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How to Clean the Carburetor in a Riding Mower
How to Clean the Carburetor in a Riding Mower. If your riding lawn mower does not start right away, loses power while in use, floods or refuses to start without a cooling-off period while mowing, your carburetor may be clogged. When gunk and varnish clog the float, it cannot provide the airflow needed to maintain combustion, causing your mower to...
If your riding lawn mower does not start right away, loses power while in use, floods or refuses to start without a cooling-off period while mowing, your carburetor may be clogged. When gunk and varnish clog the float, it cannot provide the airflow needed to maintain combustion, causing your mower to stall.
Things You'll Need
Large, fully-charged ABC fire extinguisher
Chemical-resistant disposable gloves
Wrap-around eye protection
1 or more box fans or other ventilation
Socket wrench set
Clean plastic container
Spark plug wrench or socket
Small pick
Thin-gauge wire
Double-ended putty knife
Spray carburetor cleaner
Parts brush
Paper towels
Metal container with tight-fitting lid
New gaskets
New air filter
New spark plug
Fresh, premium-grade gasoline
Fuel injector cleaner
Mow until you run out of fuel and allow the engine to cool for 20 to 30 minutes, or drain and remove the fuel tank while the mower is outside before you go to the next step. Disconnect the spark plug wire and remove the spark plug from your mower to prevent an accidental start.
Open all doors and windows and run a fan while you work, or work outside. Have a large, fully-charged ABC fire extinguisher within fingertip reach and extinguish any open flames or smoking materials. Don chemical-resistant disposable gloves and wrap-around eye protection.
Remove the bolt from the top cover of the carburetor and set it aside in a clean plastic container. Remove the air filter. Place it in the same container as the bolt.
Remove the bowl nut, which is also the main fuel jet, from underneath the carburetor. Scrape the old gasket from the bowl nut using a double-ended putty knife or similar tool, if the gasket has degraded.
Pass a thin piece of wire through the tiny fuel hole in the nut to remove any debris. Use a small pick to gently scrape any debris from the shaft of the nut.
Spray the bowl nut with carburetor cleaner until it is dripping wet and use a brush to clean away any remaining residue. Wipe dry on a paper towel.
Spray the outside of the carburetor bowl with carburetor cleaner and wipe it dry with a paper towel to remove any debris. Remove the bowl from the carburetor.
Use your pick to scrape along the rim and in any indentations on the inside and outside of the bowl to loosen any debris. Spray the inside and outside of the bowl with carburetor cleaner until it is dripping.
Use a parts brush to scrub the bowl inside and out until all debris is loosened, spraying with more carburetor cleaner as needed. Wipe clean with paper towels.
Remove the old gasket from the carburetor and replace it according to directions in your owner's manual. Replace the gasket on the bowl nut as well.
Put the bowl back on the carburetor and tighten the bowl nut. Wipe everything clean with a paper towel one more time.
Replace the old spark plug with a new one and hook up the spark plug wire. Replace and refill the fuel tank with fresh, premium-grade gasoline. Add fuel-injector cleaner to the gasoline according to directions on the can.
Have a trusted assistant disengage the mower deck and start the tractor with the brake on and the tractor in neutral. Idle the engine to medium-high for two to three minutes.
Spritz the carburetor barrel with carburetor cleaner via the air filter intake until the engine sounds like it is about to stall. Idle the motor to medium-high again. Repeat four times.
Install a new air filter if the foam has degraded or if it is a paper-style filter. Clean the old foam filter by soaking it in carburetor cleaner, squeezing it out and allowing it to dry before replacing it, if the foam is still intact.
Refill the gas tank with premium-grade gasoline after running the mower until the tank runs dry.
Tips & Warnings
"The carburetor clogs when you run your mower with cheap fuel or store it for without draining the fuel tank and lines," according to small engine repair specialist Phillip McKnight. Use premium fuel to extend your engine life and performance and drain the fuel lines and tank when your mower is not in use for more than 30 days.
