What does it mean to prime a lawnmower well? I'm going to have to be figuring out these things very soon.
Most push mowers now have engines from briggs & stratton.
It's a simple durable engine that can take alot of abuse.
Check the gas, check the oil, run the hell out of them.
Check oil on level with the motor off and the engine cold.
Depending on the engine it will be a plastic one like above or a metal one. Keep it between full and min on the stick don't go over, wipe it off, thread it in, take it out again and check. Normally most take 30 weight oil. 10/30 works, and it's not the end of the world if you dump 5/30 in there either. Just make sure it has oil.
You will see a red primer button/bulb (sometimes they are black with a red band on on the side) on the front or side of the carb just below the air cleaner. Normally you push this in slowly with your thumb around 3x before trying to start it to get the gas up in the carb...some are greedy little shits that want 5x (there should be a little sticker just below it or near it saying how many times to push it in).
Just about all have an engine brake now where you need to hold the bale/squeeze it together to the handle to engage the blade before you pull the cord to start them.
This shuts off the engine and kills the blade if you slip on a hill and the mower comes back at you. You won't be able to pull the cord if you don't hold the bale.
#1 Prime, #2 squeeze the bale, #3 pull...#4 pull again, #5 cuss and give it 1 more prime if it's being an asshole. Repeat #4 as needed, until you either start the little SOB, smell gas (it's flooded, go have coffee and let it sit for an hour), you pass out, or a neighbor offers to start it.
Well maintained they usually start in at least 3 pulls. Not many people have time for that though, I'm up to my ears in mowers right now with another one sitting in the back of the truck now that was just tossed to the curb this evening.
