# Tipped mower up, now it's not running well



## girl (Jun 24, 2006)

I tipped my push lawn mower up to remove the blade so it could be sharpened. Now the engine is not running well, hardly at all, and I can't help but think tipping it up had something to do with it. 
I've replaced the spark plug and taken the new one in and out several times. Each time the point is black and oily so I clean it off and try again. 
When it is running, it coughs and spits out black puffs of smoke. The carriage jerks back and forth.
I would sure like to figure out how to fix it before my husband gets home and finds out I've been messing with it again - he told me to take it in to the shop to get the blade sharpened but I wanted to save some money by carrying it in myself. Woops!


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

take the spark plug out, clean it, pull the cord a few times with the plug out, put it back in, and start it, let it run and burn off the rest of the oil that got in places it shouldnt, it will be fine(check the oil to make sure its not way down, and make sure the airfilter isnt soaked wiht oil also)


----------



## girl (Jun 24, 2006)

*Sounds easy enough...*

Sounds easy enough, except I don't know how to get to the air filter. This mower is about two years old. Do I need to take off the cover? Now I'll just shut up before I start to sound even sillier.
Thanks


----------



## girl (Jun 24, 2006)

Everything always looks better in the morning. I tried the spark plug suggestion last night and then this morning got a new air filter and that seemed to do the trick. I'll be mowing as soon as the dew is off.
Thanks so much.


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Btw, next time (probablly the spark plug points away from the operator, at the front of the mower) put the handle bars to the ground and use a low lying step or something to hold em down to change the blades and such.


----------



## girl (Jun 24, 2006)

*tippped*

yes that does make sense - now...
Thanks for your help.


----------

