How to Clean a Carburetor on a Small Engine Lawn Mower

Clean your lawn mower's carburetor for optimal performance.

When you are having trouble getting your lawn mower started or it keeps dying when you get it started as though it were running out of gas, but it has plenty of gas, then the cause is most likely a dirty carburetor. The carburetor pulls fuel from the gas tank on your lawn mower engine and mists it into the engine's piston chamber. A dirty carburetor doesn't allow gas to be properly injected into the engine, and you will have to clean it to get your mower running again.

Things You'll Need

• Flathead screwdriver
• Carburetor cleaner

Instructions

1. Follow the gas line from the base of your lawn mower gas tank to the side of the carburetor. The gas line will be clamped into place.

2. Unscrew the gas cap on the gas tank.

3. Unscrew the clamp holding the gas line onto the side of the carburetor with the screwdriver. Pull off the gas line and direct it into the gas tank to prevent any gas spilling.

4. Spray carburetor cleaner into the side hole of the carburetor you just exposed. Spray the cleaner for 10 to 12 seconds.

5. Unscrew the fuel bowl from the base of the carburetor with the flathead screwdriver. Pull off the fuel bowl to expose the carburetor float and valve above it. Dump out any dirty fuel in the fuel bowl, and spray carburetor cleaner onto the float and butterfly valve above it. Tighten the fuel bowl back onto the base of the carburetor.

6. Push the fuel line back onto the nozzle on the side of the carburetor. Tighten the clamp back onto the end of the fuel line to secure it in place.

7. Screw the gas tank cap back on.

References

• Mother Earth News: How do I clean the carburetor if old gas has clogged it?
• Sci Electronics Repair FAQ: Cleaning Craftsman Carburetors