I replaced the air cleaner in my lawn mower. It's an older mower, and the air cleaner was full of oil and debris. I vacuumed and wiped the whole area, and put in a brand new air cleaner. The performance has improved significantly.
After a few hours of operations, I noticed that the mower was having hic ups. I took a look at the cleaner and it's half soaked with oil. What is going on?
Thanks.
Claudia
Have you overfilled the engine with oil? Many small engines have crankcase breathers that attach to the air cleaner. If there is too much oil in the crankcase, oil can run into the air cleaner as the mower tilts in certain directions while mowing.
Barry
In the past I did overfill it, and I did tilt it in the wrong direction. However, it has been a while since either took place, and I now have the correct level of oil. If I continue to see oil in the air cleaner, should I be concerned?
Thanks.
Claudia
Either that or the rings are going.
It's supposed to be oiled.
| > After a few hours of operations, I noticed that the mower was having hic | > ups. I took a look at the cleaner and it's half soaked with oil. What is | > going on? | >
| > Thanks. | >
| > Claudia | >
| >
| It's supposed to be oiled.
The air cleaner is supposed to be soaked with oil? I am no mechanic, but that sounds strange. How is air supposed to get through an oil-soiled cartridge?
Claudia
mower, and
wiped the whole
has improved
was having hic
with oil. What
mechanic, but
oil-soiled
If it is made of foam, it is probably supposed to be oiled. If it is pleated paper, it is not.
Bob
Claudia,
Not trying to be a smart patoot, but do you have the manual? Sometimes they are available online, even for the older mowers and if the engine is made by B& S or somebody, you could probably call or e-mail and get a copy...
Anyway, point is, some mowers use oil in the air filter, like the old oil bath air filters used in old (i.e. pre-1960) cars. Briggs & Stratton's larger engines, for instance, have a paper air filter, and a sponge foam pre-cleaner. You saturate the pre-cleaner with oil to help clear all the Yeck!Ptooey! out before the air hits the paper filter.
Beats me. I just use them, I don't design them. Take a look
Yes, I have the manual, and I also consulted B&S web site for more information. Since my air filter is a paper pleated version it seemed to me that it shouldn'g be soaked with oil. None of the information that I have come across mentions this. For the foam filter, yes, I understand and it is documented as in need of being oiled before using it.
I just wanted to find out if a paper filter that is soaked with oil (and shouldn't) is an indication that there is something wrong. I sense there is (i.e. rings, whatever that means).
Thanks.
Claudia
Oil should not soak a paper filter, paper needs to be dry to work. Something is wrong , but what is the question. Does your mower have a crankcase breather attached to the filter housing , do you consume oil , does the motor smoke, are you sure it isnt gas in the filter. Remove the filter maybe you can see where it is comming from.
This is Turtle.
Try 40 or 50 weight non-detergent motor oil to use in it. The heavy weight oil will not come by the rings as bad as 20 weight will. Worth a try.
TURTLE
No. Some mowers use a double filter - a paper one surrounded by a foam one. The foam one can be cleaned and then "reoiled" by saturating it with oil, then squeezing out all that you can. This leaves a very light film of oil on the filter - certainly nothing like what you are describing.
A worn or a broken compression ring can cause the problem. When the engine runs, pressure inside the cylinder leaks past the bad piston ring and goes inside the mower crankcase. This pressure forces oil up the vent tube going to the air filter. The vent tube's normal purpose is to vent unburned gas fumes and moisture from the crankcase back into the carb for reburning (like a PCV system on a car). But if the pressure is great, it will force oil along with fumes up the tube.
If your oil level is correct and you haven't tipped your mower sideways, this would be the next logical guess.
Bob S.
Years ago, all air cleaners on automobiles were oil bath type. It changes in the late 50's or so.
mowers and if
call or
the old
Briggs &
filter, and
oil to
paper
more
seemed to me
that I have
understand and it is
oil (and
sense there is
Tipping some mowers wrong can cause oil soaked filters. Not necessarily a real problem.
Bob
The ONLY right answer in all this gobledy-goop.
Another Bob
That's when a person could still afford the oil !!!!
Are you sure you didnt flip the mower on it's side, or upside down? If not, throw a new set of rings in it. It's not all that hard on those mower engines.
| >Yes, I have the manual, and I also consulted B&S web site for more | >information. Since my air filter is a paper pleated version it seemed to me | >that it shouldn'g be soaked with oil. None of the information that I have | >come across mentions this. For the foam filter, yes, I understand and it is | >documented as in need of being oiled before using it. | >
| >I just wanted to find out if a paper filter that is soaked with oil (and | >shouldn't) is an indication that there is something wrong. I sense there is | >(i.e. rings, whatever that means). | >
| >Thanks. | >
| >Claudia | >
| | Are you sure you didnt flip the mower on it's side, or upside down? | If not, throw a new set of rings in it. It's not all that hard on | those mower engines.
What do you mean "throw a new set of rings in it." Is this a job that someone with average mechanical aptitude can do? Where are those rings? I imagine in the engine somewhere. How do you get there? The Briggs & Stratton web site is silent on this subject - it keeps telling me to take it to a qualified service center. Lots of questions as you can see from a woman on a very tight budget, but willing to fix things herself. So don't tell me to throw a new set of rings in it, and leave me hanging.
Thanks.
Claudia |
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