How To Start A Lawn Mower – 4 Easy Steps

Are you having difficulty starting your lawn mower? Edwin Beard Budding patented the first lawn mower in 1830 after seeing a machine in a cloth mill. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to start a lawn mower easily and quickly.

Steps on How to Start a Lawn Mower

First, make sure the lawn mower has enough gas and oil before starting.

Check if the mower has gas and oil

Before starting a lawn mower, it is important to ensure that the lawn mower engine has enough gas and oil. If the lawn mower has been left for a long period without running, or the gasoline supply was low before its last use, checking for enough fuel in the tank should be your first step.

Many newer mowers have an indicator light that will tell you if there’s sufficient gas, but if yours does not have one then you can always open up the tank cap and look inside. Checking the oil level is another critical pre-start step; depending on the oil level and the type of your lawn mower’s engine (e.g., 4-stroke) this may involve opening up a fill cap or dipstick attached to it.

Not having adequate lubrication compromises engine performance and causes excessive wear on internal parts – something that definitely needs to be avoided when you want to run smoothly working machinery.

Add gas and oil if needed

Before starting a lawn mower, it is important to check the gas and oil levels in order to ensure the proper functioning of the engine. If necessary, you should add freshly filled gasoline (unleaded/low-octane gasoline would be ideal) as per the manufacturer’s guidelines to make sure that enough combustible fuel is available for ignition.

Also, ensure that the right type of motor oil is added – 10w30 car engine oil is an ideal one for most lawnmowers. It’s essential to use quality grade oil to prevent wear and tear on its internal parts from friction that might occur during operation; too little or low-grade oil can damage your mower’s engine over time from wear and heat build-up due to lack of lubrication.

Furthermore incorrect or dirty mix of fuels could cause issues while running the machine without causing internal damage such as not idling properly or stalling out easily when engaging blades etc. Therefore filling correctly both tanks will prevent any surprises whilst working with our beloved trusty garden sidekick!

Prime the engine

Priming the engine of your lawn mower is essential for a successful start. Priming helps to inject fuel into the carburetor or fuel line and ensures that everything runs smoothly when you pull the starter cord.

One common method is to press a primer bulb multiple times – this should be clearly marked on the side of your lawn mower. However, some lawnmowers may not have one; in these cases, either pouring small amounts of gas into the air filter or connecting a choke plate attached to the carburetor are suitable alternatives.

Taking care of priming your lawn mower is important, particularly if it has been sitting idle for a long period. A properly primed engine will increase its performance and ensure that starting up takes little effort each time.

Pull the starter cord

Pulling the starter cord on a lawn mower is the most reliable way to manually start a gas-powered engine without needing any external power source. The pull cord starter mechanism involves utilizing a rope attached to a spring with dogs that grab onto the flywheel and let go as soon as the rope recoils.

To ensure success in pulling, it’s important to be sure you have enough gas, prime the engine while setting brakes correctly, and adjust other necessary levers for an optimal starting experience such as turtling your throttle lever or adjusting your mower blade height back down low.

Additionally, add a fuel stabilizer if your machine has been sitting for long periods of time (over 30 days) without running; this helps reduce gasoline deterioration before starting.

Troubleshooting Lawn Mower Issues

If something is preventing your mower from starting, there are several common causes such as checking the carburetor, old gas, spark plug problems, and clippings that can be fixed with some simple steps – make sure to read more!

Check the carburetor

Checking the carburetor on a lawn mower is an important step before attempting to start it. A carburetor regulates air and fuel flow to the engine, ensuring that proper levels are maintained for maximum efficiency.

If reputable good quality gas is not used or left in the tank for too long of a period, gumming can occur in the small engine carburetors which could lead to poor performance and potential starting issues.

When this occurs, it’s recommended by experts that you clean the small engine carburetor using brake cleaner as well as replace any poorly functioning components like gaskets or o-rings.

Common symptoms of a faulty or aged/dirty carburetor include difficulty starting, reduced engine power, an uneven or unstable idle speed, black exhaust smoke, and rough running engines – all of which indicate a lack of air or fuel entering into one’s mower combustion chamber correctly due to incorrect regulation through its carburetor system hose setup.

Check for old gas

Before starting a lawn mower, it is important to make sure that the gasoline in the tank isn’t old and has not been sitting for more than a month. Old gas can lead to various issues such as residue building up leading to starting problems or blockages in the carburetor preventing mowing activity altogether.

It is advisable to drain and dispose of old gas correctly if it has been idle for long durations of time. If after running out of gas your lawnmower won’t start, dirt in the carburetor could be causing an impeded flow through the cylinder preventing sparking efforts entirely; other possible causes include a fouled spark plug or obstructed fuel tank vent.

A periodic test or checkup on old gasoline should be religiously followed as attempting statement with old gas presents an increased risk factor toward engine breakdowns and failure which can cause costly repairs afterward.

Check for spark plug problems

Having a faulty spark plug is one of the most common issues with lawnmowers. Spark plugs are essential parts of a small engine that provide the spark needed for fuel combustion, and if they don’t work properly, they can prevent your mower from starting.

To check for issues with the spark plug, ensure that all connectors are tight and clean off any debris. Additionally, double-check to make sure that you’ve got the right type of high-quality sparkplug in your mower as using the wrong kind or bad gas can damage it and lead to hard starts and rough running engines.

A loose connection on dirt build-up on an old or damaged spark plug could be causing your starting problems—so make sure you give it a thorough check before tackling more advanced repairs!

Clean the grass clippings out of the mower deck

It is important to clean the grass clippings out of the mower deck when starting a lawn mower. When left uncleaned, clogged grass can restrict airflow and cause engine overheating and problems such as stalling or difficulty to start.

A build-up of old, debris-filled grass in the mower deck can shorten its lifespan significantly so it is essential to regularly clean out any accumulations. Luckily, this process is easy – all you need is a rag or brush and some soap and water.

Wringing out any remaining moisture from these cleaning tools before applying them will help prevent contamination of fuel lines and other components affected by water intake during the operation of the motor.

Tips for Starting a Lawn Mower That Has Been Sitting

If a lawn mower has been sitting unused for a long period of time, there are certain steps you need to take before successfully starting up the engine. To begin, check that enough gas is in the mower’s gas tank and make sure it’s fresh.

Gas degrades over time so if it’s more than 6 months old, replace it with good quality fuel from your nearest hardware store. Check the level of oil in the oil tank or use a dipstick to ensure that levels are sufficient – either too much oil or insufficient amounts of motor oil can hinder performance or cause damage to an engine over time.

Put some fuel stabilizer into your unleaded gasoline container as well; this will help keep your fuel fresh for longer periods of time between uses and minimize deposits accumulating inside your engine.

Be sure to tightly close up all caps on both tanks (oil and gas) as loose debris can prevent easy access when trying to start later on down the road. You should also inspect spark plugs (replace any that have too many scrapes) and change out any air filter if needed while checking for proper tension in mower blades (too loose may cause imbalance).

Activate the ignition switch by holding down the bail lever near the handlebar area until the throttle lever reaches full opening position then release only after 1-2 pulls from the starter cord/rope located at the back part of the tractor housing near the base end section right above the wheelset base area – otherwise known as “pull start”.

These cautions taken – there will be less chance for failure & improved chances overall in starting a lawnmower unit correctly with little hassle first pull-off effort desired!

Conclusion

The starting process for a lawn mower is relatively straightforward, but there are a few things to be aware of the ensure it starts quickly and safely. Gas-powered lawnmowers will require an adequate amount of gas and oil in order to function correctly.

Electric mowers do not have any special requirements except being plugged into power before use. At least once a year (twice if you use your lawnmower frequently), make sure to clean the air filter, sharpen blades, and check for other maintenance needs like spark plugs and fuel stabilizer in non-electric models as this will help keep your lawnmower running smoothly.

Additionally, be sure to always start your lawnmower in a well-ventilated area such excessive carbon monoxide poisoning can occur otherwise.

Finally, make sure that you read the manufacturer’s manual before operating any type of machinery or equipment as it often contains important safety information that could help prevent accidents or damage.

FAQs

1. What is the process for starting a push lawn mower?

Starting a push lawn mower requires preparing the engine, such as adding fresh gas, checking the oil levels, and ensuring the rubber cap on the gas cap is secure. Then you pull out the engine brake lever and give it one pull or two pulls before finally pulling the starter rope to get your mower started.

2. Why won’t my lawn mower start?

On occasion, if there’s contaminated fuel or too little gasoline in your tank; your lawnmower may not start back up.

To prevent this from happening always double-check that there’s enough clean gasoline in your tank with a dipstick, clear any debris on top of its body, or use a socket wrench to remove any grass free of dirt that blocks threaded parts off its deck each time after cutting tall grasses using it!

3. How do I know when my mowing begins?

The gasoline flow needs sufficient priming whatsoever engines ranging volatile from two-stroke to four-stroke engines; hence make sure that all necessary preparation steps are completed before actually trying out your starting rope.

One of these steps could be pushing down your primer button several times until fuel flows steadily through its carburetor hose. Finally pulling the cord might seem like a hassle yet easily undertaken by one tough tug with no extra force involved!

4. Is there any additional maintenance needed for my small engine?

Yes, you can keep it running smoothly by keeping an eye out for spark plug health. Getting yourself acquainted with how long should spark plugs be replaced helps diagnose whether slow starts are attributed to bad spark plugs.