I'm trying to get my mower to start...please help

[tg12345]

Okay, I am not handy. I'm trying to become more handy, but it's a slow process. I thought I would try to fix this myself this time before calling in a professional or handy friend, which is my usual M.O. Bear with me and I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

So, we just bought our first cottage and I brought our relatively new lawn mower up here. There's gas in the tank, but we're on our 3rd season of having a lawn-care company at home, so the mower hasn't been run since 2009. I promised myself 100 pulls before I'd ask for help. My arms are sore. If someone could provide a list of things I could try to improve my chances of getting it to start, I'd greatly appreciate it. I searched the forum first and saw fresh gas, new spark plug(s) and cleaning the carburetor. Does that apply to me? Anything else? Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

- Tim

 

[KennyV]

Hello Tim & WELCOME to LMF...

Yes Definitely use Fresh gasoline...
Then determine if you are having a fuel or spark problem. The easiest method, substitute a fuel...
Spray starter fluid (ether), carb cleaner, WD40, Gasoline or any flammable convenient liquid, Directly into the carburetor with the air filter removed.
Give it a pull or two, Did it try to start? if it did try to keep it running while spraying your choice of fuel liquids into the carb...
If it will not continue to run, odds are that you will need to clean the carb... (3 years of setting with old fuel in the tank)...
Post back with your results And the make & type of engine you have... :smile:KennyV

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Okay, I am not handy. I'm trying to become more handy, but it's a slow process. I thought I would try to fix this myself this time before calling in a professional or handy friend, which is my usual M.O. Bear with me and I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

So, we just bought our first cottage and I brought our relatively new lawn mower up here. There's gas in the tank, but we're on our 3rd season of having a lawn-care company at home, so the mower hasn't been run since 2009. I promised myself 100 pulls before I'd ask for help. My arms are sore. If someone could provide a list of things I could try to improve my chances of getting it to start, I'd greatly appreciate it. I searched the forum first and saw fresh gas, new spark plug(s) and cleaning the carburetor. Does that apply to me? Anything else? Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

- Tim

Hello Tim
My first suggestion is to remove the spark plug and re-install the plug wire. Next hold the metal portion of the spark plug against the engine head you just removed it from while getting a helper to follow the starting procedure from the manual and pull the rope. You should see a nice blue snappy spark across the plug electrode when this test is done in dim light.

Your helper's arm won't get sore as there will be no compression with the plug removed. And speaking of compression ( one of the necessities for an internal combustion engine to run ) you've tested compression and pretty much have the proof it's good with the arm being sore.

If you determine there is spark at the plug, re-install it and then put about 5 ml ( measured, not just dump some ) of petrol directly into the carburetor after removing the air filter. Again following the starting procedure try it again a few pulls. If it fires and attempts to run repeat the 5 ml petrol test again. If this results in the same scenario after a few attempts the old petrol that was left in the mower during storage may have little orifices plugged and the carburetor may need to be removed and thoroughly cleaned and possibly the petrol tank and lines also.

 

[possum]

To be honest I have never seen a yardmaster lawnmower. You need to be more specific. For example was the gas left in the mower in 2009? Is the gas in it clean and fresh now? Brand of engine and model number. Just pulling the rope 100 times is not going to solve problems of bad gas, gunked carb, bad plug, no compression, dirty air filter, no spark etc. Try looking on you tube for repair videos to get the idea of repair on lawnmowers and trouble shooting. Look in your instruction book that comes with the lawnmower for trouble shooting etc. If you really do not know much about the repair of them other than 100 pulls then take it to a shop, or at least gain some book or video information on how the lawnmower engine works. To work it needs compression, air, spark and gas. To find these things out you need to remove spark plug, air cleaner, maybe the carb and more than likely the fuel tank if you left old gas in it. While doing this you need to be safe for yourself, property, other people, pets, and the engine. Learn some things first or take it to a repair shop.

 

[bigheaded5]

Ill restate whats been said.....

Engines need 4 things to run. 1-compression, 2-fuel, 3-spark and 4-air

Process of elimination to see where to start looking.
1-COMPRESSION:when you pull start the mower with the spark plug in, does it have resistance? If yes, compression is there.

2- FUEL: If the fuel has been sitting for 3 years in the tank, you will undoubtedly have two problems. First and most common, theres no more octane left and it wont burn properly.The easy fix is to change the fuel for FRESH from the pump, not the 3 year old can. The second and more complex is...when fuel is left in a carburetor for extended time, it tends to thicken (varnish) and clog the jets and ports inside the carburetor preventing fuel to enter where it needs to. A thorough carburetor cleaning is in order...its not HARD but you might want to have a beer ready and invite your handy friend over for that.

3-SPARK: Sandbur suggested removing the spark plug, putting the wire back on it and holding the threaded end of the plug against the engine block while pulling the cord and watching for a blue spark at the points of the plug. Blue spark? Yes? then you're good on spark.

4- AIR...the first thing you should have done is remove the air cover to examine on the carb (spray starter fluid inside) so a clogged air filter would have been eliminated already.

 

[tg12345]

Wow guys, thanks a lot. It's a Yard Machines, not Yardmaster...sorry. Pic attached for you. I'm going to go through the suggested steps. Just to confirm, yes, it's old gas that's been sitting there for a few years. I know I have WD40 sitting around. Not sure I could point out the carburetor or the air filter with a gun to my head at the moment, but a quick search should help. Changing the gas seems simple enough. Hopefully I'll do that first and that will fix it.


free picture hosting

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Quote: Not sure I could point out the carburetor or the air filter with a gun to my head at the moment, but a quick search should help. Changing the gas seems simple enough. Hopefully I'll do that first and that will fix it.

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You are causing yourself more frustration by not following the sequence outlined in earlier replies because often getting old gasoline removed from the tank, lines and the carburetor bowl isn't all that easy for someone that doesn't know the filter from the carburetor.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[tg12345]

Changing the gas did the trick. Thanks again.

 

[bigheaded5]

wow doesnt get easier than that! you got lucky! congrats!

 

[reynoldston]

Ill restate whats been said.....

Engines need 4 things to run. 1-compression, 2-fuel, 3-spark and 4-air

Process of elimination to see where to start looking.
1-COMPRESSION:when you pull start the mower with the spark plug in, does it have resistance? If yes, compression is there.

2- FUEL: If the fuel has been sitting for 3 years in the tank, you will undoubtedly have two problems. First and most common, theres no more octane left and it wont burn properly.The easy fix is to change the fuel for FRESH from the pump, not the 3 year old can. The second and more complex is...when fuel is left in a carburetor for extended time, it tends to thicken (varnish) and clog the jets and ports inside the carburetor preventing fuel to enter where it needs to. A thorough carburetor cleaning is in order...its not HARD but you might want to have a beer ready and invite your handy friend over for that.

3-SPARK: Sandbur suggested removing the spark plug, putting the wire back on it and holding the threaded end of the plug against the engine block while pulling the cord and watching for a blue spark at the points of the plug. Blue spark? Yes? then you're good on spark.

4- AIR...the first thing you should have done is remove the air cover to examine on the carb (spray starter fluid inside) so a clogged air filter would have been eliminated already.

One more very important thing is timing