RPM Adjustment for a Briggs & Stratton L-head Engine

If your mower runs slowly, or way too fast, this video will help you adjust the RPM back to a good working level. This is specific to a certain type of Briggs & Stratton engine commonly called the L-head engine.

Here's an inexpensive hour/tach meter: https://amzn.to/3z5Fbcc And the tachometer shown in this video: https://amzn.to/3io6BEi

The principle is the same for most any small engine, there is a governor that controls the engine speed, and it often is fixed. That doesn't mean it's not adjustable, it's just not variable as in a throttle speed adjustment.  

In many cases, due to several reasons, the RPM adjustment can get out of whack. On this engine, as well as many others, the fixed end of the adjustment spring for the governor can can be adjusted by bending the fixed end where the governor spring attaches. The more tension on the return spring will cause the engine to rev higher. In contrast, the less tension on the spring will slow the engine RPM down. Too slow, and your mower will struggle to stay running in thicker grass.

The other end of the spectrum is you can, inadvertently set the RPM too high and overheat your small engine. Most lawn mowers for the average homeowner are air cooled. My suspicion is the EPA of some other agency requires small engine manufacturers to suppress the output of these small engines for reasons of emissions controls. Unfortunately this comes at the cost of performance. I've seen some brand new mowers struggle to stay running when the RPM is set below 2500 RPM. Consider when the air filter gets even slightly clogged, or a spark plug not at its'' best, that engine will struggle to operate.

That said, most lawn mowers come off the factory assembly line below the most efficient RPM for average needs.  The "red line" of engine RPM speeds is not easily found online, but my best advice is if it sounds like its running crazy fast, it probably is. Many air-cooled small engines typically found on lawn mowers can easily stand 3000-3200 RPM without "red lining". 

I hope these tips and tricks can empower you with oracle like skills to make your small engines run smoothly and consistently.

Please watch for new videos on Youtube at The Lawnmower Lady or follow along on Instagram at thelawnmowerlady and Twitter at the Lawnmower Lady 

Mow Happy!

Standard Disclaimer: Any links to products are likely affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (Thank You!), with no additional costs to you.

Wear your safety glasses, or you'll put your eye out. Try on some gloves. Take off that spark plug boot. Clean your room. Open the windows, those fumes are nasty. Just 'cause I do it, don't think it's the end all, be all solution. There's plenty more ideas out there, I can't take responsibility if you slice off a few fingers after watching my videos. And don't just pour that toxic stuff down the sewer or in the ditch, dispose of waste responsibly. Just be safe, OK?

Oil Change on a Briggs & Stratton E-Series Lawn Mower

Is it time to change your lawn mower oil? 

Most manufacturers recommend changing your oil every year. That's a good idea, but maybe overkill unless your yard is acres and acres, or you mow lawns for fun and profit. Probably every two years is a good interval for an oil change for the average home owner. But it's more imperative that you check your oil level at the beginning of your mowing season and a least few times during the season. Top it off if you are low, but learn how to determine the proper amount.

Someone much wiser than me once said: "The right amount of the wrong oil is better than the wrong amount of the right oil." I took that to heart, and have never forgotten that.  Most small engines on lawn mowers take 18-20oz (540-580ml) of some SAE30 or 10w30 weight oil. Depending on how cold it gets in your neck of the woods, you might want to use a thinner oil. Your owner's manual is a treasure trove of helpful tips and information. Here's the genuine Briggs & Stratton SAE30 oil: https://amzn.to/3pDn613

Your owner's manual will also tell you how to determine the proper oil level. Most Briggs & Stratton small engines require you to insert the dip stick and screw it in to measure the oil level. Typically your dipstick will have hash marks or a shaded area near the end to show you the range of safe oil levels. 

Don't be tempted to add more oil that is required. The engine while running creates pressure inside the crankcase and too much oil can increase that pressure.  It can spill over into the combustion chamber and foul your spark plug, causing your mower to belch blue billowing clouds of smoke when that excess oil passes into your muffler. 

Another problem arises when the excess oil escapes the crankcase breather tube. Engines must have some sort of pathway to atmospheric pressure otherwise they would just blow under the ever increasing pressure with every stroke of the crank shaft. Since I don't know when, small engine manufacturers have routed that breather tube back through the air filter box to burn off any excess fumes and gasses left over from the combustion cycle. 

I guess it could go without saying that too little oil can cause your small engine to overheat and possibly seize the engine. That's a no bueno.

I hope these tips and tricks can empower you with oracle like skills to make your small engines run smoothly and consistently.

Please watch for new videos on Youtube at The Lawnmower Lady or follow along on Instagram at thelawnmowerlady and Twitter at the Lawnmower Lady 

Mow Happy!

Standard Disclaimer: Any links to products are likely affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (Thank You!), with no additional costs to you.

Wear your safety glasses, or you'll put your eye out. Try on some gloves. Take off that spark plug boot. Clean your room. Open the windows, those fumes are nasty. Just 'cause I do it, don't think it's the end all, be all solution. There's plenty more ideas out there, I can't take responsibility if you slice off a few fingers after watching my videos. And don't just pour that toxic stuff down the sewer or in the ditch, dispose of waste responsibly. Just be safe, OK?

Honda Lawn Mower Starts, Runs OK, Then Stops?

So, you get out your trusty lawn mower to mow your yard. You pop open the fuel cap, add some fresh gas, and you get to it. You're thinking about that cold one waiting for you when you are finished, and then it happens:

Your mower starts skipping, coughing, and eventually sputters out. Sort of like you ran out of gas (in a way, you did). Naturally, you crack open the fuel cap, peer inside and sure enough you've got plenty of gas. Hmmmm, you try and start it again, and sure enough, it starts and runs just fine. Then three or four minutes later, the pattern repeats. If this happens to you, take a look at this video. It might just fix your problem:

The mechanics here are such that in order for the fuel to flow uninhibited from your tank to your carburetor, the gas tank itself has to maintain pressure inside the tank that is equal to the surrounding atmospheric pressure. This is how a gravity fed fuel system operates. To accomplish this gas caps have small little passage ways or holes built in to allow the fuel tank "to breath". Sometimes it's a simple, yet temporary fix. But the permanent fix is to just replace your fuel cap. Here's one for this Honda GCV160 engine: https://amzn.to/3xfuwKv

Often gas cap vents will be clogged with debris or dust and dirt. They look pretty simple, but the air passages are tiny, and often convoluted to keep dirt and moisture out, but those same complicated passageways get easily plugged up. If the fuel cap does not vent properly, it creates a vacuum and the gas cannot over come the negative pressure. Some folks call this vapor lock, but what ever you call it, gravity fed fuel systems can't operate if the inside of the tank is not at atmospheric pressure. This is a perplexing problem as any time you open the gas gap to check, that negative pressure is released, and then your mower subsequently starts just fine, but stops again after a few minutes. Here's a set of inexpensive picks: https://amzn.to/3vXvQkV

Another quick fix is to drill a small hole in the cap. This particular fix however is wrought with peril: Yes, you never have to worry about those little complicated passages getting clogged up again. But you risk allowing dirt and debris to move on through to your carburetor, and trust me, the passageways through your carburettor for fuel and air are far smaller that the vents in your fuel cap.

I hope these tips and tricks can empower you with oracle like skills to make your small engines run smoothly and consistently.

Please watch for new videos on Youtube at The Lawnmower Lady or follow along on Instagram at thelawnmowerlady and Twitter at the Lawnmower Lady 

Mow Happy!

Standard Disclaimer: Any links to products are likely affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (Thank You!), with no additional costs to you.

Wear your safety glasses, or you'll put your eye out. Try on some gloves. Take off that spark plug boot. Clean your room. Open the windows, those fumes are nasty. Just 'cause I do it, don't think it's the end all, be all solution. There's plenty more ideas out there, I can't take responsibility if you slice off a few fingers after watching my videos. And don't just pour that toxic stuff down the sewer or in the ditch, dispose of waste responsibly. Just be safe, OK?