The Best Method For Draining Gas From Your Lawn Mower

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A lot of thought goes into picking the perfect lawn mower — and choosing the best lawn mower fuel to go with it. Additionally, you may even be researching tricks that'll make filling lawn equipment with gas easier. But what happens when it's time to remove the gas from your mower? While there are a few different ways this can be done, the absolute best method for draining gas from your lawn mower is to use a transfer pump.

There are actually several reasons you may need to drain gas. For one, gas can deteriorate and/or become contaminated. Should this happen, it may be necessary to drain the bad gas and replace it with fresh fuel in order to avoid damaging the engine. If you are storing your mower for a long period of time, draining the gas can help prevent damage to carburetors and fuel lines (some fuels can become contaminated with water after sitting). It will also allow you to begin the new mowing season with fresh fuel.

Whatever the reason, when it is time to drain the gas from your lawn mower, there are some methods that should be avoided. Chief among those is using a siphon hose and creating suction with your mouth. While this is a traditional way of siphoning fluids, it should not be done with gas as the vapors and gasoline itself can cause you to become extremely sick. Additionally, tilting the mower, while common, is not recommended. This can cause the gas to flood parts of the mower and can also result in fuel spilling in unsafe areas.

To make sure you can safely and efficiently drain gasoline from your lawn mower, the best thing to do is to invest in a transfer pump. There are a variety of models to choose from, ranging from manual fuel transfer pumps to battery powered and corded automatic pumps. For a small mower tank, a manual or battery-powered model is more than enough. A siphon pump is another option, using gravity instead of mechanical force to move the fuel.

The first step in removing the fuel from the mower tank is to remove the spark plug wire. It's a smart safety move for any maintenance, since it prevents the mower from accidentally starting. Next, make sure the mower is on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area. If you're using a siphon pump, elevate the mower slightly so the tank sits higher than the drain container.

With the mower and a container to drain the gas into in place, remove the gas cap and place the intake end of the pump into the gas tank. Then, place the output hose into the container. If using a manual transfer pump, work the handle until all the fuel is drained. Battery-operated pumps simply need to be switched on, while siphon pumps should be pumped a few times to get the fuel flowing. When that is done, be sure to allow all the fuel to drain from the hoses before removing them from the tanks, wipe up any spilled gasoline, then close both the gas tank and drain container. Always store gasoline in a safe, well-ventilated location away from heat or flames.