Please advise - Do I need a new lawnmower?
- Thread starter amelie
- Start date
Hey Turbo and Berts,
Big teaching here. I was determined to get my lawnmower working, and not buy another one. All I kept in my mind was that my lawnmower was going to get fixed. How? I had no clue, but started with this forum. I left off the other night, saying this neighbor,
was coming over in the morning, which was yesterday, to check on the spark plug. I didn't know him well at all.
So he arrives, and I tell him that I was told by you, Berts, to get a new spark plug, don't try and clean the old one. I was so dismayed when he says, no we can clean the old one.
So right in front of my eyes he starts to dismantle the whole lawnmower down to the last screw. Yes, I bought beer for him while in progress. 8 hours yesterday. And he came back over today to finish the job.
Here is what he said the problem was. Cracked manifold, which fell apart when he pulled on it. He temporarily epoxyed it, but that didn't hold, so temporarily duct tape for now, until new part comes in. But that wasn't the initial problem he said. He said the initial problem caused the manifold to overheat, and yes lawn mower is 11 years old.
He said my friend who 3 years ago rebuilt my lawnmower, did not seal the back carb screws with "lock tight glue, and as such, due to vibration over time, carb loosened accumulation a lot of grime. So carb was clogged.
We fired up the lawnmower a few hours ago, works great, except he said, the spark plug is too fouled to be cleaned, and needs a new one.
I have a brand new lawnmower!! Envision what you want strongly, and don't let anyone tell you it can't be done.
And Berts - here is the engine number: 10L 902-0469-E1
Thank you, All! You gave me a lot to start with. Will come back in a heart beat if I need to again.
Amelie
Big teaching here. I was determined to get my lawnmower working, and not buy another one. All I kept in my mind was that my lawnmower was going to get fixed. How? I had no clue, but started with this forum. I left off the other night, saying this neighbor,
was coming over in the morning, which was yesterday, to check on the spark plug. I didn't know him well at all.
So he arrives, and I tell him that I was told by you, Berts, to get a new spark plug, don't try and clean the old one. I was so dismayed when he says, no we can clean the old one.
So right in front of my eyes he starts to dismantle the whole lawnmower down to the last screw. Yes, I bought beer for him while in progress. 8 hours yesterday. And he came back over today to finish the job.
Here is what he said the problem was. Cracked manifold, which fell apart when he pulled on it. He temporarily epoxyed it, but that didn't hold, so temporarily duct tape for now, until new part comes in. But that wasn't the initial problem he said. He said the initial problem caused the manifold to overheat, and yes lawn mower is 11 years old.
He said my friend who 3 years ago rebuilt my lawnmower, did not seal the back carb screws with "lock tight glue, and as such, due to vibration over time, carb loosened accumulation a lot of grime. So carb was clogged.
We fired up the lawnmower a few hours ago, works great, except he said, the spark plug is too fouled to be cleaned, and needs a new one.
I have a brand new lawnmower!! Envision what you want strongly, and don't let anyone tell you it can't be done.
And Berts - here is the engine number: 10L 902-0469-E1
Thank you, All! You gave me a lot to start with. Will come back in a heart beat if I need to again.
Amelie
reynoldston
Lawn Pro
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- May 23, 2011
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Shouldn't cause any troubles filling the gas tank to the brim other then a safety issue. It sounds to me like new mower time. With the cost of labor and parts you are going to find it wouldn't be much different in money between repair and new. Then you will have a new mower with all the most up to date safety up dates. I know that not everybody will agree with this, but being in the repair business I see this all the time.
turbofiat124
Well-Known Member
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- Mar 23, 2011
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What did the spark plug look like? Was it a sooty or oily? Oily would indicate oil burning. A black dry soot would indicate a rich mixture.
Most of the time a cracked intake manifold would lead to a false air leak causing it to run lean and more likely wouldn't even run at all, particular on small engines. This shouldn't cause the engine to smoke. But yes a lean mixture would cause an engine to run hot.
I agree topping the fuel tank off to the brim shouldn't cause any issues other than safety. Fuel could slosh out and the exhaust and cause a fire.
On a car yes, ever overfill the fuel tank because if the fuel level gets above the vent port (which is usually mounted in the filler neck) fuel can get sucked into the charcoal evaporater canister and ruin it. And also mess up the fuel tank sending unit. I see people all the time at gas stations trying to get every possible of drop of gas in their tanks and I have no idea why.
Another thing. I once had an engine that was puking oil and the flywheel was slinging it everywhere. There is a little rectangular box mounted on the side of the engine with a small hose coming off that feeds to the air cleaner. This is the crankcase vent. Inside this box is a little diaphragm that is supposed to maintain a certain amount of crankcase pressure. If it goes bad it will suck oil into the air cleaner and into the engine. In my case for some reason it was sucking oil to the point the flywheel cooling fins were blowing it back onto the engine.
Most of the time a cracked intake manifold would lead to a false air leak causing it to run lean and more likely wouldn't even run at all, particular on small engines. This shouldn't cause the engine to smoke. But yes a lean mixture would cause an engine to run hot.
I agree topping the fuel tank off to the brim shouldn't cause any issues other than safety. Fuel could slosh out and the exhaust and cause a fire.
On a car yes, ever overfill the fuel tank because if the fuel level gets above the vent port (which is usually mounted in the filler neck) fuel can get sucked into the charcoal evaporater canister and ruin it. And also mess up the fuel tank sending unit. I see people all the time at gas stations trying to get every possible of drop of gas in their tanks and I have no idea why.
Another thing. I once had an engine that was puking oil and the flywheel was slinging it everywhere. There is a little rectangular box mounted on the side of the engine with a small hose coming off that feeds to the air cleaner. This is the crankcase vent. Inside this box is a little diaphragm that is supposed to maintain a certain amount of crankcase pressure. If it goes bad it will suck oil into the air cleaner and into the engine. In my case for some reason it was sucking oil to the point the flywheel cooling fins were blowing it back onto the engine.
Turbo - good information, thank you.
After I wrote my last post, my neighbor came back over to work on it again. New information. He said he thought the whole problem
started when I put the wrong spark plug in last summer. I didn't know it, of course. I had gone to the hardware store asking
for what was in the manual, and wanted a champion, but did not check that they gave me the right one. As such, the gap was not
correct, and so mower burned to richly, I believe my neighbor said.
Anyway he gave me a list of about 14 items to purchase to restore my mower - gaskets, air cleaners, boot spark plug, even the pull rope...ect
The total with shipping came to $88.00. And I learned a whole lot during the process - mainly not to trust that the hardware
store people are not drinking on the job. True Value Hardware, but it could have been Ace Hardware, can't remember. Lowe's doesn't carry Champions anymore.
All the best to you,
Amelie
After I wrote my last post, my neighbor came back over to work on it again. New information. He said he thought the whole problem
started when I put the wrong spark plug in last summer. I didn't know it, of course. I had gone to the hardware store asking
for what was in the manual, and wanted a champion, but did not check that they gave me the right one. As such, the gap was not
correct, and so mower burned to richly, I believe my neighbor said.
Anyway he gave me a list of about 14 items to purchase to restore my mower - gaskets, air cleaners, boot spark plug, even the pull rope...ect
The total with shipping came to $88.00. And I learned a whole lot during the process - mainly not to trust that the hardware
store people are not drinking on the job. True Value Hardware, but it could have been Ace Hardware, can't remember. Lowe's doesn't carry Champions anymore.
All the best to you,
Amelie
Just remembered, it wasn't Ace or True Value - in fact, not sure that they even carry plugs.
It was the 80 year old family run hardware - lawn mower, it's a huge store downtown.
I still have the receipt, so wonder if I can ask them to pay for the repairs and the 14 beers I bought for my neighbor.
Not sure they can do anything about the days in hell I will have to spend for all the cuss words I said while trying to get my mower to work.
Amelie
It was the 80 year old family run hardware - lawn mower, it's a huge store downtown.
I still have the receipt, so wonder if I can ask them to pay for the repairs and the 14 beers I bought for my neighbor.
Not sure they can do anything about the days in hell I will have to spend for all the cuss words I said while trying to get my mower to work.
Amelie