Saving Money

Help A Blogger Challenge: Can My Lawn Mower Be Fixed?

I have a challenge for you:  Can you help me save some money?

My current lawn mower has served me well, helping me keep my yard looking neat and trim for almost ten years. Unfortunately, it seems to be experiencing a bit of an issue. While mowing lawn last week, I noticed that there was a puddle of oil on the deck of the lawn mower. I wiped it off, hoping that if I ignored the problem it would go away. When I mowed again last night, the same thing happened.

My lawn mower is leaking oil.

I’m hoping that whatever is causing the leak is a simple fix. Maybe something needs to be tightened, or a gasket needs to be replaced. The bad news is I know next to nothing about engines. What I do know is that a small engine repair person would charge over $50 just to diagnosis my problem, and then he may very well tell me I need a new mower.

Replacing my mower with a similar model would cost over $300.

I’m asking you, my Clever Friends, for some assistance. If you know a little something about small engines, maybe you can tell me what is wrong with my law mower. I did make a special note as to where the oils was leaking from while I was mowing.  It seemed to be coming from the base of the vertical black “tube” next to the green text in the picture below (The picture is much sharper if you click on it and look at it full size).

If you have any idea what may be wrong with my mower, and if I can easily fix it myself?

Except for the leaking oil, the mower is working perfectly. After ten years of use, it still starts in three pulls or less. It’s self-propelled, and the frame has no rust or signs of falling apart. I’d love to be able to keep using it, so I’m hoping one of you can help answer some of the below questions:

• Do you know what may be causing the leak?
• Can I fix it myself?
• Can it be fixed, but I need to take it to an expert?
• Is my mower basically on it’s final leg?

At a minimum, you might be able to save me the initial diagnostic charge. Best case scenario you could help me repair my mower and keep it going for several more years.

Image courtesy of Simon Howden at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you have any thoughts, leave them in the comments below. I’ll give an update in a future post as to how this turns out!

Brock Kernin

Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children,  Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.