What if i get gas in the oil compartment of my lawn mower?

Question

My brother tilted my mower on its side and now the mower won't run. I noticed that the oil now is milky and smells like gas. Will the mower run after an oil change or am I out the cost of a new mower?

Answer 1

Mowers get tilted all the time for cleaning.  It is difficult for gas to get into the oil reservoir, since the latter is a closed system.  I think there are diaphrams or gaskets that keep the two totally apart.  However, if you think you smell gas from the very small oil fill tube, change the oil.  I doubt you have ruined your mower, but I would also check the gas reservoir, which has a tube running to it, a clamp, and then a small cap type reservoir that looks a lot like a spray paint can cap in most cases.  It has a bolt on the bottom.  Clamp the tube.  Unscrew the bolt carefully (lefty loosey, righty tighty), let the cap drop, and inspect the gas.  If it is other than a clear gas color, you have a reverse problem in that some thing has gotten into the gas line.  If the mower doesn't have a lot of gas in the tank, just make sure the reservoir is empty and bolted back on so the gasket is in the right place, fill the tank with new gas, and unclamp the tube.  It may take a few tries but should start.  

In a lot of cases, people tip their mowers and spray them to clean them, and the use a high pressure hose sprayer to do it.  Somehow, water manages to get into the gas.  I recently had to drain the reservoir three times and it still sputtered a bit while running until all the water had been dissipated.  I would suspect that problem rather than gas in the oil.  Mostly all that would happen if gas were in the oil is a smoking exhaust for a while.  Ethanol gas does have some drying capabilities as far as water is concerned and using a tankful should not effect your mower in the least.

Answer 2

Disconnect the spark plug wire drain the oil with the oil plug out flush out the oil system with a quart of new oil. Install drain plug fill oil to appropriate level on dip stick. Remove spark plug and clean the pend of the spark plug reinsert and start.

Answer 3

It will be fine after changing the oil.

Answer 4

Drain the oil and refill it.