Whites Lawn mower runs rough: Common Causes & How to Fix
1Lawn Mower Carburetor
Most Common Solution
Repair Instructions:
Your Whites lawn mower's carburetor might be blocked, often a result of leaving fuel in the mower for an extended period. As time passes, fuel can evaporate partially, leaving a sticky residue that can obstruct the carburetor and lead to a bumpy engine operation. If you suspect a clogged carburetor, you can attempt to clean it using a carburetor cleaner. However, if cleaning doesn't alleviate the problem, you may need to consider rebuilding or replacing the entire carburetor.
How to Replace Lawn Mower Carburetor
- Disconnect the spark plug wire - Locate the spark plug wire and detach it from the spark plug. This will prevent accidental starting while working.
- Drain the gas tank - Use a siphon or tip the mower to drain all gasoline from the fuel tank into an approved gas container. This minimizes spillage when removing the carburetor.
- Remove air filter - Take out the air filter housing and remove the air filter element. This allows access to the carburetor.
- Detach fuel line - Locate the fuel supply line attached to the carburetor inlet and disconnect it using pliers. Cap the end of the fuel line.
- Remove carburetor retaining nuts - Use a socket or wrench to loosen the carburetor retaining nuts attaching it to the engine intake manifold.
- Detach choke and throttle links - Remove any fasteners or rings connecting the choke and throttle controls from the carburetor levers.
- Lift off the old carburetor - Carefully lift the carburetor off of the intake manifold studs. Take care not to bend or damage linkages.
- Install new carburetor - Place the new carburetor onto the intake manifold studs. Reattach the choke, throttle, fuel line, air filter housing and retaining nuts.
- Reconnect spark plug wire - Attach the spark plug wire to the spark plug once done.
- Test operation - Add fresh gasoline to the fuel tank. Try starting the mower to ensure proper carburetor operation before fully reassembling. Make adjustments as needed.
2Lawn Mower Carburetor Repair Kit
Most Common Solution
Repair Instructions:
If your Whites lawn mower's engine is running unevenly, the carburetor could be blocked. This usually happens when fuel is left in the mower for too long, leading to evaporation of some fuel components and leaving a sticky residue behind. This residue can obstruct the carburetor, affecting the engine's smooth operation. If you think your carburetor is blocked, try cleaning it with a specialized carburetor cleaner. However, if this doesn't solve the problem, you might need to either rebuild or completely replace the carburetor.
How to Replace Lawn Mower Carburetor Repair Kit
- Remove air filter - Detach the air filter housing and remove the air filter element to access the carburetor.
- Drain fuel - Empty the gas from the fuel tank using a siphon or by tipping the mower. This reduces spillage when removing carburetor.
- Detach fuel line - Use pliers to disconnect the fuel supply line from the carburetor inlet. Cap the fuel line.
- Remove carburetor - Take out the retaining nuts and detach any choke/throttle links to fully remove the carburetor.
- Disassemble carburetor - Taking care to organize parts, fully disassemble the carburetor by removing gaskets, jets, float and needle.
- Clean carburetor parts - Use carburetor cleaner spray and small wire brushes to clean all removable parts and passages.
- Install new parts - Replace old gaskets, seals, and worn components with matching parts from the repair kit.
- Reassemble carburetor - Following proper assembly procedures, reinstall float, needle, jets, gaskets and other parts into the cleaned carburetor.
- Install carburetor - Mount the rebuilt carburetor back onto the engine and reconnect fuel line, air filter, choke/throttle links.
- Test operation - Add fresh gas to the fuel tank. Try starting the mower to ensure proper carburetor operation. Make adjustments as needed.
3Lawn Mower Spark Plug
Common Solution
Repair Instructions:
Check your Whites lawn mower's spark plug for any signs of wear or damage. If you notice a cracked porcelain insulator, a worn out or damaged electrode, or a heavy carbon buildup on the electrode, it's time to replace the spark plug. To verify whether the spark plug is faulty, you can use a spark plug tester. When cranking the engine, a healthy spark plug will produce a strong spark between the tester's terminals. If no spark is observed, it's a clear indication that the spark plug is defective and needs to be replaced.
How to Replace Lawn Mower Spark Plug
- Disconnect the spark plug wire - Locate the spark plug wire, which runs from the spark plug to the magneto or electronic ignition module. Pull the boot off the end of the wire to disconnect it from the spark plug.
- Remove the old spark plug - Using the appropriate size spark plug socket or wrench, loosen the old spark plug by turning it counterclockwise. Once it is loose, unscrew it completely and pull it out of the engine.
- Inspect the old spark plug - Check the condition of the old spark plug. Look for signs of wear like erosion or buildup on the electrodes. This can help diagnose engine issues. Clean any dirt or debris from the spark plug threads.
- Gap the new spark plug - Use a spark plug gap tool to gap the new spark plug to the manufacturer's specified gap, usually between 0.020 and 0.060 inches. Adjust the side electrode to achieve the proper gap.
- Install the new spark plug - Carefully thread the new spark plug into the engine by hand until it is finger tight. Then use the socket or wrench to tighten it another 1/4 to 1/2 turn, being careful not to overtighten.
- Reconnect the spark plug wire - Push the boot back onto the end of the spark plug wire, connecting it securely to the top of the new spark plug.
- Start the engine and test - With the new spark plug installed, try to start the engine. If it starts up smoothly, the spark plug replacement was successful.
4Lawn Mower Fuel Filter
Common Solution
Repair Instructions:
If your Whites lawn mower's engine is not running smoothly, it could be due to a blocked fuel filter. This is often caused by leaving stale fuel in the mower for a long period, which can partially evaporate and leave behind a sticky residue. This residue can then clog the fuel filter, causing the engine to run unevenly. If you suspect old fuel is the issue, it's best to drain it from the fuel tank and replace the fuel filter to resolve the problem.
How to Replace Lawn Mower Fuel Filter
- Disconnect spark plug wire - Locate the spark plug wire and detach it from the spark plug to prevent accidental starting.
- Locate fuel filter - The fuel filter is typically along the fuel supply line somewhere between the gas tank and carburetor.
- Pinch fuel line - Use pliers to clamp off the fuel line on either side of the old filter to minimize gasoline leakage.
- Remove fuel lines - Slide the fuel lines off of the old filter's inlet and outlet nipples. Discard old filter.
- Install new filter - Slide fuel lines onto the corresponding nipples on new filter, following direction of fuel flow.
- Secure fuel lines - Use hose clamps or other fasteners to securely attach fuel lines onto the new filter.
- Check for leaks - Add gas to tank, then inspect fuel line connections at new filter for any leaks. Fix as needed.
- Reconnect spark plug - Once no leaks are found, reattach the spark plug wire to the spark plug.
- Start mower - Attempt to start the mower's engine to verify proper fuel flow through the replaced filter.
- Check filter periodically - Visually inspect new filter occasionally when changing oil for blockage or corrosion.