How to clean the carburetor on a John Deere riding lawnmower, step by step

If you own a John Deere riding lawnmower, you know that they are trustworthy machines. You know that maintenance is vital for any mechanical machine, particularly when they get older. To keep the engine running well, cleaning the carburetor will be one maintenance task. Being the heart of the lawnmower engine, it is responsible for supplying air-fuel mixture to the combustion process to generate power. So with time, dirt and debris may get stuck in the fuel pipelines, or the air intake channel may get clogged or restricted. Thus, the carburetor doesn’t supply the necessary amount and air quality to the combustion chamber. Hence, engine power may reduce.

How to clean the carburetor on a john deere riding lawnmower, step by step:

• Step 1: Signs of a dirty John Deere carburetor
• Step 2: Let the engine cool down and check the air filter.
• Step 3: Check the fuel valve and detach it from the fuel line.
• Step 4: Remove the rust and other dirt from the carburetor.
• Step 5: Use carburetor cleaner.
• Step 7: Use a repair kit if some seals or valves are damaged.
• Step 6: Clean the lines and check the smoke color.
• Step 8: Tighten the screws properly to assemble the components.

You can easily clean the carburetor by following these steps. You can do them as preventive maintenance or wait until it is not working correctly. Cleaning is necessary If you want your lawnmower to work correctly for a more extended period. Cleaning the carburetor is a straightforward and easy-to-follow procedure and includes some other components like the air filter.

Steps to clean a john deere riding lawnmower

It is not difficult to clean and repair a lawnmower’s carburetor. These steps will help you get a clean carburetor and keep your John Deere lawnmower working fine.

Step 1. Signs of a Dirty John Deere Carburetor

If your John Deere lawnmower is challenging to start, it can be an indication that your carburetor might be dirty. Besides starting issues, another indicator is black smoke and increased fuel consumption. Dirt in the air that is not removed with the air filters makes the carburetor dirty. Oil deposits and rust also makes the carburetor dirty. Dirty carburetors are a threat to engines working. They damage the engine and reduce its efficiency as well.

Step 2. Check the Air Filter

When the lawnmower is cooled down, the first step is to check the mower’s outside and ensure that it’s free of debris. Park the John Deere lawnmower at a place with a hard floor that can be cleaned if you spill some gas. Before starting to work on the engine, remove the spark plug cable. This ensures that the engine can not unintendedly start running. Remove the air filter from the engine and check it. Suppose the air filter is dirty or even clogged. Clean it, else it will produce black smoke, and your fuel consumption will increase.

Step 3. Check the Fuel Valve

Before we can start working on the carburetor, we must ensure that no gas can be spilled. This means we have to close the fuel valve. If your John Deere Siting Lawnmower does not have one or does not work, you have to empty the gas tank. If no fuel can leak, you can start to detach the carburetor’s fuel line. In this case, some of the fuel may spill, so be prepared for it. The fuel valve is also the periphery from where all fuel flows to the chamber through the pipelines. Check that they are not clogged by small debris and continuous use over time. You can clean them first with water and then again with a gentle fuel bath.

Step 4. Remove the rust

If you find any rust at any part of your John Deere carburetor, try to remove it. You can use a rust remover or some sandpaper to obliterate it. Remove the screws and release the bulb and base. Make some pictures or a short video, so you know how they are all connected. Then remove gaskets and diaphragms. Clean every part thoroughly with a carburetor cleaner. Wash them with some gas, and let them dry. Carefully reassemble the parts back as you opened them.

Step 5. Use Carburetor Cleaner

Carburetor cleaner is used to clean the deposits within the carburetor. It is just like a spray, and you can find it at many locations. You can spray it directly at the carburetor to clean it.  After cleaning the surface with the cleaner, it is now a good moment to do some other maintenance as well. Check the engine oil if it is dirty. Check the oil filter if present, and check the sparkplugs. Replace or repair the air filters and change the oil if it is dirty.

Step 6. If carburetor damage is found, use a repair kit

If you find more extensive problems with your John Deere carburetor, and just cleaning is not enough, we have to go a step deeper. For this, you need to get a carburetor repair kit. It contains different components of the carburetor. You may consider replacing the float, the float needle, diaphragms, and gaskets. This will help in improving the performance of your carburetor.

If your carburetor still performs poorly after this step, you need to replace your carburetor with a new one. As dirt entering the carburetor is a likely cause, replace the air and fuel filter annually and keep your carburetor well-adjusted and maintained to cause further issues.

Step 7. Reassemble the carburetor

After you have thoroughly cleaned all lawnmower parts, it is time to preassemble all the parts. If you do this for the first time, this is where the images or video you made earlier can be a great help. It is preferable to use new washers and seals when you reassemble the carburetor, even if the present seals are okay. They are cheap, and it helps to prevent any leakages for a much longer time. Make sure that you place the right screws and nuts in the right places.

Step 8. If it still does not work well, Ask a professional for help

If you have finished cleaning your carburetor, using the repair kit, and even replacing it, but your John Deere Lawnmower still does not function properly. It is time to ask a professional for help.

Frequently asked questions?

1. What makes a carburetor to stop working correctly?

A carburetor is one of the significant parts of a lawnmower. If it is not working correctly, then your mower will also not work correctly. There can be different causes why your carburetor is not working correctly. The most common reason is gas blockage if you keep them idle for a long time. Other causes are dirt in the air that is not filtered by the air filter, dirty gas, and oil deposits.

2. Can we clean a mower’s carburetor without removing it?

Yes, the carburetor can also be cleaned without removing it. In this case, you need to have an aerosol carburetor cleaner spray. Make sure that the lawnmower is cooled down. Make sure that you park the lawnmower in a clean environment, with as little dust as possible. After that, open the air filter cover, and the carburetor will be exposed. Now place the tip of aerosol cleaner spray into the center of the carburetor and spray into it. The engine and carburetor should be running in this process. Finally, remove the deposits and replace the cover and linkage.

3. Carburetor not working correctly even after cleaning it, what to do?

If you have done everything correctly and cleaned the carburetor, but it is still not working? Depending on your skill set, you could use a carburetor repair set or replace it with a new one. Also, check if the carburetor is adjusted correctly. If the problem happens more often, think about replacing the air and fuel filter. Another option would be to call a professional. For them, this is a simple job that they are doing very often.

Final Remarks

In short, we can say that every kind of lawnmower needs good maintenance overall to work appropriately for a longer time. This also applies to a John Deere riding lawnmower. If a mower is not maintained well, it will stop functioning correctly. And the engine’s efficiency will be reduced, and thus uses more gas. The carburetor is the lung of the machinery hence requires attention. A dirty carburetor is a common issue that everyone has to deal with. The carburetor keeps your lawn mower running strong, smooth, and functioning well, so blocked or restricted channels may cause your lawnmower to run rough or weak in comparison. You can easily clean the internal and external components following these steps.