Do-it-yourself trimmer repair

The tool, which is called a lawn mower or trimmer, is a modern device that allows you to cope with work on the site faster and without unnecessary expenditure of physical energy, which greatly simplifies the mowing process. In addition, it is safer than a simple braid.

However, we should not forget about this point: the more complex the tool, the higher the risk of its breakdown. A petrol mower consists of separate mechanisms and components, each of which has its own resource.

One of the simple ways to extend the life of a tool is timely inspection and identification of technical faults. Most manufacturers write about this in the instructions for the tool. It also contains information about fuels and lubricants that are recommended for use when working with a lawn mower.

If individual components are not inspected at least once a season, their service life may be sharply reduced. Then the owners have to resort to the services of craftsmen. However, most breakdowns can be fixed on your own.

Why the lawn mower won’t start: common reasons

The most common problems that you can fix yourself are:

• malfunction of the power unit, as a result of which it will not start;
• vibration of the rod, complicating normal work with the tool;
• overheating of the gearbox, leading to emergency shutdown;
• a decrease in speed, as a result of which the scythe will no longer perform its functions;
• contamination of the starter grid, causing an increase in the temperature of the power part and shutting down the engine;
• clogging of the carburetor, leading to rapid failure of the device;
• clogging of the air filter, due to which the engine will constantly stall.

The breakdowns listed above can be eliminated independently during inspection of the instrument.

Repairing a lawn mower: what you can do yourself

When the power unit does not start, stalls immediately after starting, extraneous sounds are heard during operation, vibration or overheating is felt, you need to understand which part of the tool is inoperative. You can make the diagnosis yourself. There is nothing complicated about it. The inspection process is divided into stages during which the following is checked:

• lubrication of working elements and the presence of gasoline in the tank;
• serviceability of the spark plug;
• condition of the fuel and air filters of the unit;
• exhaust manifold and breather;
• quality of gasoline and lubricant.

Next, depending on the results of the diagnostics, you can either proceed with the repair yourself or call a specialist.

Checking and repairing the spark plug

If the fuel filled into the tank is not in doubt, and the tool when starting refuses to start, the possible cause of the breakdown is the spark plug.

The procedure will be as follows:

• unscrew and wipe the candle, then you need to dry it;
• We drain the excess fuel from the chamber through the hole formed after unscrewing the spark plug;
• dry the camera (about 40 minutes);
• we clean the unscrewed element from carbon deposits (you can use a needle file for this);
• set the gap to 1 millimeter;
• screw the spark plug into place and try to start the engine.

If after this the spark plug produces a spark, but the engine does not want to start, you need to slightly lubricate the thread of the spark plug with gasoline. If this does not help, then the cause of the breakdown is something else.

If there is no spark, there is a high probability of failure of the ignition unit. If such a breakdown occurs, it will not be possible to carry out repairs, so you will have to replace the entire unit.

Filter malfunction

The lawn mower may also stall due to a clogged air filter. To identify this cause of the failure, you need to remove the cartridge itself from the filter housing and start the tool. If the scythe operates normally, then the filter needs to be replaced or thoroughly cleaned.

In addition to the air filter, the fuel filter may be clogged. The verification process is similar: remove the cartridge and run the tool for a while.

Important! Operating a power unit without a filter element can result in costly engine repairs. Such verification can be carried out only in exceptional cases and for minimal periods.

Fixing breather and exhaust problems

The breather is designed to equalize the pressure in the gas tank. The most common failure of this element is clogging, as a result of which the tool begins to stall. Its repair is a simple cleaning. For these purposes, you can use a regular needle.

Also at risk of clogging is the muffler, which often becomes clogged due to dirt.In this case, the exhaust manifold must be cleaned, in which the anti-spark mesh can also be removed.

Carburetor repair

When checking the carburetor, you need to pay attention to its tightness. Diagnosis of this node is carried out in three stages:

• to eliminate possible blockage in the fuel hose, it needs to be blown out;
• if the unit leaks, the gasket between the engine and the carburetor must be replaced;
• This is followed by assembly and checking the tightness of the system.

You can also disassemble the unit and clean all its elements using gasoline and compressed air.

Breakdown of the starter and gearbox

The purpose of the gearbox is to transmit torque from the shaft to the working part of the tool. The mechanism must be kept completely clean and lubricated promptly. You can diagnose the correct operation of this unit by checking the tension of the cord, which is engaged with the teeth of the starter coil transmission mechanism. These teeth tend to break during a sudden start.

A failed starter cannot be repaired and must be replaced. In most cases, such situations can be saved by timely inspection and lubrication of rubbing parts. It is enough to hold such events once a season.

Also, special attention should be paid to the cutting elements. After completion of work, they need to be cleaned of dirt and grass. Regular inspection of the tool before use will help maintain its performance for a long time.