Lawn Crisis '11

MagnumCT

My mower won't start! I took my tried and true usual steps of putting in some gas and pulling the cord, but this time they have failed me. What should I do?!

Slider

We need more information.

Otherwise, the only solution would be to take it to a repairman.

MagnumCT

OK. It's a push mower, and when I pull the cord, the uh...engine(?) spins, but doesn't start. In the past, the addition of gasoline was a surefire one-or-two pull start. It's spinning followed by nothing.

lifeincognito

You may want to check the spark plug. It may require cleaning with a wire brush (once removed from the mower) or you may need a new one. Also check to see if you have a primer pump, this often helps in starting the mower.

If you had to previously move/carry the mower around in odd orientations (titled all to one side or another) or positions (upside-down or inverted) you may have flooded the engine. Best to let it sit for 30 minutes and check the spark plug.

DasUberEdward

Is the clutch cable firmly connected to everything?

Trace it down and make sure everything is still secure. It could also be that you're not getting enough fuel in from the pump or not getting a spark at all.

MagnumCT

Enginey things. That's what I was afraid of. I guess I'll get all up in there and try not to kill myself/fuck up the world. Thanks guys, more to come later.

Loathing

Also might want to check to see if there's any oil in it. Or if the cable that opens the (choke is it called?) is working properly. Few weeks ago the little bar you hold down to keep the mower running mucked up on me and the cable it was attached to slipped. Had to take it apart and re tighten it for it to run again.

Maguano

what kind of mower? Brand, model, age?

MKR

Check for spiders in the air filter. Also make sure the spark plug cable is still attached firmly. Lots of weird things happen to machines when they sit for a while.

MetroidZoid

Mine's been having issues ... the greenhouse I was storing it in last winter collapsed, so it got rain in it, which rusted some parts, and now there's particulate constantly running through it and clogging what-I-want-to-call-the-carburator. Correct me if I'm wrong ... it's a brassy thick-disc like thing with a pin inside, gas goes in here before it goes into the engine. Either way, keep your mower out of the elements.

MetroidZoid

MetroidZoid wrote:

Mine's been having issues ... the greenhouse I was storing it in last winter collapsed, so it got rain in it, which rusted some parts, and now there's particulate constantly running through it and clogging what-I-want-to-call-the-carburator. Correct me if I'm wrong ... it's a brassy thick-disc like thing with a pin inside, gas goes in here before it goes into the engine. Either way, keep your mower out of the elements.

E: Not that I'm asking for help in fixing this issue; this mower was a free gift and me and the dad-in-law are working on it. I'm just saying yours could be having a similar issue, particulate and bits of stuff clogging engine parts.

E2: Dammit I meant to hit edit, not quote ...

MagnumCT

Well I appreciate it. Haven't got into it yet, I'll be doing that this afternoon. And MKR, spiders? This thing just keeps getting worse. There are three things I, in complete seriousness, hate in this world: heights, spiders, and mechanical things. Watch the next suggestion be "you need to hang it from a tree and work on it up there."

MKR

MagnumCT wrote:

Well I appreciate it. Haven't got into it yet, I'll be doing that this afternoon. And MKR, spiders? This thing just keeps getting worse. There are three things I, in complete seriousness, hate in this world: heights, spiders, and mechanical things. Watch the next suggestion be "you need to hang it from a tree and work on it up there."

It's probably not spiders. That was a joke. There could be some gunk or something in there though. Something that was harmless when it ran regularly could have become a blockage while it sat.

Judge-Z

MKR wrote:

It's probably not spiders. That was a joke. There could be some gunk or something in there though. Something that was harmless when it ran regularly could have become a blockage while it sat.

Hey, if Spiders can take out a Mazda, they can take out a lawnmower!

My first thought is that it's a spark plug issue. Luckily that's the easiest to check and fix as mentioned above.

MagnumCT

So, after doing absolutely nothing different (other than dragging it up onto the porch before it rained heavily), it works now. That's my kind of solution right there. Thanks for the help, guys, if my brilliant plan to sit and wait doesn't work next time, I'll try these.

SatanIsMyMotor

It was probably an air filter issue then. Sometimes they dry out. A little bit of gas on the filter will typically fix it up. It sounds like yours got saturated in water then dried out. By continuously trying to start it again you reintroduced gas to it and now it's starting.

Enc

There is a small rubber half-circle somewhere on your engine. Pushing this 2 or 3 times will either push out too much gas, or pull in more gas to start the engine. You may have just flooded it, or the gas wasn't getting where it should be.

Sneaks

Enc wrote:

There is a small rubber half-circle somewhere on your engine. Pushing this 2 or 3 times will either push out too much gas, or pull in more gas to start the engine. You may have just flooded it, or the gas wasn't getting where it should be.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest; the button is (in my experience with not-many-but-multiple gas mowers) typically red and labeled "primer."