what have I done to my lawnmower?

chamberlain

It is the last nice day for about six months in the upper midwest and I have decided to give my lawn one last cut. Lawn mower is a bit stubborn getting started, probably because I ran it out of gas last time (or so I thought). About two passes in it starts to shake, sputters, and siezes up.

Shit.

I then remembered to check something that I should have checked before starting it: the oil. Yes, there is none. The mower has siezed up to the point that I cannot even turn the blade manually. I have added more oil and am going to give it a while to cool off, but am I fucked here? I have a bad feeling that I may have done serious damage to the engine.

The LandoStander

I think it's something that would require skilled/professional work. Running an engine with no oil to the point of seizure does lasting damage to the major components. Even if you got it working again I don't think the damage done would go away.

Might be time to get a new mower. Snapper and Honda usually make some of the best stuff.

DekuStick

If its seized as bad as you say a new mower or repair will be in order.

The good part is that we're getting into a season where mowers go down, and snowblowers go up in price. A Honda will last forever if you treat it well. I mowed the lawn with a Honda older than me until we recently got a new one this summer. It had a good 26 year run.

Sir Carcass

John Deere also makes good push mowers.

chamberlain

Get this.

After about a half hour (and adding oil) it started again. It was smokey and unhappy about running, but I got the lawn mown.

I have a feeling that you guys are right, though, it may be a goner.

PirateJon

Probably tearing up the rings and cylinder walls. But ehh.. as long as it runs.

Apogee

Unless you have a really bigass lawn, just get a good push mower. Much simpler, good exercise. Also, no nasty fumes/loud noise.

matt has a problem

Apogee wrote: »

Unless you have a really bigass lawn, just get a good push mower. Much simpler, good exercise. Also, no nasty fumes/loud noise.

I'm guessing you mean electric push mower? They're OK. Corded electrics are priced relatively the same as similar gas push mowers, but the battery electrics, ones that hold more than a 30 minute charge or so, can get pretty pricey still.

Gabriel_Pitt

No, he's talking about a reel mower. It's powered by you pushing it along.

Dark_Side

chamberlain wrote: »

Get this.

After about a half hour (and adding oil) it started again. It was smokey and unhappy about running, but I got the lawn mown.

I have a feeling that you guys are right, though, it may be a goner.

Put a fork in it, it's done. When you ran it out of oil and it seized up it likely scored up the cylinder walls horrible, ruined your piston rings, and probably a few other nasty things too. While it may still "barely" run for a little while longer, your days with this engine are limited. If it's just a push mower, finding a replacement engine should be easy, but I suspect it may cost the same amount as just buying a new mower alltogether.

matt has a problem

Gabriel_Pitt wrote: »

No, he's talking about a reel mower. It's powered by you pushing it along.

Ahh. I've always just called the kind you don't ride on push mowers. Those were "manual" mowers. They're fine, if you mow very regularly and keep your grass short. Trying to mow a yard that's been neglected for a few weeks is horrible.

Richard M. Nixon

matthasaproblem wrote: »

Gabriel_Pitt wrote: »

No, he's talking about a reel mower. It's powered by you pushing it along.

Ahh. I've always just called the kind you don't ride on push mowers. Those were "manual" mowers. They're fine, if you mow very regularly and keep your grass short. Trying to mow a yard that's been neglected for a few weeks is horrible.

This is so very true. A reel mower is also a bear if you have any significant slope to your yard. Mine is totally flat so my reel mower works well (as long as I keep up with it). If you do go this route, get a sharpening kit like the one at the bottom of this page.