Lawn mowers are versatile machines that allow homeowners to maintain their lawns and gardens. They can use them for many different purposes and they are extremely useful machines.
Lawn mowers allow homeowners and landscapers to save time and effort in their respective jobs. They also reduce the amount of manual labor required for gardening, allowing them to focus on other work.
But these machines can be caught by problems too. One of such problems is engine stalling. Engine stalling can be referred to as the sudden stopping of the engine turning abruptly ceased operating and stops turning.
This can happen for a variety of reasons but it is often caused by getting too much air, energy, or fuel to turn. It was also caused by a mechanical failure.
When this happens, there is a sudden increase in engine load which can lead to fuel starvation and cause an electric spark. In this article we’ll discuss the reasons behind a lawn mower engine stalling and possible fixes of the issue.
What happens when a lawn mower engine stalls?
When a lawn mower engine stalls, the user can lose control of the vehicle. When your lawn mower’s engine stalls while you’re driving, it can happen suddenly and without warning. It can startle the driver and send them spinning out of control if they weren’t paying attention.
Reasons why a lawn mower engine stalls
- Faulty carburetor
- Gas tank or gas line blockage
- Too much oil in the oil reservoir
- Dirty spark plugs
- Old gasoline that have left over
Faulty carburetor
The carburetor on a lawn mower is designed to mix air and fuel in a fuel tank. Ideally, the air and gas would be mixed evenly throughout the engine. When you are trying to start your lawn mower and it sputters instead of starting, a faulty carburetor is the likely cause.
When an engine stalls, this usually happens because some dirt gets into the carburetor. A carburetor can also become faulty and causes your engine to stall out without warning.
When you leave fuel in your lawn mower for too long, the fuel becomes sticky that has been left over for a long time. It can also clog up the carburetor. It causes the engine to sputter when you try to start it.
To fix this issue you have to clean or repair the carburetor. If it doesn’t help, then you should replace the faulty carburetor with a new one.
Gas line blockage
A crucial function of a gas cap is functioning as a fuel tank vent that lets air come into the fuel tank as the fuel is used. But sometimes the gas tank or gas line may have been blocked without your concern.
When this happens, it can cause poor flow of gas into the engine and lead to stopping or stalling. This issue can be avoided by making sure that you fill your gas tank properly before starting your lawn mower or any other gasoline-powered engine.
Cleaning the gas tank and gas line blockage is the solution to this issue. If you have trouble getting your mower started, check your gas cap.
If that isn’t the issue then try moving around some plants or debris so that you can identify if there is air flowing from the tank vent.
Too much oil in the oil reservoir
The engine of the lawn mower is a machine that uses oil as fuel. It has a reservoir that is connected to the engine. The reservoir should be filled with enough oil so that the engine can work without any interruption.
If there is too much oil in the reservoir, then the mower’s engine will produce a lot of smoke and release in the air. It will lead to failure of the engine.
Then the mower’s engine will eventually drown out and stop working. A simple fix to this issue is to use the right amount of oil. When too much oil is in your lawn mower, the engine may stall.
The reservoir should be filled with enough oil, but not too much. You should drain some if you ever feel that it is necessary.
Dirty spark plugs
When spark plugs are dirty, it can cause your engine to stall. Spark plugs control the air/fuel mixture in your engine. It creates a small explosion that makes the engine produce power.
If a spark plug has dirt inside its chamber, it can change the air/fuel mixture in your engine and the engine will fail to produce power. So, there won’t have enough sparks and sometimes there will be no spark at all.
It causes the engine to shut down. Which will lead to the death of the lawn mower. One of the most common causes of spark plug failure is a lack of maintenance.
Spark plugs get dirty over time and need to be replaced every year or two. This is not too expensive, given that they cost up to $20 each. It takes just about 15 minutes to replace.
Old gasoline that have left over
One of the most common things that causes a lawn mower engine to stall is old gasoline. When gasoline goes bad that has been left over in a tank for a long period of time, it can damage internal engine components of the engine.
It deteriorates and can cause the rubber seals, fuel lines, and intricate metal parts to become damaged. Another common issue that we find in old gasoline is the gum residue that can clog up fuel filters and will eventually build up and cause blockages.
Also it will leave some deposits in the mower’s fuel system. It causes a lawn mower engine to stall.
A simple fix to this issue is topping off the engine with gasoline to prevent water accumulation in the engine and adding a fuel stabilizer in the engine. Fuel stabilizers can extend the life of gasoline for up to 15 months.
Conclusion
Engine stalling is a common issue to a lawn mower that will lead to stoppage of the engine and eventually will cause the death of the mower. The reasons behind this aren’t so big and don’t cost too much.
But if you try to run the mower in this situation it might damage the engine that might cost a lot. So it’s wise to take some steps before it happens.
We’ve discussed the common reasons behind the scenario and the simple solution to these issues. If you can’t fix the issues with yourself then you should contact professionals without messing up the things.
