During the weeks of early spring, gardeners all across the country ready their tillers for a new season. A few of these gardeners prepared their tillers for the new season the previous fall. Most of these gardeners will simply add more fuel to the take and fire the engine up without a second thought. These gardeners will need help with repairs in the near future.
Engine-Starting Tiller Repairs
Most repairs that are required for a tiller are associated with the engine. These repairs are generally simple and do not require any special knowledge or mechanical skill. The engine may be hard to start or may not start at all. The engine may also lose power while the tiller is working the ground.
Always fill the fuel tank and check the oil level before attempting to start the engine. Use fresh fuel and 10W-30 engine oil. If there are starting problems later, these two issues can be ruled out. Cold engines must be choked when starting. If they are not choked, or primed, the engine will become flooded with fuel and will not start.
Check that the spark plug wire is attached tightly to the spark plug. If the wire is loose, the engine will not start. If the spark plug is one season old, remove it with a spark plug removal tool and clean it with a cloth or paper towel. Check it over for damage or signs of wear. Also, check the gap with a gapping tool and adjust it to 0.030 inches. If the spark plug is two seasons old or more, it should be replaced.
The air filter must be cleaned after each use and replaced every two seasons. If the air filter is clogged with dirt and debris, the engine will not receive the correct air/fuel mixture and will not start. Remove the air filter cover followed by the foam pre-filter and the paper filter, and make sure each are clean. Rinse the foam pre-filter in warm water, and spray it with a spray lubricant so it will catch more dirt, allowing less to pass through to the paper filter. Blow any dirt on the paper filter off with compressed air. Reassemble the filters and reattach the air filter cover. The engine should now be ready to start.
Loss-of-Power Tiller Repairs
Set the throttle to the Fast or High position when starting, and be sure the choke is engaged (warm and hot engines do not need to be choked). The engine should catch after the first or second start attempt. When the engine starts, disengage the choke and allow the engine to warm up for a minute or two. If the engine runs roughly, or sputters, throttle the engine down and adjust the idle with a screwdriver. Turn the idle screw clockwise until the idle evens out. Increase the throttle and attempt to run the tiller.
If the tiller lacks power, there are a number of issues that may be present. The fuel may be contaminated with water. Drain it and replace it with fresh fuel. The muffler could also be clogged, specifically the spark arrestor screen. Remove and clean the muffler, as well as the spark arrestor screen. Carbon buildup prevents the engine from fully breathing correctly. The carbon buildup can either be burned off (if the screen is made of metal) with a BernzOmatic torch, or it can be removed with a metal bristle brush. Mufflers can also be replaced if they are rusted, dented, bent or otherwise damaged beyond their correct function.
If none of these small repairs cause the engine to function properly, the engine may have poor compression, meaning the internal pressure in the combustion chamber is not building up to the proper level. The causes include worn piston rings and scarred combustion chamber walls. Piston rings can be replaced by a qualified service dealer. A service dealer may also be able to smooth the combustion chamber walls as well, but it may be an expensive repair.
Tags: repair, spark plug, combustion chamber, engine will, paper filter, will start, arrestor screen, chamber walls, combustion chamber walls, engine should, filter cover, foam pre-filter, fresh fuel, gardeners will
