lawnmower care

picturethis

Nov 12, 2008 at 6:24am Edited

i purchased a lawnmower at HD this summer, didn't use it too much and now it wont start. it has gas and oil in it. I tug away at the cord and nothing happens.
any suggestions?

Does it turn over at all, almost sound like it wants to start? It seems too soon to be this but... Check the filter. If it's clogged with gunk and no air can get through there it won't start. On my HD one it's on the top, kind of rectangle shaped. Unscrew that piece and look at the bottom you'll be able to tell if it's filled with gunk. In a pinch you can just scrap it off with the screw driver and put it back on, it should start then.
Hope this is your problem cuz it's an easy fix.

picturethis

Nov 12, 2008 at 6:46am

thanks, unfortunately it wont turn over at all. i don't even hear any sounds like it is trying to. the air filter is very clean as i only used it a few times this year.

happy_puppster

Nov 12, 2008 at 7:10am

check around the spark plug area for debris that may cause the spark to JUMP to ground.. I have had spider webs do this once, kinda drove be batty for a day! good luck wolfy

dano

Nov 12, 2008 at 9:32am

First pull the plug. If it's wet, than you have flooded the engine. Pull the cord without the plug to clean everything out. Reinstall plug and see what happens. If it still wont start, try this: Get a spray can of carburetor cleaner or starting fluid. Unscrew the spark plug and shoot some cleaner liberally into the cylinder. Quickly replace the spark plug and pull the cord. If it doesn't start up after that then it is probably a good sign that you are not getting a spark. In that case I would just bring it back to HD for a replacement. I doubt that after 1 season of use that any filters are so gummed up that it would impair any air/fuel issues from happening.

cod

Nov 13, 2008 at 3:59am

Had this problem with a brand new Toro. Brought it back to HD , gave me a new one , same deck & features , different engine . The new one has a B&S engine the other was a Tacumsen.

chris_prenovost1

Nov 14, 2008 at 3:51am

Tecumseh

picturethis

Nov 14, 2008 at 7:50am

thanks dano ill give it a try.

jeffl

Nov 15, 2008 at 6:32am

What do you do to winterize a lawn mower?

dano

Nov 16, 2008 at 11:47am

New Plug, Air Filter, Change oil, Sharpen Blade. Need to do it in the next week.

jeffl

Nov 16, 2008 at 12:09pm

...and leave the oil in it through the winter? Drain the gas?

happy_puppster

Nov 16, 2008 at 12:45pm

you FILL the gas "to the max" this prevents condensation that may rot your tank! also you may add a "stabilizer" to the gas. good luck! wolfy

calypso

Nov 16, 2008 at 3:45pm

I have an electric, so don't need to fuss with all the oil and gas stuff, but I always take it up to the lawnmower place on Springfield. They sharpen the blades for a very reasonable price (less than $10, as I remember it)

dano

Nov 17, 2008 at 9:14am

There is no reason to fill the mower with gas and leave it sitting for 5 months. Most if not all mower gas tanks are made of plastic and I doubt anything will rot. Just drain the gas, replace the oil with fresh, it will be fine for the oil to sit. It has in mine for 15 years and the mover starts up on the 1st or 2nd pull every season.

jeffl

Nov 17, 2008 at 11:33am

I haven't put oil in my mower....ever. It's amazing that the thing still runs like a top. I just thought about oil for the first time about a month ago. I wonder if it will still run after I put new oil in.

dano

Nov 18, 2008 at 9:02am

How old is your mower??? I would certainly think about changing it and checking it every two or three mowing's during the season. If it still runs, which it seems to be, just drain the old out and put in new. Fill to the top of the dipstick. You should be fine. If you continue to run it as is, it just might seize up on you next spring.

jimmurphy

May 15, 2016 at 3:30pm Edited

jimmurphy

May 15, 2016 at 3:33pm Edited

dano said:
First pull the plug. If it's wet, than you have flooded the engine. Pull the cord without the plug to clean everything out. Reinstall plug and see what happens. If it still wont start, try this: Get a spray can of carburetor cleaner or starting fluid. Unscrew the spark plug and shoot some cleaner liberally into the cylinder. Quickly replace the spark plug and pull the cord. If it doesn't start up after that then it is probably a good sign that you are not getting a spark. In that case I would just bring it back to HD for a replacement. I doubt that after 1 season of use that any filters are so gummed up that it would impair any air/fuel issues from happening.

Resurrecting this ancient thread to thank Dano for his post. My mower wouldn't start and after trying my usual troubleshooting methods I came here, searched, found his post and it worked like a charm.

dano

May 16, 2016 at 12:08pm

Any time. I started reading this and thought, this Dano sounds like he knows what the hell he's talking about, until I realized it was me??? cheese and from 8 years ago no less!

richiekess

May 16, 2016 at 2:49pm

Does it have a primer bulb? If so, press it a few times and then try again...

sac

May 16, 2016 at 6:44pm

calypso said:
I have an electric, so don't need to fuss with all the oil and gas stuff, but I always take it up to the lawnmower place on Springfield. They sharpen the blades for a very reasonable price (less than $10, as I remember it)

That place (P&P) is the go to place for mowers (and snowblowers) around here. They are very helpful and reasonable.

aoleary

May 17, 2016 at 12:24pm

Seconded for P&P. My mower started and stalled out a couple of times earlier this month so we brought it in to them and a week later (its peak season for them) it was ready to be picked up. They replaced the spark plug and serviced the whole machine - blades, engine, etc. I've been bringing my mower and snowblower here for years and never had a complaint.