How to Drain Gas From a Lawn Mower
Draining the gas from your lawn mower is an important part of winterizing the machine. Allowing old gas to sit in the tank over the winter can lead to gum and varnish buildup, which can clog up the carburetor and prevent the engine from starting come spring. Draining the gas also helps to preserve the life of the engine by preventing corrosion.
To properly drain the gas from your lawn mower, you’ll need a few supplies. First, you’ll need a funnel and a clean, empty gas can. You’ll also need some rags or towels to catch any drips, and gloves to protect your hands.
Step-1: Taking all the safety precautions
As you are going to deal with a machine, that’s why you should follow all the necessary safety precautions. As a safety precaution, you can use quality hand gloves and eye protection. Both the hand gloves and safety goggles will keep you safe in any kind of unexpected minor accident.
Without it, paying proper attention is a must while doing this job. Also, don’t forget to remove the spark plug before getting started for avoiding unwanted start.
Step-2: Cleaning the area of your fuel tank
After taking all the safety precautions, then you have to go through the cleaning process of your mowers fuel tank area. So, simply clean your mowers fuel tank. For this purpose, either you can go for a towel or water. You can use some mineral spirits on a paintbrush though for this. Using the garden hose is also an option for you. But in this case, you should not use high pressure.
Step-3: Using container or oil catching pan
Now, you have to use a container or oil-catching pan for collecting the bad gas in order for recycling it for further use. You are allowed to use any type of oil catching pan or container. You just have to keep it on your lawn mower’s dipstick side.
Step-4: Draining gas
Well, for removing gas from the lawn mower, you have lots of options to follow. However, here I will talk about the easiest and simplest ways for taking gas out of the lawn mower.
Using siphon pump method:
Well, using the siphon pump method is considered the simplest method for draining gas from your lawn mower. As you can understand, in this process you have to bring a siphon pump. If you own a siphon pump already, then it is fine. Otherwise, you have to arrange it at first.
You may know that the siphon pump has multiple different hoses. But, you will be needing two hoses only among them. The bottom and the top hose for the particular project.
However, you have to stick down the hose placed above into your mowers gas tank for siphoning the previous fluid out. After that, you have to enter the bottom hose in the container or pan for catching the liquid that will be recycled.
Now, pump it for approximately 3-4 minutes. After pumping, you will find that the gas has started going out from your mowers gas tank to your container. The whole process may take a bit of time. So, be patient.
By tilting the mower:
In this method, You need to get your air filter always pointed up. So, at first, you have to tilt your lawn mower over onto the dipstick side in order to get your air filter pointed up. Otherwise, your mowers air filter will become saturated.
However, this method will not work on the riding mower as this type of mower is very heavy and it is risky to tilt them. You may take help from anyone if you want to drain gas from your lawn mower gas tank.
Step-5: Unscrewing your mowers dipstick cap
If you have followed the tilting method for draining your mower’s gas, then you have to unscrew your mower dipstick cap. Before doing that, you have to ensure that the pan you brought is placed perfectly under the hole of your fuel tank. If you don’t do that, then your all fuel may sprinkle on your floor.
Important tips:
- Before getting started, park your mower on a flat surface so that it can’t make any movement while draining the gas.
- If you just stopped running your mower, then you have to wait a bit until you get your mower’s engine cool.
- After going through the draining process, give it a check whether there is any gas left in your mowers gas tank or not. If you can’t drain all the gas properly, then the remaining gas can spoil your all efforts.
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