A lawn mower is an expensive piece of machinery that requires regular cleaning and maintenance. The lawn mower’s carburetor is one the machine’s most important parts that needs to be cleaned carefully to ensure its long use. The following steps should be kept in while cleaning your carburetor.
Planning:
Carefully take out the carburetor and check to see if it has any defects or problems that prevent its smooth operation.
Assemble the kit you will need for cleaning the carburetor, which should include a vice grip, socket wrenches, screw drivers, cleaning rags, cleaning wire, a wire brush, pipe cleaners, cleaning solution and any parts that need to be replaced.
Execution:
1. Start with turning off the mower and bringing it out into an open space where the cleaning operation will not cause other articles around the house to get dirty.
2. Pull the spark plug boot off and disconnect the plug, or disconnect the battery if there is one. Shut off the fuel line that is connected to the spark plug by tying the line or pinching it shut using the vice grip or clamps.
3. The fuel line needs to be disconnected from the nozzle of the carburetor by pulling the flexible hose off.
4. Separate the air filter from the carburetor. If the filter has been placed inside a case, use a screw driver or wrench to open the casing and remove the filters.
5. Unbolt the screws connecting the carburetor to the manifold using the screwdriver. Be sure to disengage the linkages, which is wire connected to the spring which is used to engage the throttle.
6. Remove the bowl at the bottom of the carburetor after unbolting the bolt at the bottom. Use an aerosol carburetor sprayed onto a clean rag to clean the visible parts. Take out the O-ring and inspect it to see if it contains cracks or needs to be replaced.
7. Turn the carburetor on its head and remove the hinge stuck to the carburetor using a pin and put it aside. A screwdriver can be used to gently tap the hinge pin loose and pull it out without damaging it. The needle, pin and the float all need to be cleaned using the carburetor cleaner before being set aside.
8. Examine the inside of the cleaner to check for stray debris parts and spray a large amount of cleaner inside the walls of the carburetor. Allow the walls to sit for a few minutes with the solvent still operating inside.
9. Use the steel wire in order to scrub the pipes and openings clean, including the fuel jet devices residing inside the carburetor.
10. Scrub away the ash and soot deposits from the rest of the carburetor and clean out the parts using a cleaning rag dipped in cleaning solutions.
11. Wipe the parts that have been cleaned with a rag. Rinse out the carburetor parts one last time before reassembling the individual pieces. Finally, connect the spark plug boot back into the spark plug.
12. Repeat the process at regular intervals over time to prolong the life of the carburetor.
Some Useful Tips:
1. Use a workbench while cleaning the carburetor to keep track of the various parts and a hassle free assembling and disassembling of the device.
2. The air filters inside the carburetor come in many shapes and sizes, and can be found inside a casing or attached to the side of the carburetor. Keep the setting in mind and clean the filters accordingly.
3. Submerge the parts of the carburetor in cleaning solution for an hour or more in order to remove the more strongly sticking dirt and grime particles for the parts.
4. A spray cleaner can also be used for the operation, which removes the need for a cleaning solution and can be hosed off using regular water.
5. Clean up kits are available for carburetors which are used to provide an annual tune up that helps prolong the machine’s work life.
Precautions:
1. Make sure the mower is turned off and not connected to an electrical outlet before beginning cleaning operations.
2. Use gloves, aprons and other protective gear while cleaning the carburetor to avoid damaging your hands against the hard and sharpened parts of the device and to prevent dirt, oil and grease from sticking to your skin.
3. While disassembling the mower, make sure the smaller parts are kept together in a box to avoid losing track of them.
4. Remember the proper assembly of the various parts while reassembling the mower in order to put the machine back the right way.
5. Use the proper tools while handling the smaller parts of the carburetor to avoid damaging or breaking the parts.
6. After turning off the engine, wait for it to cool down before starting work on the carburetor.