily in flawless working condition. Therefore, you have to conduct a thorough inspection when your lawn mower won’t start after cleaning the carburetor.

A lawn mower won’t start after cleaning the carburetor if the part is worn, broken, or installed incorrectly. You may also have a cracked primer bulb, a malfunctioning spark plug, a clogged air filter, or bad gas. Furthermore, inspect the main engine components to fix the problem.

Assess the current condition of your carburetor and the last cold start performance of the lawn mower. These considerations will help you eliminate a few typical problems in lawn mowers. Read on to know about the usual glitches to detect and fix them.

Why a Lawn Mower Won’t Start After Cleaning the Carburetor

Ensure your carburetor is thoroughly clean and dry before you reinstall it on the lawn mower. Ideally, you should use a quality carb cleaner and dry it with compressed air. Check if the carburetor’s parts are in good condition; an easy inspection when you clean them separately (source).

You may consider the following probable issues chronologically to detect the causal problem.

The Carburetor Has Worn and Broken Parts or Is Installed Incorrectly

A lawn mower carburetor has several small parts, such as:

• Venturi
• Inlet and outlet ports, including jets
• Diaphragms and valves
• Metering unit, including lever, needle, pin, and spring
• Nuts, screws, gaskets, seals, etc.

A worn out or broken metering unit will prevent the carburetor from starting your lawn mower, even if it is visibly clean. Likewise, corroded jets and venturi won’t function optimally. Additionally, you may have a clogged valve or damaged diaphragms. Check the gaskets or seals, too.

Furthermore, you must install the carburetor correctly. The nuts and screws should have a snug fit. Pay heed to the fastening bolts and the adjustable screws if your lawn mower has the latter. Many contemporary lawn mower models have air mixture and idle screws.

You may replace a few broken carburetor parts, such as the metering unit. However, if you have significant corrosion, the only solution may be replacing the carburetor.

The Carburetor Is Not Sufficiently Primed for the Engine To Start

Many lawn mowers have a primer bulb to assist the engine’s cold start. The purpose of this primer bulb is to pump a bit of gas or fuel into the carburetor. Subsequently, the carburetor mixes the fuel with air and combusts the mixture to start the engine when you pull the cord.

When you reinstall a cleaned and dried carburetor on your lawn mower, there is no fuel inside it, and thus it will not start the engine. The standard practice is pressing the primer bulb a few times to pump or draw sufficient fuel into the carburetor, depending on the model.

However, you cannot do this if the primer bulb is cracked or broken. Evident cracks or signs of damage are easy to spot, but tiny leaks are difficult to detect visually. Unfortunately, many lawn mowers don’t have transparent primer bulbs, so you cannot see the fuel level inside.

Here’s how you can inspect and fix a primer bulb:

• Replace the primer bulb if you find visible signs of cracks or damage.
• Otherwise, press the primer bulb to feel its compression and retraction.
• A soft compression and delayed retraction implies structural damage or leaks.
• Replace a leaky primer bulb, including the valve on the lawn mower, if it is also broken.
• If none of these is a problem, check for fuel or gas inside the carburetor.
• Inspect the gas lines if there is no trace of fuel inside the carburetor, despite priming.
• Check the fuel lines and clean them if the primer bulb and carburetor are working.
• Replace leaking or damaged fuel lines if they are the problem preventing the cold start.

The Spark Plug Is Dirty, or the Air Filter Is Clogged

A clean and primed carburetor won’t start your lawn mower if the spark plug fails or the air filter is clogged. You may have both these problems simultaneously. Replace a broken spark plug and an unusable air filter. Otherwise, clean and reinstall them to check if the lawn mower starts.

Here are the steps to clean and test a lawn mower spark plug:

• Remove the spark plug from the lawn mower.
• Clean the carbon buildup from the spark plug with a soft wire brush.
• Get a multimeter and test the two ends of the spark plug for resistance.
• Replace the spark plug if it has no resistance, thus implying it is broken.
• Check the spark plug part number to buy an identical one.

Watch this video to test if your lawn mower spark plug is alright or broken:

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How to Clean Carburetor on Husqvarna Lawn Mower?

To clean the carburetor on a Husqvarna lawn mower, you need to first disconnect the spark plug wire and remove any debris from around the engine.

Next, locate the carburetor and use a screwdriver to unscrew it from its housing.

Once removed, inspect for dirt or grime buildup and then clean with a small brush or rag if necessary.

If there is significant gunk build-up in the air chamber of your carburetor, use an aerosol cleaner.

Then reassemble everything according to manufacturer instructions and reconnect all parts securely.

To finish off cleaning process make sure that all mounting bolts are tight so no fuel leaks out of your engine while running.

• Step 1: Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug
• This is to prevent accidental starting of your lawn mower while you are working on it
• Step 2: Drain all fuel from the tank and remove it, if possible
• The carburetor may be clogged with old fuel so removing and cleaning or replacing it will help clean out any sediment or dirt buildup in the carburetor
• Step 3: Remove the air cleaner assembly located above the carburetor housing, then unscrew and remove the main jet and idle mixture screw that are attached to it
• Step 4: Use a small brush such as an old toothbrush to clean off any dirt or debris from inside of the carburetor housing, then rinse by spraying some carb cleaner into it (follow directions carefully)
• Step 5: Reassemble everything in reverse order ensuring all connections are secure before moving onto reattaching your fuel tank for refilling with fresh gasoline

How Do You Clean a Lawn Mower Carburetor Without Removing It?

Cleaning a lawn mower carburetor without removing it is an important task, as this helps to keep your lawn mower running smoothly and efficiently.

The first step in cleaning the carburetor without removing it is to check the air filter for dirt and debris.

If there are any clogs, these need to be cleaned out before continuing with the process.

Once this has been done, you can then begin by spraying some cleaner into the various ports of the carburetor using a small spray bottle or aerosol canister.

This will help loosen up any deposits that may have built up within the system over time and should make them easier to remove when wiping down afterwards with a cloth rag or brush.

After all of these steps are complete, you’ll want to use compressed air (or shop vacuum) on each port of the carburetor in order to blow out any remaining dirt and debris from inside.

Finally, reassemble everything back together and give your machine a test run – if all goes well then you’ve successfully completed cleaning your lawn mower’s carburetor without having removed it!

Can You Clean a Carburetor Without Removing It?

Yes, you can clean a carburetor without removing it from the vehicle.

The process is relatively simple and can be done with a few basic tools, such as a can of carburetor cleaner, an adjustable wrench or socket set, and some rags or paper towels.

First, make sure that your engine is off and cool before beginning – this will help keep any solvent fumes away from the engine’s hot parts.

Next, locate the carburetor on top of the engine – most vehicles have them in plain sight near the air filter housing.

Once you’ve identified it, use compressed air to blow out dirt and debris from around where it’s attached to the intake manifold.

Then spray down all accessible parts of the carburetor with some carburetor cleaner – take care not to get any on painted surfaces!

Follow up by wiping away any excess dirt or gunk with a rag or paper towel until everything looks clean and free of grime.

Finally, adjust any screws that may need adjusting for optimal performance before starting your vehicle again; if done correctly your car should be running like new again!

How Do I Know If My Lawn Mower Carburetor is Dirty?

If you think that your lawn mower carburetor is dirty, there are a few signs to look for.

First, if the engine is running rough or not at all, it could be due to a clogged or dirty carburetor.

Another sign of a potentially dirtied carburetor would be black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe while the engine is running.

When this happens, it means that too much fuel is being burned and not enough air is entering the motor.

If either of these symptoms occur when starting up your lawn mower, it’s time to inspect and clean out your carburetor as soon as possible before more damage occurs.

To properly clean out and inspect the carburetor on your lawn mower, make sure you have an appropriate cleaning kit available so that you can take apart each part of the unit safely and efficiently.

Once everything has been taken apart for inspection, use brushes and cleaners specifically designed for small engines like those found in most lawn care equipment to get rid of any residue buildup within each component before reassembling them back together again correctly.

What’S the Easiest Way to Clean a Carburetor on a Lawn Mower?

Cleaning a carburetor on a lawn mower is an important step in keeping your machine running smoothly.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be a time-consuming or difficult task.

The easiest way to clean the carburetor on a lawn mower is by removing all fuel from the tank, disconnecting the air filter.

And throttle/governor linkages, and then using compressed air, gasoline-approved aerosol cleaners, or cleaning solutions to thoroughly flush out dirt and debris from all accessible areas of the carburetor.

Be sure to use eye protection when working with any type of cleaner!

Once you’ve finished cleaning the parts of your carburetor that are visible, reassemble everything and check for smooth operation before replacing any parts or making adjustments.

With regular maintenance like this you can keep your lawn mower running at peak performance for years to come!

Husqvarna Lawn Mower Carburetor Problems

Husqvarna lawn mowers are reliable and dependable machines, however they may occasionally run into carburetor issues.

Common problems can include the engine not starting at all, the engine running too slow or fast, stalling after startup, a decrease in power while mowing, or an excess of fuel being delivered to the combustion chamber.

If you are experiencing any of these issues with your Husqvarna lawn mower’s carburetor it is best to take it to a professional for maintenance and repair.

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowing how to clean a carburetor on a Husqvarna lawn mower can save you time and money as well as extending the life of your lawnmower.

It’s an important maintenance task that should be done regularly in order to keep your lawnmower running smoothly.

With the steps outlined above, you now have all the information you need to properly clean your carburetor so that it provides optimal performance for years to come.

Lawn Mower Only Runs With Choke On: Causes and Fixes

When your lawn mower only runs with choke on. it is obviously not normal and can be an indication of an issue. The culprit in this occurrence is probably a problem with the fuel or the carburetor.

Let us dive deep and discuss this topic to understand better the possible reasons why this is happening to the lawn mower and how you can fix this issue and prevent it once and for all.

Why Does Your Lawn Mower Only Run With Choke On?

Your lawn mower only runs with choke on because of a problem with the engine fuel-air mixture system, which can be caused by the carburetor, bad fuel, or air leaks. The choke compels more fuel in the combustion chamber to help the engine to turn over when cold.

A choke functions by decreasing the air supply, increasing the suction, and enhancing the air and gas mixture that goes into the engine. There are different possible reasons to consider when trying to identify why the lawn mower only runs with choke on.

There might be an underlying issue with any of the following: carburetor, air supply, and fuel. The lawn mower should be operated with the choke on for no longer than five minutes.

Allowing your lawn mower to operate with the choke on will give rise to several problems like irregularity in engine power performance and excessive consumption of fuel. This may eventually damage the engine, so to address this kind of lawn mower issue, let’s start to examine the possible causes and be prepared to fix them.

Let’s talk through these reasons one by one so you will be familiar about what to inspect and how to troubleshoot the lawn mower.

– Carburetor Problems

Clogging in the carburetor is the most usual problem that your lawn mower might be facing, which is why your mower runs only with choke on.

The carburetor can be easily clogged by rust or debris that are in the fuel because the carburetor has small jets inside with tiny holes in them to enable the gas delivery to reach the combustion chamber.

Another possibility to look at is when the carburetor gets gummed up because of occasional use. The air intake could dry out the gas in the carburetor, which results in a sticky substance, and over time, the gas that was left in stock for so long will coat the walls of your carburetor and build up.

This condition reduces the ability of your lawn mower carburetor to supply the correct ratio of air and fuel as its tiny parts cannot move properly. This would cause the lawn mower engine to only run with the choke on.

over, the reason why your mower starts on choke then dies is because of debris that clogs, at least partially, the fuel passages in the carburetor. When this happens, the choke will provide the extra fuel needed to go into the engine and overcome the lack of fuel that enters through the other passages.

– Bad Fuel

Bad fuel can also cause your lawn mower to run only with the choke on. You may be using an incorrect kind of gas or old gas, especially if you haven’t used the lawn mower for a long period of time.

You may also want to check whether the fuel has an excessive volume of alcohol. As every type of regular fuel is blended with at least ten percent of ethanol in the United States, it contains moisture that can cause your carburetor to rust and be gunked up.

Using the wrong fuel might also be the reason why your lawn mower, even after having a new carburetor, only runs on choke.

– Air Leaks

Air supply plays a significant role in the fuel delivery system. Many issues can be related to air supply. These issues include leaks or cracks that have developed in the carburetor areas like loose hardware or the primer bulb.

The wrong placement of the air screw of the carburetor that controls how much air mixes with the fuel, and a damaged or incorrectly set gasket are also some issues. The above issues may result in an excessive amount of air being delivered and a weak vacuum system.

This condition can cause the lawn mower to only run with the choke on. Having a dirty air filter also prevents the airflow from coming through as needed, so this condition should be attended to as well by cleaning your lawn mower’s air filter.

How Can You Fix Your Lawn Mower?

To fix your lawn mower that only runs with choke on, you can clean or change the carburetor, replace the fuel, or fix the air leaks. While there are lots of reasons why your lawn mower only runs with the choke on, here are several ways to fix it. Lawn mowers take regular gas and you should know how to refuel them properly.

Let’s begin to know each of the solutions and talk about the steps you can take to address the problem.

– Clean or Change the Carburetor

It is an important step to give your carburetor a good cleaning first before you decide to replace it to know whether it just needs a cleaning or if it truly needs replacing. By this time, you may want to observe its appearance.

If you see that it is extremely gummed up or rusted already, you may want to replace it instead of wasting your time cleaning it. Whichever you decide, you will need to detach and disassemble the carburetor first.

For cleaning, you may want to use a carb cleaner for the interior of the carburetor and jets for spraying the cleaner onto the component. However, if you see that your carburetor has plenty of gas residue, soak it for at least a couple of hours using a carburetor cleaner.

Make sure that you know how to assemble and install it again once you have finished cleaning it.

– Replace the Fuel

In the United States, regular fuel works great on large engines. Unfortunately, this is not the case on smaller engines, so make sure that your fuel does not have an excessive amount of alcohol to prevent your carburetor from deteriorating.

Opt for a lower percentage of non-alcohol blended gas, or take a shot at using a non-oxygenated or premium fuel instead. The wrong fuel might just mess with the internal combustion process of your engine.

Also, make sure that you throw away the fuel that has been sitting on your mower for more than a year. Try to observe the fuel’s color to easily identify if it has gone bad. Fuel that smells sour and has a darkened color has already gone bad and has to be thrown away.

Drain out all the fuel in your mower’s tank, and clean the sticky residue that is left behind before you replace it with fresh fuel. Keep in mind that you must clean the tank up before adding newer fuel, as leaving it dirty won’t solve anything.

– Fix the Air Leaks

Once you are certain that your lawn mower carburetor is having an issue with the supply of air, the first thing you can do is pinpoint the specific area where the supply of air is disrupted.

You can start to look for loose connections or any cracks, and inspect the primer bulb as well because it is made of rubber and can be brittle and get cracked as it ages. Examine the mounting gasket, and observe if something does not look right. Any edges that are bulging out or components that appear cracked or dried should be replaced.

Check the fuel cap as well, and ensure that its seal is still on and in good condition. Maintain the cleanliness of the air filter because the dirtier it is, the more issues may occur for your lawn mower. Check for gunk that has built up and is clogging the filter.

However, if you see that the appearance might be beyond cleaning, consider replacing it with a new one instead. Lastly, scan your carburetor and ensure that every piece of hardware is properly tightened and secured.

Conclusion

Though it seems difficult to determine the problem of your lawn mower that only runs with choke on, a bit of hard work, perseverance, and plenty of insights from this article will help you and your lawn mower work properly again.

• A lawn mower that only runs with the choke on might be having problems with the carburetor, air supply, or bad fuel.
• Maintaining a clean carburetor will make the fuel delivery system run smoothly.
• Use high-quality fuel to extend the lawn mower’s life.
• Make sure that there is no disruption to the air supply as it is critical to the process happening inside the lawn mower.

Here’s a thought to ponder: if you invest a good amount to buy your lawn mower, make the most out of it by providing it with the care and maintenance requirements that are essential to it. This way, you have a fully functional mower to help you maintain a well-manicured yard.

Lawnmower Won’t Start? Do this.

A lawnmower that won’t start, especially when taken from storage, is almost always due to one problem: bad gas.

Storing a lawnmower in the fall without adding gasoline stabilizer to the fuel tank can cause the fuel to break down and plug the fuel passages. If fixing that problem doesn’t help, there are a few others that can help fix a lawnmower that won’t start, as we explain here.

How to Fix a Lawnmower That Won’t Start

Replace the Bad Gas

Over time (like the six months your lawnmower sat in your garage over the winter), the lighter hydrocarbons in gas can evaporate. This process creates gums and varnish that dirty the carburetor, plug fuel passages and prevent gas from flowing into the combustion chamber.

The carburetor bowl below formed corrosion and deposits during storage, which can easily plug fuel passages and prevent the engine from starting.

Storing equipment without stabilizing the gas can lead to deposits that foul the carburetor or injectors.

Ethanol-containing gas can absorb water from the atmosphere, which can lead to phase separation, which occurs when ethanol and gas separate, much like oil and water. Ethanol that has absorbed enough moisture and has sat long enough can foul the fuel system and prevent the engine from starting.

No matter how many times you yank the pull cord and pollute the air with your advanced vocabulary, the lawnmower won’t start if it’s trying to run on bad gas.

In extreme cases, evaporation of lighter hydrocarbons can change the gasoline’s composition enough to prevent it from igniting. The gas may be fueling the engine, but it doesn’t matter if it won’t ignite.

Bad Gas in Your Lawnmower? Here’s How to Fix It

If you neglected to add gasoline stabilizer to the fuel prior to storage, empty the tank and replace with fresh gas. If the tank is nearly empty, simply topping off with fresh gas is often enough to get it started.

On some mowers, you can easily remove and empty the fuel tank. Sometimes that’s more trouble than it’s worth. In these cases, use a fluid extraction pump or even a turkey baster to remove the bad gas. You don’t need to remove all of it; but try to get as much out as possible.

Clean the Carburetor

You’ve replaced the fuel, but your lawnmower still won’t start.

Next, try cleaning the carburetor. Remove the air filter and spray carburetor cleaner into the intake. Let it sit for several minutes to help loosen and dissolve varnish and gums.

Remove the air filter and spray carburetor cleaner into the intake. Let it sit a few minutes to loosen deposits.

On some carburetors, you can easily remove the float bowl. If equipped, first remove the small drain plug and drain the gas from the bowl. Remove the float bowl cover and spray the float and narrow fuel passages with carburetor cleaner.

This kind of “quick-and-dirty” carburetor cleaning is usually all it takes to get the gas flowing again and your lawnmower back to cutting grass.

If not, consider removing the carburetor from the engine, disassembling it and giving it a good cleaning. Be forewarned, however: taking apart a carburetor can lead to nothing but frustration for the uninitiated. Take pictures with your phone to aid in reassembly. Note the positions of any linkages or the settings of any mixture screws, if equipped. If you’re at all reluctant, visit the servicing dealer instead.

Consider replacing the carburetor altogether. It’s a fairly simple process on most smaller mowers and it’s often less expensive than taking it to the dealer.

Direct compressed air from the inside of the air filter out to remove debris that may be reducing airflow and preventing the lawnmower from starting.

Clean/Replace the Air Filter

With the air filter removed, now’s the perfect time to clean it.

Tap rigid filters on a workbench or the palm of your hand to dislodge grass clippings, leaves and other debris. Direct compressed air from the inside of the filter out to avoid lodging debris deeper into the media.

Use soap and water to wash foam filters. If it’s been a few years, simply replace the filter; they’re inexpensive and mark the only line of defense against wear-causing debris entering your engine and wearing the cylinder and piston rings.

An incorrectly gapped spark plug can prevent the engine from starting. Set the gap to the specification given in the owner’s manual.

Check the Spark Plug

A dirty or bad spark plug may also be to blame. Remove the plug and inspect condition. A spark plug in a properly running four-stroke engine should last for years and never appear oily or burned. If so, replace it.

Use a spark-plug tester to check for spark. If you don’t have one, clip the spark-plug boot onto the plug, hold the plug against the metal cylinder head and slowly pull the starter cord. You should see a strong, blue spark. It helps to test the plug in a darkened garage. Replace the plug if you don’t see a spark or it appears weak.

While you’re at it, check the spark-plug gap and set it to the factory specifications noted in the lawnmower owner’s manual.

If you know the plug is good, but you still don’t have spark, the coil likely has failed and requires replacement.

Did You Hit a Rock or Other Obstacle?

We’ve all killed a lawnmower engine after hitting a rock or big tree root.

If your lawnmower won’t start in this scenario, you probably sheared the flywheel key. It’s a tiny piece of metal that aligns the flywheel correctly to set the proper engine timing. Hitting an immovable obstacle can immediately stop the mower blade (and crankshaft) while the flywheel keeps spinning, shearing the key.

In this case, the engine timing is off and the mower won’t start until you pull the flywheel and replace the key. It’s an easy enough job IF you have a set of gear pullers lying around the garage. If not, rent a set from a parts store (or buy one…there’s never a bad reason to buy a new tool) or visit the dealer.

My Lawnmower Starts But Runs Poorly

If you finally get the lawnmower started, but it runs like a three-legged dog, try cleaning the carburetor with AMSOIL Power Foam. It’s a potent cleaning agent designed to remove performance-robbing carbon, varnish and other gunk from carburetors and engines.

Add Gasoline Stabilizer to Avoid Most of These Problems

Which sounds better? Completing all these steps each year when your lawnmower won’t start? Or pouring a little gasoline stabilizer into your fuel tank?

Simply using a good gasoline stabilizer can help avoid most of the problems with a lawnmower that won’t start.

AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer, for example, keeps fuel fresh up to 12 months. It helps prevent the lighter hydrocarbons from evaporating to reduce gum and varnish and keep the fuel flowing. It also contains corrosion inhibitors for additional protection.

I have a five-gallon gas can in my garage from which I fuel two lawnmowers, two chainsaws, two snowblowers, a string trimmer, an ATV and the occasional brush fire. I treat the fuel with Gasoline Stabilizer every time I fill it so I never have to worry about the gas going bad and causing problems.

You can also use AMSOIL Quickshot. It’s designed primarily to clean carburetors and combustion chambers while addressing problems with ethanol. But it also provides short-term gasoline stabilization of up to six months.

Use a Good Motor Oil for Your Lawnmower

Although motor oil has no bearing on whether your lawnmower starts or not (unless you don’t use oil at all and seize the engine), it pays to use a high-quality motor oil in your lawnmower.

This is especially true for professionals or homeowners running expensive zero-turn or riding mowers.

Lawnmower engines are tougher on oil than most people realize. They’re usually air-cooled, which means they run hotter than liquid-cooled automotive engines.

They often run for hours in hot, dirty, wet conditions. Many don’t have an oil filter, further stressing the oil.

In these conditions, motor oils formulated for standard service can break down, leading to harmful deposits and reduced wear protection.

For maximum performance and life, use a motor oil in your lawnmower designed to deliver commercial-grade protection, like AMSOIL Synthetic Small-Engine Oil.

Its long-life formulation has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to safely exceed original equipment manufacturer (OEM) drain intervals in the toughest conditions. It provides an extra measure of protection when equipment goes longer between oil changes than is recommended by the OEM.