Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?

Wolf_22

Forum Newbie
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
9
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
Hi, everyone. It's been awhile since I've posted on here but since it's spring time, I've been debating on whether I should try to take my Briggs & stratton 300 148cc 4.5 apart to do a good cleaning of the internals but thought I'd better ask you guys about it before getting too deep into it. I'm afraid of doing anything really crazy, like practically rebuilding the entire engine or something (which I couldn't do even if I wanted to), but would you all have any ideas about things I could take apart to clean and or replace? I'm just not sure how far I should go with this... I'm thinking the age and uses of my mower would surely mean that there's some built-up carbon somewhere that I could probably clean out. Thing is, I'm not entirely sure what the throttle body is on this thing. I'd think there should be a throttle body somewhere that could use some cleaner (like my truck sometimes needs) but I'm not entirely sure where it is. Is it even necessary?

So far, I'm taken the entire gas tank assembly off (linkages and all) and I'm planning on cleaning everything up like it's been spit-shined. I spent the evening trying to clean up the bottom of the deck (tons of matted grass on it from last year). I found some small cracks while doing this that I plan on trying to weld back sometime this week using my Hobart 190... I also have the blade off that I'm planning to sharpen. I lost tons of oil doing all that as I had the mower upside down while I was cleaning, which I'm completely okay with because I'm planning on changing the oil anyway, but can you guys think of anything I should clean / check / replace while I have all this stuff disconnected / dismantled?

I was seriously considering detaching the cylinder head to clean everything out in the block if possible as I'm sure there has to be some buildup in there...but I don't have a gasket for it, so I haven't done that yet. Should I? Maybe that's overkill? My initial thought would be to treat it like a throttle body and spray / clean with some throttle body cleaner if I did... Besides this, I'm not sure what else I can do to get it ready for another year besides replace some minor things, like the cracked-up rubber hose nozzle that connects to the gas tank. (I think I bought this thing back in 2008, so I've managed to get some serious use out of it but this will be the first time I've seriously cleaned this puppy, so it's well overdue!)

Any insights or ideas about this would be appreciated. This will be the first time I've gone to any serious depth in cleaning this thing... Once I have it all cleaned up, etc., I plan on adding some rust converter and new paint, too. Maybe throw in one of those WW2 fighter plane mouth-and-teeth insignias that the Warhawks had. Ha! My neighbor would love that...
 

cpurvis

Lawn Addict
Joined
Aug 25, 2015
Threads
21
Messages
2,256
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
The only thing you need to take off is the fan housing and clean the cylinder fins with compressed air.

Replace the air filter and spark plug.

Change the oil.

Sharpen and balance the blade.

That's all I ever do.
 

Wolf_22

Forum Newbie
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
9
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
Sounds like a plan to me, cpurvis. Thanks. I'll try to pick everything up in my local Menard's today after work. :)
 

tom3

Lawn Addict
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Threads
25
Messages
1,579
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
And I'd suggest cleaning the underside of the deck before winter storage. And I also change the oil before storage, get the crud and acids out of there.
 

Wolf_22

Forum Newbie
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
9
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
Yeah, that's a good point: that way, it doesn't have all winter to rust, etc. I'll try to do that this year.

Out of curiosity, what's your thoughts on trying to replace the gas grommet tubing with something like a more basic host w/ tiny screw clamps or even zip ties? (Thinking again about what I can get from Menards without needing to order proprietary parts, etc. and I'm thinking I could probably replace that piece with a tiny piece of cut tubing or something.)
 

HarmonySeeker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
108
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
My girlfriend has an older Honda. Just today I said, 'nice mower, have you ever changed the oil?'
She said, 'it's never run out, so, no........'
 

Wolf_22

Forum Newbie
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
9
  • / Spring time... Should I dig into the engine to clean it, replace some things, etc.?
Haha! I hate to admit it, but I've been there...

When I was about 12 or 13, my old man and I just wrapped up a mowing visit for a friend of ours. I had been mowing the friend's yard while him and my dad had a couple beers. Sounds like a well managed operation, eh? Anyway, after I finished, my dad and I were loading the push mower back into the back of my dad's pickup truck... At the time, the mower we had back then had been acting a little funny. I can't remember exactly what it was doing but I think it had something to do with the thing just not mowing as well as it should and maybe lacking some power. Anyway, after we put the thing in the truck, I see my dad looking it over, fiddling around with the moving parts to gauge their state. Me being the little idiot I was then (and sometimes, still am!), I decided to follow suit and start grabbing parts of the mower to see if anything was broken or loose...including the exhaust.

Needless to say, it only took me the span of time it takes for pain to travel the nervous system and to hear the sizzling of flesh to realize how dumb of a mistake that was. I spent the rest of the day with a cooling pad glued to my poor blistered-up hand. As bad as it was, I can at least say that I'm good at being my own teacher. ;)
 
Top