careless lawnmower mistake

DeanR

DeanR

Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
3,153
Location
finger lakes ny
Bike
1999 ST1100
STOC #
7959
Was supposed to be first startup of the year and oil change time.
John Deere push.
Drained oil, and darn if I didn't dump 20 oz of new oil into the empty (for winter) GAS TANK. Hadn't yet realized it and tried to start. Of course nothing.
Turned mower upside down to get the oil out of the gas tank. Added a bit of fresh gas, and again dumped out.
Added some gas. No start. Nothing. Plug looks ok but I do have to get a new one in there.
What to do ???
 
Realistically your supply line is now primed with oil, and it's probably in the carburetor too.

Fill the tank with fresh gas, spritz some ether or whatever into the carb to get it to start, it will try and pull through the hose, and you might need to keep it chugging with ether long enough to get a clean fuel line.
 
I'd pull the bowl on the carb. THEN add gas to the tank and see if you can flush the fuel line clean. Hopefully you did not fill the tiny passages in the carb with oil. Worst case, you might have to pull the carb and bathe it in gasoline or carb cleaner. I don't think you will have to tear it apart.
 
Oopsie! Just need to clean the carb of oil, meaning disassemble it and spray all the passages and emulsion tube with carb cleaner. Just be careful pulling apart so you don't tear any gaskets.

While the carb is off, shoot some carb cleaner into the intake tube too to help dissolve any oil in there and flush it into the head to burn off.
 
You could try this:
Find the pilot screw, turn in gently, counting number of revolutions to the stop. Make a note of that.
Remove the pilot screw and spray WD40 (or something similar) in to clear the passage. WD40 burns.
Re-insert pilot screw and turn out the measured number of turns.
Try and start..
 
Fill the tank (with gasoline this time). Pull the breather and use WD40 like starting fluid. It really works. You might need two people. One to pull one to spray. keep giving it shots of WD until it runs on it's own. No need to take anything apart except maybe the plug if it gets fouled.
 
Stu Padazole said:
Fill the tank (with gasoline this time). Pull the breather and use WD40 like starting fluid. It really works.
Click to expand...

This could work despite the whole fuel system being covered in oil?

ReSTored said:
Dean, what happened? Did the eclipse fry you?
I'd just suck it up, pull the carb off and clean it, maybe purge the fuel line as well. This will take 20 - 30 minutes in total.
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Pretty pathetic, right Phil?
I'm hesitant to get into the carb because I've been led to believe there are lots of tiny bits to potentially mess up. And have never dealt with small engine stuff. I did blow air through the fuel line. Sprayed some carb cleaner through the butterfly.
There is a shop a mile away (Rochester Mower). The guy said $50 would cover it. BUT, I don't trust anyone I don't know and trust to work on my things. Especially the bike! If I can muddle my way through timing belts, valves, and rebuilding the ST, I should be able to fix this.
I think I might try the above tomorrow. Or maybe just trust that the $50 guy isn't a bait and switcher.
The grass is growing.
 
DeanR said:
This could work despite the whole fuel system being covered in oil?
Click to expand...
Try starting it! You got carb spray in there already it should start. Gas mixes with oil if you can keep it running with some starting fluid or other means it will flush itself out. It will smoke like a 2 stroke or a marine engine after it's been foged. If the carb has the electric solenoid on the bottom of the carb, probably doesn't, that would have stopped oil going in to carb.
 
Last edited:
DeanR said:
If I can muddle my way through timing belts, valves, and rebuilding the ST, I should be able to fix this. I think I might try the above tomorrow. Or maybe just trust that the $50 guy isn't a bait and switcher.
Click to expand...

Dean, if you can do an ST timing belt and valve check / shim change out you can definitely pull the carb and clean it.

Determine the type of carb, the net and YT are full of good info. Turn in the mixing screws until they seat lightly and record the number of turns, then remove. Pull off the float bowl and note how the needle valve retainer clip is fastened to the float. Remove the pin and then the needle valve. Then clean everything with carb cleaner. Reassemble. Take pictures throughout the process for reference.
 
A bit of fresh gas back in the tank. Swished it around, let it sit a few minutes and dumped it. Same for the fuel line. New oil where its supposed to be. No new spark plug. Breather tube ready in anticipation of needing a spritz of something.
A few pulls and my 31 year old John Deere push mower started up and ran just fine. Only a brief burst of smoke.
Happily cut some spring grass. Yay!
 
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