How to Repair Small Engines: Cleaning the Carburetor

Don't Google "small engine repair near me" the next time your lawnmower sputters. Learn how to do information technology yourself. Small-scale engine repair is all virtually a clean carburetor.

Time

A full day

Complication

Intermediate

Cost

$51–100

Introduction

Solve most lawnmower or other small engine starting problems with a simple diagnosis and a carburetor cleaning or rebuilding. It will only take a few hours, and you lot'll avoid the minimum $lxx-plus-parts repair bill.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Carburetor cleaner
  • Carburetor rebuild kit
  • Plastic gloves
  • Stiff wire

If you tin't get a small engine started, it takes too many pulls to get information technology going, or it runs poorly, ask yourself this: Did it sit for a long time with gas in it? Like over the wintertime? If so, your problem is almost likely a corroded or gummed-upward carburetor. Pocket-sized engine repair shops earn about fifty percent of their revenue by cleaning or replacing carburetors sidelined by old gas. Await at your lawnmower carburetor adjacent time you sharpen the blades or consummate a backyard mower melody-up.

Earlier y'all beginning taking things apart, take a minute to confirm the carburetor is the problem. We'll show y'all how to do that, as well every bit how to clean, rebuild or replace a lawnmower carburetor. Either way, you'll salvage well-nigh an hr of shop labor (most $70). Y'all tin can complete the carburetor rebuild project in a single forenoon, including the fourth dimension scouting for parts.

Projection step-by-stride (seven)

Step ane

Start Your Engine (At Least Try)

  • Confirm that the fuel valve is on, there's gas in the tank and the spark plug is in adept shape.
  • Shoot a 1-second outburst of aerosol lubricant or carburetor cleaner down the throat of the carburetor.
  • Yank the cord.
    • Annotation: If the engine runs (even just sputters) and dies, you lot have a fuel trouble. If in that location's no life subsequently a few tries, it'due south something more than serious and you need to haul the engine to your garage for some detective work.

Step 2

Test for Gas at the Carburetor

  • Clamp off the fuel line.
  • Compress the spring clamp and slide it backward on the fuel line.
  • Pull the tubing off the carburetor nipple and catch the gas in a small bowl.
    • Note: If no gas comes out of the fuel line, y'all've got a plugged fuel line or fuel filter.

small engine repairs

Pace 3

Remove the Carburetor

  • Use a socket or nut driver to remove the 2 bolts that concord the carburetor to the engine.
  • Unhook the throttle cable from the carburetor linkage.
  • Place the carburetor in a container (to catch the gas).

small engine repairs

Stride 4

Check for Corrosion

  •  Open up the carburetor basin to cheque for corrosion.
    • Note: If the within of the carburetor is corroded, it needs to be replaced. Fifty-fifty after cleaning, the corrosion will clog the jets and tiny orifices and restrict the menstruum of gas.

Rebuild or Supercede?

If in that location's no corrosion in the carburetor, you tin can choose to rebuild it rather than supersede it. Simply rebuilding isn't e'er cheaper, and information technology might not even do the trick. Sometimes you can buy a new carburetor for less than (or pretty darn close to) the cost of the rebuilding kit plus the cost of the chemicals. We always just supervene upon bad carburetors rather than rebuild them.

If you opt to rebuild, follow the steps below:

Footstep 5

Dissect the Carburetor on Your Workbench

  • Start the disassembly from the bottom (bowl, float, needle, seat, etc.) and proceed all the parts together.
    • Pro tip: Shoot digital photos for help during reassembly.
  • Match the new gaskets and O-rings in the carburetor repair kit to the old ones.
  • Set aside the used gaskets and O-rings y'all'll discard, and any parts from the kit you don't demand.

Step 6

Clean the Parts

  • Wire all the larger parts together and drop them into a bucket of carburetor cleaner.
  • Wrap the small parts in a piece of aluminum screen or apply a fine-mesh basket, and driblet them in the saucepan as well.
    • Note: New/replacement parts don't need to be cleaned.
  • Let the parts soak for i hour.

small engine repairs

Step 7

Reassemble the Carburetor

  • Rinse all the parts with water and blow them dry with compressed air.
  • Reassemble the old and new carburetor parts and mount it on the engine.
  • Follow the instructions in the kit for adjusting the idle speed and mixture.
  • Fire upward your engine and heed to it purr!

How to Find Carburetor Parts and Prices

Whether you purchase parts from a local pocket-size engine repair shop or online, you may need all this information:

  • Machine make (Toro, Snapper, Honda, etc.), model and serial number.
  • Engine brand and serial number (Tecumseh, Briggs & Stratton, Honda, etc.). The engine model and serial number are usually located on a plate above the spark plug.
  • Yous may as well need numbers from the one-time carburetor itself, usually stamped onto the carb body or its mounting flange.
  • You can buy locally, or try smallenginepartswarehouse.com or psep.biz.

Originally Published: Nov 27, 2020