Having a yard for the kids to play in

Troubleshooting Tips Every New Lawn Mower Owner Should Know

10 July 2015

Wyatt Patterson

Congratulations on the ownership of your first lawn mower. Mowing the lawns yourself will save having to pay someone else to do it, and you can burn off 259 calories an hour while you're pushing the mower around the garden. Unfortunately, lawn mowers don't always work exactly as they should. So, if you're having a few problems getting your mower to start, have a look at this list to see if you can diagnose your mower woes yourself.

Starter Rope Won't Budge

Gas powered lawn mowers are started by pulling on the starter rope. When you pull on the starter rope, the starter engages and the motor begins to turn over. When it turns over at the right speed, a spark will be generated by the spark plug and that will ignite the fuel. This then fires your mower into life. If you can't pull the starter rope, your mower is not going to start. There are two main reasons why the starter rope is refusing to move.

• The blade is clogged with grass so it is wedged against the deck. If a buildup of grass has dried and set between the blade and deck casing, the mower blade cannot move as you pull the starter rope. Move the mower off the grass and remove the excess by hand before attempting to start the mower again.
• Each lawnmower has a bar at the top of the handle that you push down when using the mower. When you let it go, it immediately stops the mower. This is the flywheel brake. If the brake is stuck in the "on" position, it will not allow the starter rope to release as it thinks the mower is already running. You will need a lawn mower repairer to fix this problem for you.

If your starter rope is not the problem, but the lawn mower still won't start, it's time to look at the engine of your mower.

Mower Engine Won't Start

Have you joined the ranks of lawn mower owners who glare at their machine in frustration because it just won't start? It can be very frustrating to get nothing more than arm muscle growth while hopelessly pulling on the starter rope. There are a number of reasons why your lawn mower may not want to start for you.

• It may be stating the obvious, but you need to start somewhere. Check the fuel tank. If the tank has fuel in it, how old is the gas that you are using? If you haven't used your mower over the winter months, for example, the old fuel may have changed over time to a gel-like substance, and this is too thick to ignite. You will need to drain the old fuel from the tank before you can add fresh gas.
• Dirty spark plugs are another common reason why a lawn mower won't start. The spark plug ignites the fuel so that the engine will run, but if the spark plug is dirty or loose, the spark cannot happen. The spark plug is located at the front of the mower engine and is normally covered with a black hard, plastic cap with a cable running from it. Your mower owner's manual will show you exactly where it is located as it does vary slightly between manufacturers. Remove the plastic cap and unscrew the spark plug. Remove any debris that is on the plug, reinsert it and try to restart the mower.

There will be times when the only person who can properly diagnose your lawn mower issues is an experienced professional. If you've spent an hour trying to get it to start and can't, then it's time to load the mower into the car and take it in for expert help. Don't delay this task for too long as you're not going to be burning off those calories while the mower is sitting in the garage letting the lawn grow long.

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