Why Small Engines Will Not Start in Spring
Stale fuel is why most mowers, strimmers and generators fail after storage. What happens inside the carburettor, and the two storage methods that prevent it.
Guide
Outdoor machines · OM-01
Lawn Mower Service Log
A free printable lawn mower service log — oil, air filter, spark plug and blade record, with a specification block and end-of-season storage checklist.
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2 pages. Choose your paper size — both versions are laid out identically, so neither one gets shrunk to fit.
Print it and write on it
Fill it in type and save
The fillable versions have real form fields — open them in any PDF reader, type into them and save. Printing help.
What this sheet is for
Keep a mower running past its fifth year, by tracking the three things that actually kill them: stale fuel, a blocked air filter and neglected oil.
Who it is for
Anyone with a petrol walk-behind or ride-on mower.
How to use it
- Fill in the specification block once — oil type, plug gap, filter and blade part numbers — so you never look them up again.
- Log each service with the date and season or hours.
- Work through the end-of-season list before storage, not in spring.
- Sharpen or replace the blade at least once a season.
What is on the sheet
2 pages, in this order:
Page 1
Printed under the title: A service record for a walk-behind or ride-on mower. Most mowers that die young die of old fuel, a blocked air filter and a blunt blade — all three are on this sheet.
Write-on lines: Mower make & model · Serial number · Engine make & model · Purchased · Warranty ends
Specifications — look these up once and never search again
Write-on lines: Engine oil type & quantity · Spark plug type · Gap · Air filter part no. · Fuel filter part no. · Blade part no. · Fuel type · Oil change interval · Blade bolt torque
Service record
Table, 12 rows: Date · Hours / season · Oil · Air filter · Plug · Blade · Other work · By
Page 2
End of season
- Fuel drained or stabiliser added — stale fuel is the commonest failure
- Oil changed before storage, not after
- Deck cleaned of packed grass underneath
- Blade sharpened and balanced, or replaced
- Battery removed and kept charged
- Stored dry, off a cold concrete floor
Ruled lines: Notes and anything specific to yours
Questions
Why does fuel matter so much?
Petrol degrades in storage, and modern fuel containing ethanol degrades faster and attracts water. The result is a gummed carburettor, which is the single most common reason a mower will not start in spring. Either run it dry or treat the fuel.
How often should the oil be changed?
Small engine manufacturers usually specify hours of use as well as an annual change. Check your handbook and record the interval in the specification block.
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