Lawn Mower Won't First

Acquire the reasons why a lawn mower won't showtime afterwards winter or during peak flavor, and how to fix those problems.

Introduction

Almost of the time when a backyard mower won't start the cause is a problem with the gas or the lawn mower carburetor.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Carburetor cleaner
  • Carburetor or carburetor inlet needle and seat
  • Gasoline

Lawn Mower Won't Beginning After Winter?

Whether you've got a Toro lawn mower, a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower, or one of the other popular brands, the last thing y'all want once wintertime finally lifts and spring has sprung is a lawn mower that won't kickoff.

Before y'all have a heart set on pulling on the rip cord, you'll desire to check the fuel, as well equally the lawn mower carburetor. They're the root causes of more than 80% of all lawn mowers that won't offset (plus snow blowers and most small engines in general). Beneath, we'll walk you through the steps of how to start a lawn mower when it'southward giving you grief. Cheque out how to tune up a lawn mower, too.

You'll need hand tools and a socket set, a tin of carburetor cleaner and your air compressor to begin fixing a lawn mower that won't first. And you lot'll probably take to brand a trip to the small-engine parts store. But after an 60 minutes of effort, you lot just might accept an operational engine, and you'll save a bundle by fixing it yourself. Let's dig in to see what to do when a mower won't commencement.

Check the plug

I'll assume you've cleaned the air filter, then the next step is to remove the spark plug to see if it's wet. If information technology is, there's no way the engine will start. So clean the plug with carburetor cleaner and let it dry out. Cleaning information technology with compressed air isn't plenty; you need a solvent to remove oil rest. If the plug was wet, move on to Pace 3. If it was dry, skip to Step 4. If the fuel is more than than a month old, dispose of it properly and refill the tank with fresh gas. And then reinstall the spark plug and endeavour starting. It may have quite a few pulls to suck the new gas into the lawn mower carburetor, then exist prepared to clean and dry out the plug a few more times.

Project step-by-step (5)

Step i

Check the carburetor bowl for gas

Remove the bowl

bowl

Gear up a small cup under the backyard mower carburetor to grab whatever spills. And so loosen the basin nut with a socket. Once the nut is loose, unscrew information technology by hand and lower the bowl. Gas should drip out.

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Step two

Remove the inlet needle and seat

inlet

Pull the float pivot directly out. Catch the float, inlet needle and retaining spring with a rag. Remove the rubber seat with a modest pick. Reverse the procedure to install the new parts.

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Step 3

Cheque carb condition

condition

Examine the inside of the lawn mower carburetor. If you see chalky/powdery white corrosion like this, the carb is a goner.

Melody Upwardly a Lawn Mower

Step 4

Fellow DIYer's solution for corroded carburetor

An bearding reader from Oakland, ME took event with my statement that finding corrosion in a small-scale engine carburetor means "game over." Instead he advises boiling the disassembled carburetor in vinegar for 30 minutes. He says the pitting will remain, but the vinegar volition remove the residue of the corrosion. Since vinegar is cheap, you've got naught to lose but time.

The engine tin can't get gas if the fuel filter is plugged or the carburetor inlet needle is stuck. Cheque the fuel filter (if equipped) by removing the fuel line at the carburetor. Gas should run out. If information technology doesn't, remove the fuel line alee 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. And cheque inside the tank for whatever debris that might clog the outlet.

If yous're getting gas to the backyard mower carburetor, check to see if at that place'due south whatsoever fuel in the basin. Clamp off the fuel line with a C-clamp. Then remove the bowl (Photo 1). If the basin is empty, the problem is a stuck inlet needle and seat. They're easy and cheap to replace (Photograph 2). But before you purchase the parts, check the condition of the balance of the carburetor's interior (Photo iii). If you see any corrosion, it's "game over." A corroded lawn mower carburetor is a dead carburetor. Replace information technology.

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Footstep 5

Make clean the jet

Clean the primary jet

Clean

Remove the carburetor bowl nut. Insert the carburetor cleaner straw straight into the primary jet passage and clasp the trigger on the tin can several times until the spray shoots into the venturi of the carburetor. That'll confirm the passage is open. A chock-full main jet is a pretty common problem. You can endeavour cleaning it with spray carburetor cleaner (Photo 4). Then try starting. If the engine notwithstanding isn't getting gas, supercede the carburetor.

Adjacent, learn what you need to know virtually lawn mower oil.

If information technology starts just runs rough

If you lot got the engine to start by cleaning the main jet, but information technology runs rough or the idle speed surges, you take two choices—rebuild or supervene upon the lawn mower carburetor. For rebuilding instructions, run across "How to repair minor engines." Otherwise, disconnect the quondam lawn mower carburetor from the linkage, remove the 2 retaining bolts and slap on a new carburetor.

Lawn Mower Won't First

Originally Published: June 03, 2022