How to Drain Gas from Lawn Mower: Guide & Tips -

Top Gutter Guard is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

There are many different types of lawn mowers you may see in the market today.

However, perhaps the most common one runs on gas.

It’s extremely versatile anda powerful that it can easily trim your lawn in a few minutes or hours.

However, you need to be careful when using and storing it.

Because it’s flammable, you need to learn how to drain gas from lawn mower to avoid accidents.

This will also help ensure that you maintain this garden equipment properly, especially if you use it rather often.

Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

We’ll teach you a few things about keeping your lawnmower safe.

Why You Shouldn’t Leave Gas in Your Lawn Mower

Did you know that gasoline can actually go bad?

If you don’t use your mower frequently, especially during the winter, the gasoline inside the machine will cause various problems to your equipment.

Here are a few symptoms that will indicate bad gasoline.

Not Starting

One of the most common signs that your mower’s gas has gone bad is when the engine doesn’t start. The carburetor, fuel lines, and other internal parts have likely suffered significant damage.

When this happens, you might have to bring your mower to a professional and have it serviced. Otherwise, you will only exhaust yourself from trying to get it to run.

Clogging

Another detrimental damage your mower may suffer from is clogging. Gasoline has an expiration date. It will transform into a thick and greasy substance when it goes over this limit, usually around three to six months.

This will prevent the gasoline from flowing smoothly through your mower’s fuel lines. As a result, the engine will not take in enough clean gasoline to keep on running.

Sputtering

If you notice that your mower is sputtering, it may be a sign of bad and old fuel. You’re most likely not to use your mower during the winter season. If there’s still gasoline stored in the tank, it will freeze because of the cold temperature.

The problem is when the summer season comes, and the gasoline defrosts. Condensation and moisture mix with the gasoline. Because of this, the engine will have a hard time igniting which eventually leads to sputtering.

Frequent Dying

If your mower’s engine sputters, you’re still part of the lucky ones. A more pressing problem with condensation in the gas tank is when your mower keeps on dying.

Since the engine can’t ignite properly, it will also be incapable of staying up and running. If you experience any of these issues with your mower, it’s best to bring the equipment to a professional.

On the other hand, you can also try draining the gas tank.

How to Drain Gas from Lawn Mower

Whether you want to try and fix your mower on your own or just want to ensure you don’t encounter problems caused by prolonged storage, you need to learn how to drain gas from lawnmower.

Luckily, it’s not as hard as it sounds. We’ll show you how.

Siphoning

The easiest and most common method of draining gas from a mower is through siphoning. This technique works well with any type or model of lower. To do this, here are the steps you need to follow.

Engine Preparation

The first thing you want to do is to add a fuel stabilizer. You want to make sure that you drain all the gasoline in your mower, including the fuel lines and carburetor. The stabilizer will help the gasoline circulate the mower to remove buildup in the fuel lines, tank, filter, or carburetor.

Cool Down

After running the engine for a few minutes, allow the mower to cool down. Just leave it in the open air for 15 to 30 minutes or until the temperature of the engine drops. Make sure that you do this on a flat surface.

Spark Plug Removal

While the engine will most likely stay off, you should remove the spark plug for safety measures. If the spark plug accidentally ignites the fuel inside or outside the tank, you might burn your mower or worse, yourself.

Siphoning Method

Once you’ve finished all the tasks mentioned above, you may proceed with draining your mower’s gas tank. There are a few methods you can try, but make sure you have a container underneath the tank and a clean hose for siphoning.

Additionally, you also need to replace the oil inside the engine for better performance.

Air Pressure

Cut the hose into two separate pieces, with one being longer than the other. The longer hose should run from the bottom of the tank down to the container on the ground.

Place the shorter hose beside the longer one, but it should not be submerged in gasoline and rests above the fuel level line. Make sure that the other end can reach the entrance to the gas tank.

Use a clean cloth and place it between the two hoses to prevent air from escaping the tank. You can use an air compressor or your mouth to blow into the shorter hose.

This should increase the air pressure inside the tank and push the gasoline towards the longer hose. Once the gasoline starts flowing to your container, you can let gravity do its job and stop blowing into the hose.

Siphon Pump

If you want a more convenient way to drain your mower’s tank, you can use a siphon pump. Some pumps run on electricity, which means you only need to flip a switch, and it will independently draw the gasoline out of the tank.

On the other hand, some siphon pumps are manually operated. This means you have to place the tubing inside the tank and use the pump to initiate suction. Once the gasoline starts to flow outside of the tank, you can stop pumping.

Mouth Siphon

The last method we’ll talk about is quite controversial. We do not encourage it, but it might be useful in times of emergency. Please ensure that you only use this method when you’ve exhausted every possible alternative.

Mouth siphoning works just like a siphon pump. However, you need to initiate suction through your mouth. This means you have to sip from the hose as you do with a straw when you’re drinking soda.

Make sure that you keep your eyes on the hose. Once you see that the gasoline starts to flow out of the tank, remove the hose from your mouth and place it onto the container. Gasoline is extremely dangerous, and you don’t want it in your system.