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?

Clean and Gap the Spark Plug on a Briggs & Stratton E-Series Engine

Spark plugs can reveal dirty little secrets of the health of your small engine! Learning how to read your spark plug can give you great powers to understand and diagnose simple problems with how your lawn mower or other gas powered garden tools are performing.

You don't always need to change out your spark plug. Sometimes just cleaning and checking the "gap" is all that is needed to get your mower starting easier and running better.  Spark plug maintenance is easy, and cheap; and it requires few tools. 

Understand that a plug that is oily, sooty, or has some debris on the end might make your small engine hard to start, and run poorly. Also, understanding when a plug is too dirty or worn, is the time to replace. Throwing parts at a machine is not always the best idea, but spark plugs are cheap.  Here's a link to a Champion replacement plug https://amzn.to/3z5Gc40 if the OEM plug from Briggs is not in stock https://amzn.to/3pDnZGV

In a perfect world, the porcelain covering the inner electrode should be a chocolatey brown color. Even light coffee with cream colored is OK too. This means your engine is running in tip top condition. But that is often not the reality of gas powered small engines for lawn and garden use.

A plug that is black and sooty can tell you your engine is not getting enough air, Maybe a dirty or clogged air filter is causing the problems. Depending on which type of air filter you have, you might also clean or replace that. Foam air filters can be cleaned if they are not too deteriorated, but paper filter elements too dirty or saturated with oil cannot be cleaned. A dirty or clogged air filter can also cause you to flood your engine. 

An oily plug can mean your engine oil is over filled. Be sure and check your oil level when the engine is cold, and while it's sitting on flat ground. 

A plug that is wet with gasoline is a good sign that you have flooded your engine. The common solution for a flooded small engine is to hold the throttle wide open and pull the starter repeatedly to clear out the excess fuel. Since most lawn mowers don't have a throttle control, one solution is to pull the spark plug and pull the starter rapidly to help dry out the excess fuel. 

A white, or ashen plug can mean your air filter is missing altogether and this makes the engine run lean. An engine running too lean is running too hot, and most gas powered lawn and gardening tools are air cooled. A missing air filter too will allow debris into your combustion chamber and possible damage piston rings or the inside of the cylinder.

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?

Homemade Pressure Tester for 2-Stroke Carburetor

Sometimes you really don't need to spend $80-100 for a gadget when you just might have the parts laying about your garage. Here's how I made, and use a homemade pressure tester with a small inline pressure gauge: https://amzn.to/3cn4jkR and a Mityvac brake bleeder kit: https://amzn.to/3wTnB9w

There are several tests you need to make sure your 2-stroke engine is running at its best. If there are any air leaks, you risk damaging your piston and cylinder.  Some of these simple tests can help isolate any air leaks. 

The carburettor on a small two stroke engine can have several issues if fuel flow is restricted, or there are any leaks. Running too lean (too much air) or too rich (too much fuel) can cause an array of issues from clogged exhausts to melted piston rings. 

10 psi max for rotary carbs, and 7 psi for butterfly carbs is all that is needed to determine if the needle valve and the inlet seat is clean and intact. If your carb can't hold those pressures, then you will be running rich and will likely flood out your engine. 

Pressing the purge valve while still pressurized will confirm the purge valve is working if the carb holds pressure after pressing the purge bulb. Lastly the check valve should be checked to ensure it works correctly.

Other tests that are easy to perform with a pressure tester are testing fuel filters, and making sure the gas cap is venting properly.  Hopefully you can see how to easily diagnose some basic carburetor or engine issues with just some spare parts you may have laying around your shop or garage.

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?

Is your crankshaft bent?

Does the handlebar on your mower vibrate? Do your arms feel like pins and needles after you mow the grass? You might have a bent crankshaft. This happens if you accidentally hit a stump, or a big rock, or if your paved driveway sticks up above the ground level.

Your blade on your lawn mower is attached to the crankshaft with a sacrificial soft metal adapter, which is supposed to break easily if you do hit something. Sometimes however, that blade adapter will not sacrifice itself to save your crankshaft, and it becomes bent. If your crankshaft is bent only a bit, you might just suffer some bad vibrations. However if left alone, or it's bent badly, you might end up with a failed oil seal, and you eventually seize your engine up when all the oil leaks out from underneath the mower deck.

There's lots of ways to determine if your crank shaft is bent. Once your mower is on its side (remember turn your mower with the oil dipstick down), and you pulled the spark plug; you did remember to pull the spark plug, right? it's easy to turn the blade by hand. A piece of string or stiff wire can help you eyeball if the crankshaft is wobbling. I found however a relatively cheap trick to look for a bent crankshaft: 

Now, I don't expect your average DYIer or homeowner to go out and buy one of these laser gadgets just for this, but you might be able to borrow one from your friend or neighbor who has that garage full of carpentry gadgets. 

Since I made this video, the original laser gadget:  https://amzn.to/3cpeIwF  was discontinued, now it seems to be back in an updated version. I can't vouch for this one:  https://amzn.to/3x6RGCF   but it comes in at about the same price point with a small flexible tripod like this: https://amzn.to/3z9L4VE 

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?

Welcome to The Lawnmower Lady

 I actually started this endeavor many years ago. My Papa Shorty was a mechanic, and I'm pretty sure that's where I got my genetic predisposition to fix things. I remember as a child, standing in the dark musty workshop, fascinated by the tools, and empty Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco cans teeming with nuts and bolts and treasures. I could fiddle around in there for hours on end. As I grew older, I knew I was happy working with my hands.

One thing led to another, and after I had spent several years re-building antique motor scooters, you know, Vespas and Lambrettas, friends and neighbors naturally asked me for help with their lawn mowers and other small engine repairs. 15 years or so later, The Lawnmower Lady emerged.

My wish is that I can empower you: the DYIer, the Homeowner, yes, even all you Gals out there to understand and and possibly even fix your own small engines.  Even if you don't know what end of the screwdriver to hold, at the bare minimum, you can possess enough knowledge to ask the right questions when you do take your lawn equipment into another repair shop. 

The reason I feel this is so important, is we have become a throwaway society.  Many USA manufacturers have gone overseas for production. The materials and craftsmanship are far more inferior than they were even ten years ago. If you take care of that older mower, yes most parts are still available, it stays out of the landfill. That older mower will outlast most any new mower from the big box store.

Most of all, I enjoy helping others. Please watch for new videos on Youtube at The Lawnmower Lady or follow along on Instagram at thelawnmowerlady and Twitter at the Lawnmower Lady 

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

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?