If you want your lawn mower to last longer and perform optimally, drain the old gas before restarting it at the beginning of the season. Leaving old gas to sit in your lawn mower for long periods can cause a number of issues. For starters, deposits will sink to the bottom, which will lead to reduced fuel quality, resulting in poor performance of your lawn mower. The gas may get stale, jam the carburetor, and may lead to rust.
Let’s look at a step-by-step guide on how to drain gas from a lawn mower, with and without a siphon.
How often should you drain gas from a lawn mower?
Normally, you should drain gas from your lawn mower if you have not used it in the past 3 or more months. Draining gas before starting your lawn mower at the beginning of the season helps improve performance and increase the longevity of your machine.
Safety precautions
Before you can start draining your mower, make sure it’s stable and won’t turn on accidentally:
- Put the lawnmower on a smooth, level surface, such as your driveway, and engage the parking brake.
- Make sure the mower is off and the engine is cool.
- Take out the ignition key, if you have one.
Materials needed for draining gas
The most common and efficient way of draining gasoline is by using a siphon. However, if you don’t have a siphon pump, all you need is an empty jerry can, a long plastic hose (2.5 cm diameter), and a short hose.
How to drain gasoline from lawn mowers without a siphon pump?
Some lawn mowers have anti-siphon batteries that make it impossible to use siphon for draining the gas. If you’ve got a model like this, follow these steps to safely drain the gas:
Step 1:
Place the jerry can under the tank. Make sure that the receiving container is placed lower than the gas tank.
Step 2:
Unscrew the gas cap and remove it.
Step 3:
Insert the long hose into the tank to the point where it is substantially submerged into the gas. You can test the position of the hose by blowing air into it. If you hear bubbles, the hose is in the right place.
Step 4:
Place the other end of the long hose into the jerry can. Make sure that the hose is long enough to fit into the jerry can to prevent any liquid from spilling.
Step 5:
Insert the shorter plastic hose into the gas tank. This hose should not be submerged into the gas and should rather remain over the liquid.
Step 6
Seal the opening of the gas tank to prevent air from escaping. You can do this by using an old rag to cover the opening. If you still feel any air escaping through the opening, wet the rag. As this method depends on the pressure of air buildup in the tank, it is important that the opening is sealed properly.
Step 7
With the setup finished, blow air into the short hose, which will increase pressure in the tank. This increased pressure will raise the level of the gas, and it will start to flow into the larger hose. Keep blowing air into the shorter hose until you see gas flowing through the longer hose into the jerry can. While blowing, be cautious not to inhale the fumes.
Once the gas has started flowing, you can stop blowing. If you need to halt the draining process, just increase the level of the jerry can.
How to drain gas from a lawn mower with a siphon?
Step 1:
Place the lawn mower on a smooth surface and unscrew the gas tank.
Step 2:
Place an empty container at a lower level than the gas tank.
Step 3:
Insert the tube of the siphon pump into the gas container. The tube should be submerged into the liquid.
Step 4:
Take the other end of the tube of the pump and place it into the receiving container. Make sure that the tube is somewhere in the middle of the container. If it is close to the bottom, it may interfere with the draining process. If the tube is right on the top, it can cause liquid to spill, creating a mess.
Step 5:
Initiate gas flow by pumping the handle of the siphon a couple of times.
For some brands, you only have to pump a couple of times and once the flow has been initiated, gravity works to continue the process. However, for other brands, you may have to keep pumping until all the liquid has been transferred from the gas tank into the receiving container.
If you’re still confused about the process, watch this guy demonstrate the siphoning of lawn mower:
Traditional Mouth Siphoning (CAUTION: NOT ADVISED)
Gasoline contains a large number of chemicals that can be injurious to health, especially when inhaled through the mouth. It can even result in life-threatening diseases and injuries. When siphoning via the mouth, take every precaution to prevent gasoline from entering your mouth.
Step 1:
Get a clean and clear tube of about 2.5 centimeters in diameter. It’s crucial that you use a clear transparent tube so that you can see the flow of the gas inside the tube and remove it from your mouth when it comes closer.
Step 2:
Get an empty container and place it near the gas tank.
Step 3:
Now place the tube inside the tank to the point where it is submerged into the liquid. Blow air to see if bubbles are formed. If you hear bubbles, the tube is at the right place.
Step 4:
This step is crucial to this method. Once the tube is set, create a suction in the tube with your mouth which will draw the liquid out of the tank. Be careful not to inhale any vapors or fumes. Inhale through your nose while performing this step. Keep your hand on the tube near your mouth and your eyes on the flow of the liquid.
Once the gas is about 6 inches from your mouth, crimp the tube tightly. Release the crimp when you have placed the tube into the empty container. Gravity will take care of the rest.
Step 5:
Remove the tube once all gas has been drained out of the gas tank.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I drain gas from my lawnmower?
To keep your lawnmower in the best shape, siphon it before storing it if you know you are not going to use it for a long time (3 months or more). If you didn’t siphon it before storing it, DON’T use it again without siphoning it first and replacing the old gas with fresh supply.
What hose length should I use to siphon gas?
The length of the hose depends on the size of the receiving container and your gas tank. However, the diameter should be somewhat about 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Conclusion
You might think that you just leave the engine running until all the gas has burnt off instead of siphoning out the old supply. It might be an easier method, but the potential harm it can cause your lawn mower will be a lot more expensive to repair.
If you want your machinery to last longer, performing minor maintenance like siphoning is essential.
We have tried to explain the procedures in the simplest way possible. However, every unit is different from the other so read the user manual of your lawn mower before you take any action.
You may want to read about the lawn mower injuries that could have serious consequences.
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