Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

I left my lawnmover outside in the rain.

Dr. GeroDr. Gero Registered User regular
edited August 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I'm not sure how long it was raining but it was night when I finally realized I left the damn thing outside by the shed. D:

Will rain mess with a lawnmower? It's a gaspowered one, if that helps.

Fuck, I really don't want to spend a few hundred just to mow my damn lawn.

Dr. Gero on

Posts

  • wmelonwmelon Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    It should be fine. Let it dry out in the sun for a couple hours

    wmelon on
  • SzechuanosaurusSzechuanosaurus Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited August 2009
    Naw, probably not. Let it dry out and see.

    Maybe go get it serviced if your worried about any long term damage.

    Szechuanosaurus on
  • RedDawnRedDawn Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    It should be fine. The only real worry would be getting water in the gas tank or oil. If you are really worried about that you can drain both and refill them. Most likely it is fine.

    RedDawn on
  • EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
    edited August 2009
    Nope just cant get water into the intake which wont be a problem because it has a cover and filter to stop that.

    EliteLamer on
    SEGA
    p561852.jpg
  • Dr. GeroDr. Gero Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Awesome, thanks guys. I'll drain the oil and gas today and dry that shit out.

    Dr. Gero on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited August 2009
    See if it runs before bothering to drain it. May be a whole lot of work for nothing.

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    edited August 2009
    I've left my lawnmower outside in the rain so many times, I can't even count em any more. It runs every time.

    MagicToaster on
  • DrZiplockDrZiplock Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    There's a real good chance you don't need to drain the oil and gas.

    Mowers are designed to live a rough life and should be able to handle some rain with ease. Would I recommend leaving it submerged in standing water? No.

    Let it dry out in the sun and you should be good to go.

    DrZiplock on
    Hail, Satan! Wishlist Post
  • FeldornFeldorn Mediocre Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    everything should be sealed up well enough that leaving it in the rain over-night shouldn't be an issue. what you should do is take out the air filter and make sure its dry, then let the thing dry out before you start it up next time.

    don't just drain the fuel/oil. most likely unnecessary.

    Feldorn on
  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt Stepped in it Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    The only issue you're going to have from leaving it out in the rain once is exposed metal possibly starting to rust.

    Gabriel_Pitt on
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    as long as you had the oil/gas caps on it'll be fine

    Buttcleft on
  • Dr. GeroDr. Gero Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Yeah it's sitting in the sun, and the caps were securely tightened beforehand. I'll give it a run in a few hours.

    Also, do you guys sharpen the blade at all? My dad used to do it, but is it necessary? Occasionally it'll chew up a chunk of wood or a pebble but nothing major. I haven't looked under the mower since last summer.

    Dr. Gero on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited August 2009
    If it still cuts the grass just fine, I wouldn't worry about sharpening the blade... not that it would really hurt... just it probably isn't necessary.

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    I don't sharpen the blade, but I do regularly flip the mower and dig out all the grass clippings that have adhered to the underside of the mower.

    If the mower won't start after a few weeks or more of inactivity it's usually bad gas, unless you use a stabilizer the gas in the tank's only good for a few weeks, after that it may not start. Dump it out and replace with fresh gas.

    Djeet on
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Feldorn wrote: »
    everything should be sealed up well enough that leaving it in the rain over-night shouldn't be an issue. what you should do is take out the air filter and make sure its dry, then let the thing dry out before you start it up next time.

    don't just drain the fuel/oil. most likely unnecessary.
    The air filter may not need to dry. If it's like the air filter in my mower, it is supposed to be saturated with oil. Just make sure it doesn't have mud or grass stuff stuck to the air intakes. I had to clean mine out last time after just 2 months of mowing because it was clogged.

    Tofystedeth on
    steam_sig.png
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    If it is a riding mower be sure to check the battery terminals.

    If it is a plain old push mower, it should be fine.

    As for sharpening the blade, that can depend on conditions. Just take a look at the blade every time you clean the cuttings out. I have to sharpen my blade regularly as my yard is downhill from a gravel road so the blade chunks on rocks fairly often. Once an old abused blade snapped in half, left a nice big gouge right on the toe of my boots. Thank god for steel toes.

    Arrath on
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Arrath wrote: »
    If it is a riding mower be sure to check the battery terminals.

    If it is a plain old push mower, it should be fine.

    As for sharpening the blade, that can depend on conditions. Just take a look at the blade every time you clean the cuttings out. I have to sharpen my blade regularly as my yard is downhill from a gravel road so the blade chunks on rocks fairly often. Once an old abused blade snapped in half, left a nice big gouge right on the toe of my boots. Thank god for steel toes.

    That must have been a VERY VERY neglected blade for it to shoot a chunk off of it like that.

    Buttcleft on
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    It was old, sure. Had salvaged it from an older mower my parents owned. It wasn't too damaged beyond a few pits/dents from rocks, no rust or anything. It was quite surprising when it happened, let me tell you.

    Arrath on
  • LoathingLoathing Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    I ended up dinging my mower off the patio stones at my house (choked to a stop) then a week later the stupid rubber flap on the back got caught in the blades - and now it sounds like the blade is a bit loose. Makes a loud vibrating sounds/feel to it when I tip the mower up a bit.

    I'm guessing I'd just need to re-tighten the whole thing down again but my question is this - do I need to drain the oil and gas from the mower before flipping it? And if so whats the best way to go about doing that.

    Loathing on
  • ShawnaseeShawnasee Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    MagicToaster wrote: »
    I've left my lawnmower outside in the rain so many times, I can't even count em any more. It runs every time.

    Shawnasee on
  • t_catt11t_catt11 Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    See, gasoline evaporates in an unclosed container. So if your gasoline is not evaporating, odds are, the tank is sealed pretty well, right? If this is the case, you shoudl not get water in it.

    Understand, it's best to not do this repeatedly - you can cause premature rusting of various other components, and sometimes, a little water can still get in - but one rainstorm really should cause no difficulty whatsoever.

    t_catt11 on
    Santa4Me.com: Personalized letters from Santa Claus!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • illigillig Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    spray any sensitive (mechanical, moving, electrical, or rust-prone) bits with WD-40

    it's a moisture displacer, and it works great

    illig on
  • proXimityproXimity Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Loathing wrote: »
    I ended up dinging my mower off the patio stones at my house (choked to a stop) then a week later the stupid rubber flap on the back got caught in the blades - and now it sounds like the blade is a bit loose. Makes a loud vibrating sounds/feel to it when I tip the mower up a bit.

    I'm guessing I'd just need to re-tighten the whole thing down again but my question is this - do I need to drain the oil and gas from the mower before flipping it? And if so whats the best way to go about doing that.

    There should be one way you can tip it without the fluids needing to be drained, either to the right or to the left.

    proXimity on
    camo_sig2.png
  • FeldornFeldorn Mediocre Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    don't tip it forward for sure. you'll get oil in your fuel system (happened to me, made some wicked smoke/sputtering to clean it out)

    Feldorn on
Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum