Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

I have a lawn which is simply too big for an electric mower to cope with, also I hate having to mess around with the cable all the time. Rather than buying a new mower I've looked at Briggs and Stratton engines as well as Honda engines and it seems it would be cheaper to buy an engine and adapt it to fit the mower.

Has anybody done this before, is it actually possible? It's got a steel chassis not some cheap plastic rubbish (ironic considering it was pretty cheap mower).

The only problem I can see so far is having to replace the sproket (and perhaps blade) because the Honda engines seem to have a bigger output shaft diameter than on the current electric engine (I've not measured it yet I can't find my depth gauge D:, all in good time though)

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
Aled

Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

Aled Owen wrote the following:
I have a lawn which is simply too big for an electric mower to cope
with, also I hate having to mess around with the cable all the time.
Rather than buying a new mower I've looked at Briggs and Stratton
engines as well as Honda engines and it seems it would be cheaper to buy
an engine and adapt it to fit the mower.

Has anybody done this before, is it actually possible? It's got a steel
chassis not some cheap plastic rubbish (ironic considering it was pretty
cheap mower).

The only problem I can see so far is having to replace the sproket (and
perhaps blade) because the Honda engines seem to have a bigger output
shaft diameter than on the current electric engine (I've not measured it
yet I can't find my depth gauge D:, all in good time though)

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
Aled


You might find that it is cheaper to buy a gas mower than to convert
what you have to gas.

Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

You might find that it is cheaper to buy a gas mower than to convert what
you have to gas.


The best value is to buy a gas mower in October or November when they are
half priced cleared to sell. Big box stores in February and March make
deals to sell manufacturers' previous year models, generally for half price.

Rental stores will sell mowers at end of season too.

Craigslist, Kijiji, Freecycle?

At the moment it isn't statistically, I can get a rubbish plastic thing for less than £100 from B&Q but it's almost guarenteed to break. Considering I'm not going to start the project until Winter I'll have a look at mower prices around the end of the season. I had my eye on a Honda or a VIKING mower but I thought if I converted my Mountfield to Petrol I could get a few good years out of it still.

Not to mention a mower at the price I'm going to be spending would be using a chinese copy engine, rather than the real thing, so if I bought a Briggs engine for £150 (or maybe cheaper if I can get a good one second hand or something) and a new blade boss to fit the engine output shaft I'd be spending as much as getting a new (though rubbish) mower from B&Q which would have a clone engine.

Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

On Aug 18, 5:45*am, Aled Owen aled29 AT gmail DOT com wrote:
You might find that it is cheaper to buy a gas mower than to convert
what you have to gas.

At the moment it isn't statistically, I can get a rubbish plastic thing
for less than £100 from B&Q but it's almost guarenteed to break.
Considering I'm not going to start the project until Winter I'll have a
look at mower prices around the end of the season. I had my eye on a
Honda or a VIKING mower but I thought if I converted my Mountfield to
Petrol I could get a few good years out of it still.

--
Aled Owen

Sell the electric one you have and buy a petrol one, either new or
used. If you buy it used, it will kind of like swapping, with no
fuss, no muss. There are so many obvious practical problems, that
it surely isn't worth the time and money to try to convert one.

Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

On Aug 19, 10:03*am, wrote:
On Aug 18, 5:45*am, Aled Owen aled29 AT gmail DOT com wrote:

You might find that it is cheaper to buy a gas mower than to convert
what you have to gas.

At the moment it isn't statistically, I can get a rubbish plastic thing
for less than £100 from B&Q but it's almost guarenteed to break.
Considering I'm not going to start the project until Winter I'll have a
look at mower prices around the end of the season. I had my eye on a
Honda or a VIKING mower but I thought if I converted my Mountfield to
Petrol I could get a few good years out of it still.

--
Aled Owen

Sell the electric one you have and buy a petrol one, either new or
used. *If you buy it used, it will kind of like swapping, with no
fuss, no muss. * *There are so many obvious practical problems, that
it surely isn't worth the time and money to try to convert one.

I agree. You would have problems with mounting holes and length of
shaft. In addition to the engine you would need to buy throttle
cables and the safety brake. Then you would need holes drilled in the
handle to mount the controls. WAY to much trouble.

Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

Aled Owen wrote:
I have a lawn which is simply too big for an electric mower to cope
with, also I hate having to mess around with the cable all the time.
Rather than buying a new mower I've looked at Briggs and Stratton
engines as well as Honda engines and it seems it would be cheaper to
buy an engine and adapt it to fit the mower.

Has anybody done this before, is it actually possible? It's got a
steel chassis not some cheap plastic rubbish (ironic considering it
was pretty cheap mower).

The only problem I can see so far is having to replace the sproket
(and perhaps blade) because the Honda engines seem to have a bigger
output shaft diameter than on the current electric engine (I've not
measured it yet I can't find my depth gauge D:, all in good time
though)

Any help would be appreciated

Go search freecycle or craigslist for a free/cheap gas mower.

I've never seen an electric built heavy enough to handle a gas engine. Chassis,
wheels,.....

Re-furbing an old gas mower would be a way easier job.

Converting an Electric Mower to Petrol
 

On Aug 21, 2:54*am, "Bob F" wrote:
Aled Owen wrote:
I have a lawn which is simply too big for an electric mower to cope
with, also I hate having to mess around with the cable all the time.
Rather than buying a new mower I've looked at Briggs and Stratton
engines as well as Honda engines and it seems it would be cheaper to
buy an engine and adapt it to fit the mower.

Has anybody done this before, is it actually possible? It's got a
steel chassis not some cheap plastic rubbish (ironic considering it
was pretty cheap mower).

The only problem I can see so far is having to replace the sproket
(and perhaps blade) because the Honda engines seem to have a bigger
output shaft diameter than on the current electric engine (I've not
measured it yet I can't find my depth gauge D:, all in good time
though)

Any help would be appreciated

Go search freecycle or craigslist for a free/cheap gas mower.

I've never seen an electric built heavy enough to handle a gas engine. Chassis,
wheels,.....

Re-furbing an old gas mower would be a way easier job.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I googled long and hard for "redneck lawnmower". Came up with a lot
of neat stuff but not exactly what op wants. I suggest tying a small
gasoline generator to the top of the electric mower to free it of the
cord ;)