Category Archives: repair and reuse

Lawnmower Will Start, Won’t Keep Running

This is a lawnmower that someone was throwing away on the street.
When I pumped the primer button a LOT, it started, but would only run for a couple seconds.
Top view, with screws removed. I’ll take off the pull cord assembly to make things easier to remove.
Pull cord assembly is gone, next, remove the gas tank. The oil dipstick cap is blocking removal.
Remove the dipstick.
With the gas tank moved aside, I can see a little hose that is seriously duct-taped. That’s suspicious!
The hose is seriously cracked. I don’t think it’s a fuel line, but maybe some kind of vacuum hose?
The replacement hose is maybe $2 a foot at an auto parts store. Note that I didn’t try to match the inner diameter of the old reamed-out hose, but selected one which seems to match the barbed fittings. The new hose is 1/4″ inner diameter.
Cut to length. Only a few inches or so needed.
Installed onto the lawn mower. Let’s put the whole thing back together and see if it helps.