
What should I do if my lawn mower won't start?
Your Mower Won't Start: Loose, Dirty or Disconnected Spark Plug in Your Lawn Mower: Check it out, clean off debris, re-connect and tighten. Dirty Air Filter: Clean or replace. Fuel Not Reaching the Engine: Tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas. If this doesn't work, you might need a new fuel filter.
How do I know if my zero turn mower is working?
Your Mower Won’t Start: Loose, Dirty or Disconnected Spark Plug in Your Lawn Mower: Check it out, clean off debris, re-connect and tighten. Dirty Air Filter: Clean or replace. Fuel Not Reaching the Engine: Tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas.
How do you test the ignition switch on a lawn mower?
Jun 03, 2019 · If you still don't get any gas, the fuel line is kinked or plugged. And check inside the tank for any debris that might clog the outlet. If you're getting gas to the lawn mower carburetor, check to see if there's any fuel in the bowl. Clamp off the fuel line with a C-clamp. Then remove the bowl (Photo 1).
How do I check the battery on my lawn mower?
May 02, 2022 · The main ones to check are the brake pedal switch, blade switch, battery connection, weight sensor (to make sure a driver is sitting before the mower works). When you jump start the engine, you should press your brake pedal. If the brake pedal doesn’t work, then you need to inspect your brake detector.

What is the first thing to check if a lawn mower won't start?
- Loose, Dirty or Disconnected Spark Plug in Your Lawn Mower: Check it out, clean off debris, re-connect and tighten.
- Dirty Air Filter: Clean or replace.
- Fuel Not Reaching the Engine: Tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas. If this doesn't work, you might need a new fuel filter.
How do you start a lawn mower that won't start?
- Use fresh gas. Old gasoline can cause starting difficulties. ...
- Check the spark plug. ...
- Use the choke. ...
- Prime the mower. ...
- Check the air filter. ...
- Check the cables. ...
- Check for water in the fuel tank.
- Clear the starter cord of blockages.
Why will my lawn mower turn over but not start?
How do you diagnose a lawn mower?
- First, check that there is indeed fuel in the gas tank. ...
- If there is fuel, remove the air filter and pump the primer bulb a couple of times to ensure fuel is squirting into the carburettor.
- Give the starter a push or a pull (depending on your mowers starting system) two or three times.
How do you start a lawnmower that has been sitting?
How do I know if my lawn mower carburetor is bad?
- The lawn mower engine has trouble starting.
- The engine starts but stalls while you're cutting the lawn.
- The engine runs rough during mowing.
- Black smoke is seen coming out of the muffler.
- There is a noticeable increase in fuel consumption during normal lawn mower use.
How do you start a lawn mower after winter?
- Put Your Battery on Charge. The very first to do is put your battery on charge. ...
- Fresh Gas. The second thing to do is make sure your lawn mower has fresh gas. ...
- Drain the Carburettor. This step is highly advised, but optional. ...
- Wait or Wash. Don't try and start your lawn mower straight away. ...
- Check the Oil.
Can a dirty air filter cause a lawn mower not to start?
Before the incoming air enters the carburetor, it passes through an air filter to remove dust and dirt. When the filter is doing its job, it may get clogged up with debris removed from the air and not allow a sufficient amount of air into the carburetor and prevent the engine from starting.
Will a lawn mower start in the cold?
Will lawn mower not start if oil is low?
Can you flood a lawn mower?
How do you clean a lawn mower carburetor?
Why won't my lawn mower start?
Most of the time when a lawn mower won't start the cause is a problem with the gas or the lawn mower carburetor.
What to do if your lawn mower starts rough?
If it starts but runs rough. If you got the engine to start by cleaning the main jet, but it runs rough or the idle speed surges, you have two choices—rebuild or replace the lawn mower carburetor. For rebuilding instructions, see “How to repair small engines.”.
How to tell if a lawn mower carburetor is goner?
Examine the inside of the lawn mower carburetor. If you see chalky/powdery white corrosion like this, the carb is a goner.
How to clean a clogged carburetor?
Remove the carburetor bowl nut. Insert the carburetor cleaner straw directly into the main jet passage and squeeze the trigger on the can several times until the spray shoots into the venturi of the carburetor. That'll confirm the passage is open. A clogged main jet is a pretty common problem. You can try cleaning it with spray carburetor cleaner (Photo 4). Then try starting. If the engine still isn't getting gas, replace the carburetor.
What brand of lawn mower won't start?
Whether you’ve got a Toro la wn mower, a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower, or one of the other popular brands, the last thing you want once winter finally lifts and spring has sprung is a lawn mower that won’t start.
What to do if you don't get gas?
If it doesn't, remove the fuel line ahead of the fuel filter inlet. If gas flows, the filter is clogged. Replace it. If you still don't get any gas, the fuel line is kinked or plugged.
How many pulls does a lawn mower need to start?
Your mower should start within three pulls of the starter rope (unless equipped with a Quick Start engine). Follow step-by-step instruction to determine why your mower won't start: checking fuel levels, spark plug, carburetor and compression. Follow along this DIY video to troubleshoot and learn when it's best to service your mower.
What does it mean when a car has a wet spark plug?
Second step, check the spark plug. A wet plug means there’s fuel going through the fuel system and there may be an issue with the ignition. A dry plug means there may be an issue with the fuel system. A common issue is a clogged carburetor from stale gas.
Why won't my riding lawn tractor start?
Your riding lawn tractor click but won’t start because the trouble could be from your battery, fuse, control module, or mower’s safety features. You’ll often just need to recharge your battery or change the fuse to power your lawn tractor again.
Why does my zero turn mower make a clicking sound?
If your high-quality zero turn mowers work fine, you would hear a clicking sound between the ‘Run’ and ‘Start’ positions. This implies that the starter solenoid is getting power from the battery. On the other hand, when you don’t hear a click from the engine, the starter has failed, or its coil isn’t getting power from the battery.
How many volts does a riding mower use?
Like automobile car, riding mower use a new battery, starter motor, and ignition switch. When you turn the ignition switch to the ‘Start’ position, 12 volt of direct current travels from the battery through the starter solenoid to the starter motor. This current also flows through a cable to the anti-afterfire solenoid in the engine.
What is the best ignition switch for a riding mower?
The top-rated riding mowers should have good ignition switch measuring 0 ohms. This means its contacts complete the B and S terminal circuit and can send voltage to the solenoid. On the other hand, a damaged ignition switch will measure infinite resistance.
How to check if a fuse is blown?
First, to check the fuse, remove its zip tie and then pull the fuse from its holder. If any element in the fuse is broken or there's a fault in the ground connection, you should have it replaced. However, if you're unsure, you can check for continuity using your multi-meter.
What is a riding mower?
Riding mower is powered by a four-cycle engine (intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust). Some mowers use gasoline as their fuel and a spark plug to combust it. Others are powered by diesel and require no spark plug. In either case, the engine runs the transmission and drive wheels, and rotates the cutting blades underneath the machine.
Where is the control module on a riding mower?
Depending on your model, a control module could be anywhere, even under the seat. And if you notice that your high-quality electric riding mower won’t start no clicking comes from the device, or cranking doesn’t work, then this module could be faulty.
What to do before starting a mower?
Before You Start Any Mower Troubleshooting... When working on a mower, remember that gasoline/petrol is flammable. Remove all sources of ignition such as naked flames, stoves, sparks, cigarettes or other hot objects in the vicinity when working on the tank or fuel lines.
Why won't my lawn mower start in winter?
Lawn Mower Won't Start After Winter. For an engine to startup, it basically requires two things: fuel and a spark. If you aren't getting a spark at the plug or fuel isn't getting through to the engine (known as fuel starvation), the machine will never startup. Bad compression can also lead to difficult starting.
Why does my mower float not work?
Also the float may not operate properly when the engine isn't horizontal, causing the carburetor to overflow into the intake manifold of the engine. If fuel leaks onto the outside of a hot engine, it can potentially start a fire. If the mower only needs to be raised a little to unclog the deck, you don't need to turn turn off fuel or drain ...
How to keep carburetor pointing?
Sometimes manufacturers recommend keeping the carburetor upwards, pointing skywards. Alternatively, the plug may need to be uppermost with the handles tipped back onto the ground (you'll need a heavy weight such as a concrete block to keep the mower in this position).
What to do if my lawn mower runs out of gas?
If the mower runs out of gas during cutting, it will need to be primed again . 6. Check the air filter isn't dirty. Wash and dry foam type air filter (see below for details), or replace dirty paper filter. 7. Check the cable connecting the "dead man's handle" on the frame to the engine is not damaged or snapped.
How many volts does a push mower need?
Some newer push mowers have starter motors and batteries. The battery voltage should be over 12 volt s for the engine to start.
Why is my mower not charging?
The charging dynamo/alternator may not be doing its job, the regulator/charging circuit (if it's a separate unit from the dynamo/alternator/dynastarter) may be faulty, fuses could be blown etc. I'm out of my depth on ride on mowers and the charging systems/starter motors. If it's brand new, hopefully it came with a warranty, so it's best not to meddle with it. The battery voltage should be 13 volt or so for a fully charged battery, so if it's less than 12 volt there's some sort of charging issue.
