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(225 votes) Published: Jul 25, 2006 5:59 a.m. In 10 Favorites Lists Viewed 1341 times
Small Engine Tune ups by: The Martha Stewart of Engines (REResources)
This egg assumes that the engine runs right, but is due for regular maintenance (about once a year)
-Easy Parts First
Spark plug Don’t grab a crescent wrench for this! Most spark plugs are either 5/8" or 13/16". Remove this and inspect. Look to see if it is wet, if so smell it. If it smells like gas, you may have a carburetor problem. If it is black and wet (or is black and is coated in soot/ash) then you may want to verify your oil level (which you will be replacing anyway). A light gray to brown tinge is the color that is desirable.
Air Filter Remove the outer shell (some industrial engines have too) with a slot screwdriver (sometimes a 5/16" too). Remove the foam pre cleaner (if it has it) and blow out BACKWARDS from the normal air flow. Now remove and discard the paper element. If you have a foam element (no paper part), you may want to clean it by soaking in a light soap and water combo (don’t use carb and choke or similar as it "inflates" the filter). I recommend replacing it.
Blade removal Remove the blade with a 1/2" to 3/4" socket. I recommend an impact. Usually, if it has more that 1 bolt (i.e. 3) you want to remove the outer two. This will help you avoid popping off the clutch (Honda and john Deere’s are good for that). Use a typical grinding gear and sharpen at an angle of 30 to 45 degrees, passing over many times. Then, on the back, keeping the blade at a 90 degree angle, sweep it back and forth quickly. Repeat for the other side.
Advanced Remove the shroud (usually a slot screwdriver and 1/4" to 7/16" driver’s will work) and blow out the top of the engine. Then use around 220 (finer is better) and a screwdriver. Use the screwdriver and find the magnet on the flywheel (the big fan looking thing). Sand those down till they are shiny. Inspect the magneto cable (looks like a horseshoe that goes from next to the flywheel to the spark plug). Use a blowgun/hose/brush to clean all of the cooling fins to prevent overheating.
Carbuerator Clean/adjust
This will be a quick look into this because you have updraft, side draft, choke, and many other variations. USUALLY if the idle to mid-throttle seems to pulsate (fast slow fast slow) You may need to change the diaphragm gasket (on updraft carbs) or, try to adjust the idle set screw on any carb, see if that fixes it. On side draft models, look for a small screw on the float bowl with a spring on it. Push it in and if gas comes out, hold it for another 10 or so seconds to flush the shit out. Once you done that, let the gas run through for about 10 minutes.
Oil change Push mowers can usually be tipped to one side instead of removing the plug (which is a pain in the ass). Tip it to about a 90 degree angle with the oil fill down and let it drain into a pan. While it is on its side, sharpen the blade. Now add about 20 ounces (some vary) and check about 5 times as the side of the dipstick touches the side of the fill stick. Penis.
Winterize This is the reason 95% of mowers come into my shop, gummed up or destroyed carbs. This is because people let gas sit in the tank over winter. A rule of thumb is, don’t let gas sit in the tank for more than 30 days. To winterize it, pour out the gas and then start it up (will only run for a few seconds). This burns off all of the excess and ensures a clean carb.
This is all I can think of for now, if you have any questions, go ahead and ask. Thank you for reading my "egg" and happy fixing!
Jul 25, 2006 7:41 am - Shitty, Typing this made me want to go work on an engine. I have an older model Snapper 5HP B&S engine lawn mower. It has a knocking sound (doesnt sound like rod knock). So I pull the head off and look for signs of excess carbon, I was lucky (I guess) because the piston was at TDC, so it was easy to clean. So I cleaned that, the valves and the head while destroying the head gasket. After I’m done doing that, I go to pull the piston back to wipe any particles out of the cylinder. As I’m wiping, I notice 1/16 to 1/8 scoring all along the cast iron sleeve. So now I need new rings and a hone to fix that, and a new gasket and plug for the head. Fucking engines. I garbage picked this mower (new about $569) and was told that it "didn’t pick up grass right". So I found out, the drive belts are shot, air filter is shot, drive tension spring is missing, spark plug gap was smashed, the oil was black, the upshoot for the grass bag was clogged (original problem) the cylinder is scored, and the head was full of carbon...FUCK!
Jul 25, 2006 8:41 am - pretty good egg. I spent me previous year in skool doing this shit all year on lawn mowers and go-karts and shit. I wish i thought of doing this egg first. good job 5*
oh, if you know how to get the flywheel of an engine w/o a gear puller (which i dont have) tell me. I need to do some serious shit to a tractor
Jul 25, 2006 5:29 pm - This reminds me of when I was your age and I had MINIBIKES!! You had to know all of this stuff, or you’d be walkin’ and not ridin’!
Jul 26, 2006 12:18 am - i seriously hope whoever said they where gonna add a cold air in take and put there lawn mower on the bottle was kidding. haha someones HAS but a tank of nitrous oxcide(nos is a brand you tards) on there lawn mower, along with a cold air in take and a cherry bomb exhuastClick to see Video
reresources, you know some good tips for small engines, glad the kids that live near my house dont know that when i charge them 25 dph to fix there gopeds
oh, if you know how to get the flywheel of an engine w/o a gear puller (which i dont have) tell me. I need to do some serious shit to a tractor
They have different types of flywheel pullers. They are not actually similar to a gear puller, but you can use that. Go to your local hardware store and see if you can find one, they look SIMILAR to a socket. You can also put the flywheel bolt near the end of the threads (about flush) and tap that with a hammer, dont hit it too much, as you might shift the threads on the crankshaft. While you do that, put a SLIGHT prying effort on the flywheel against the crankcase. If it has a starter, make sure you do not bend the gear on the flywheel or smash the stator.
Jul 26, 2006 1:29 am - Flywheel puller, about $2.00 USD. You put the shaft inside of the hole of that (after removing the flywheel retaining nut) and then tap on the end with a hammer. This will usually break it free.
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