the.lawn.mower

Lawn Mower Repair - Replacing the Fuel

Checking if your fuel is OK

When you get first get petrol from the pump it has a shelf life of about 3 to 4 months before it's no good. So if you have not mowed your lawn for a season it may have gone bad. The easiest way to check is by smell. I'm sure most of you have smelt petrol while filling the car so what we are looking for is a similar smell. Open the petrol cap and use your hand to waft some of the air above the hole towards your nose and breath in. Don't stick your nose directly over the hole as petrol is a poison and can cause you damage. If it smalls like it, well, petrol then it is probably OK. If it smells like like paint or varnish then it is bad and needs replacing. Is your not sure then you might as well change it.

Removing the old fuel

If you do need to replace the gas, the first step is removing the old gas. Before you remove the old gas, get a secure container to collect the old gas. Make sure it is strong enough to hold petrol (some plastic ones can't). We will use this to drain the fuel into and store until we dispose of it safely. You will need to contact your local council to find out how to dispose of it as you can not put it in the normal rubbish and it is a poison so you can not put it on the garden or anywhere else.

Now to removing the old fuel. The best and easiest is to use a siphon. Place one end of the siphon tube between in the lowest part of the fuel tank, making sure it is touching the bottom. Place the container below the mower and the other end in the container and initiate the siphon. Let it all drain out into the container. Look in to make sure you have it all.

Once it is all gone you should be ok to refill the tank with fresh fuel. Make sure you mix it right with this guide for 2 stroke or 4 stroke fuel. Has this fixed the problem? If this hasn't try the next step.