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Petrol lawnmower.

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  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,483
    edited March 2020
    Petrol lawn mowers are a bit like Christmas tree lights.
    Last time you used them they worked fine......you put them away for any reasonable length of time (such as over the winter) and then the fuckers won’t start!🤨
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,021
    I think Briggs and Stratton make the engines for the majority of petrol mowers tbh
    Indeed they do sir!
  • Bought a used Hayter Harrier 41 from ebay about 6 years ago for £40. Changed spark plug twice. Service last year for £35. Runs like a dream and great stripes. So much better than flinging a lead around. 
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,971
    Bradex Easystart is your friend. A spray of that into the air intake and the thing is five times more likely to start.
    Used to swear by it when I had a shite bucket Hillman hunter
  • JohnBoyUK
    JohnBoyUK Posts: 9,021
    IdleHans said:
    Bradex Easystart is your friend. A spray of that into the air intake and the thing is five times more likely to start.
    Used to swear by it when I had a shite bucket Hillman hunter
    I remember my Dad using that on his old Hillman Imp back in the early 80s.  Funnily, my wife's uncle suggested I got a can of it for when my mower didn't start ( before we realised the filter was caked!)
  • Sark99
    Sark99 Posts: 181
    Rob7Lee said:
    I've a hayter harrier petrol mower with rear roller, do get a self propelled one, you'll regret it if you don't. Had mine for over 10 years, couple fo spark plugs and oil change is all it's needed. Yes it was relatively expensive (about £450 from memory) but it'll go on and on with a Briggs & Stratton engine.
    I have had  a Hayter since 2012 which I brought new from Pacey's in Orpington. They service it every two years, and it chugs along quite happily. 
  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,596
    Sark99 said:
    Rob7Lee said:
    I've a hayter harrier petrol mower with rear roller, do get a self propelled one, you'll regret it if you don't. Had mine for over 10 years, couple fo spark plugs and oil change is all it's needed. Yes it was relatively expensive (about £450 from memory) but it'll go on and on with a Briggs & Stratton engine.
    I have had  a Hayter since 2012 which I brought new from Pacey's in Orpington. They service it every two years, and it chugs along quite happily. 
    Thats where I got mine and the old chap comes and gets it for it's service!
  • RaplhMilne
    RaplhMilne Posts: 4,603
    Shame about the virus, I was going to suggest a get together somewhere , we could chat and bring pictures of our mowers along.  Maybe start up a club an go on mowing weekends away.  
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    If you go first it's one man went to mow.
  • lolwray
    lolwray Posts: 4,902
    I am a hayter Harrier man myself...it has never failed to start..a bit of wd40 every spring and off it goes ..I get it serviced once every 2 years .Never get the mower serviced in early April..you won't get it back to may .

    I love my mower 
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  • CAFCspooney
    CAFCspooney Posts: 562
    I bought one from Aldi last year. As others have said, Briggs and Stratton engines are excellent. The good thing about these mowers is the simplicity of controls--fixed speed, no throttle, no choke, no speed  governors on the carb, single lever height adjuster. If you buy one, do not tip it on end to fit in trolley (abide by the arrow on the box) otherwise the oil will drain into the cylinder and you risk wrecking the engine when you try to start it. Regarding the petrol, buy some fuel stabilizer additive. Honda dealers used to do but I am not sure now. Dose was 1ml per litre of petrol . This prevents oxidation of the petrol on storage, so you shouldn't have to resort to Easystart in the Spring. I got mine out last week-half a dozen pumps on the fuel primer bulb and it started second pull. 
  • razil
    razil Posts: 15,041
    I have a much bigger lawn since moving. I switched from a small electric to a bigger petrol qualcast mower that I’d kept for the allotment and used/abused for clearing beds.

    anyway I find it makes very hard work of the lawn on the shortest setting, even after a going over on a higher setting. I leaves loads of grass and conks out sometimes. I’ve changed the blade and even had it serviced but it’s still not that great.

    I like doing stripes but it really shouldn’t be this hard work, should it?

    any ideas?
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,357
    I've gone for a battery one .. definitely the best choice for me
  • Oggy Red
    Oggy Red Posts: 44,957
    I can't believe I missed this thread first time round!

    This type of thread is what makes Charlton Life special. You'd never read anything like this on the other forum. :wink:




  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,596
    razil said:
    I have a much bigger lawn since moving. I switched from a small electric to a bigger petrol qualcast mower that I’d kept for the allotment and used/abused for clearing beds.

    anyway I find it makes very hard work of the lawn on the shortest setting, even after a going over on a higher setting. I leaves loads of grass and conks out sometimes. I’ve changed the blade and even had it serviced but it’s still not that great.

    I like doing stripes but it really shouldn’t be this hard work, should it?

    any ideas?
    Rotary or cylinder?

    With petrol it's all about the engine, also if your lawn isn't bowling green flat forget Cylinder, I've a Hayter petrol self propelled rotary, stripes the lawn and picks up everything but has a B&S engine, will go on forever with servicing.
  • razil
    razil Posts: 15,041
    Hmm not sure

    i have a feeling that the under side is so corroded that grass is just sticking to it and clogging (I read that sticking can be an issue) and that fits with the issues. I’ve tried cleaning it and wd40 but it doesn’t help. May need some anti rust, wire brush and then a coating of some sort
  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,596
    Do yourself a favour and get a Hayter Harrier (make sure self propelled) - not cheap but you'll be glad you did.
  • lolwray
    lolwray Posts: 4,902
    Rob7Lee said:
    Do yourself a favour and get a Hayter Harrier (make sure self propelled) - not cheap but you'll be glad you did.
    I ll second that ..had mine for 12 years ,very reliable 
  • lolwray said:
    Rob7Lee said:
    Do yourself a favour and get a Hayter Harrier (make sure self propelled) - not cheap but you'll be glad you did.
    I ll second that ..had mine for 12 years ,very reliable 

    and I'll third it. Hayter's the way to go, self propelled.
  • Had a Toro combination (mulcher and collector) for a few years. Starts first time every time, self propelled and given the state of my garden seemingly indestructible. 
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  • HardyAddick
    HardyAddick Posts: 1,638
    razil said:
    I have a much bigger lawn since moving. I switched from a small electric to a bigger petrol qualcast mower that I’d kept for the allotment and used/abused for clearing beds.

    anyway I find it makes very hard work of the lawn on the shortest setting, even after a going over on a higher setting. I leaves loads of grass and conks out sometimes. I’ve changed the blade and even had it serviced but it’s still not that great.

    I like doing stripes but it really shouldn’t be this hard work, should it?

    any ideas?
    I had a Qualcast for my lawn in London but the engine went bang (for 2nd time) on my large lawn at my new house. I would never buy a Qualcast again. 

    Bought an AL-KO petrol self propelled no roller. Honda engine. My gardener says its the best he has used. 
  • I've got a Honda Izzy. Been going 5 years. Self propelled and cuts well. Service it myself every year with a Honda service kit. No problems so far with keeping the fuel in over winter. Once this one needs replacing will probably get a robot mower.