The grass is growing, the trees are budding and now the equipment won't start, now what?

You may have noticed that your grass went from a sort of green color, to a lush jungle just about overnight. You may even be thinking it's past time to get your mower started and do something about it. Or maybe you are thinking it's time to get that garden patch tilled and ready for planting. No matter what yard chore you have the requires a piece of gas powered equipment that first start of the year can  feel like playing the lottery. If you are really lucky and hold your mouth just right then engine will start before your arm falls off from pulling and you can happily start whipping your yard back into shape. But, what if it doesn't start, now what? Before you haul that equipment to the shop, or worse to the dump; here a few simple things that you can try.

1) Make sure you have fresh fuel. Dump the old gas from the fuel tank and drain the carburetor bowl. If the gas in the carburetor bowl has gone bad your engine will not start. Make sure the new gas you are putting in the tank is not left-over from last year. Gas with ethanol goes bad very quickly, so get rid of the left over from last year. Start the year with clean, non-ethanol gas mixed with a little Sea Foam.

2)If you have been pulling for a while you may need to pull and clean the spark plug. Bad gas will coat the tip of the plug and prevent it from working properly. You can use a propane torch to burn off the bad gas, but your best bet (and the safer option) is to replace the plug with a new one.

3) Check your air filter. You may be surprised at how dirty your filter really is, a plugged filter can be the difference between a happy engine and one that is trying to ruin your day.

Remember, your outdoor power equipment needs to be serviced at least once a year, maybe more if you are using it frequently; or in hot, dusty conditions. Oil changed, filters replaced, blades need to be checked and sharpened, or replaced if they are starting to chip or crack. The underside of your mower deck should be scraped and power washed, deck level checked, cables inspected and replaced if needed. Clean the grease & dirt from the engine, etc. Most small engines will give years of service if they are properly maintained. Don't wait until it breaks to give it some attention.

As always, we are here to help with parts and service if you need it, just give us a call!