Mower won't start

[SideShow Bob]

Put the lever to run, pull the plug wire off the plug, hold the tip of the plug wire and give the pull cord a good yank. You will know if it is getting a spark or not.

Then, Put the plug wire back on the plug, take the air filter off and dribble a small amount of gas down the intake above the carburetor throttle butterfly and pull the starter rope. If the mower runs briefly, as mentioned before, the carburetor needs cleaned/rebuilt.

[clublights]

It's a pull start, I'm very curious if it doesnt have a battery, what creates the spark?

Magneto...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magneto

[twitchyfinger]

It gets complicated to explain over the net but its basically when you pull start it. Here is a good explanation: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question375.htm

[w748]

I'd take it as a sign from God that I should go fishing.

[To Bear Arms]

Usually its a gummed up carb. Auto fuel is nasty and gets sticky after a year or so. Pull the air filter off and take the carb off if you can and clean it up with carb cleaner I like to run some carb cleaner thru it and re install. Drain out all the old gas and make sure the supply line to the carb is not blocked.and get some fresh gas and mix in some Sta-Bil. You can buy carb cleaner and Sta-Bil at any auto parts store. Good luck and I bet you will learn something!

[twitchyfinger]

Usually its a gummed up carb. Auto fuel is nasty and gets sticky after a year or so. Pull the air filter off and take the carb off if you can and clean it up with carb cleaner I like to run some carb cleaner thru it and re install. Drain out all the old gas and make sure the supply line to the carb is not blocked.and get some fresh gas and mix in some Sta-Bil. You can buy carb cleaner and Sta-Bil at any auto parts store. Good luck and I bet you will learn something!

Agreed and I bet there is at least one you tube how to video on mower tune ups.

[colorider]

Clean the carb. Simple to do. blow a ton of carb cleaner through all the passages and jets. My mower had been sitting for 2 years and the carb looked like there was maple syrup in it. I went through a can and a half of carb cleaner getting it cleared out. Don't put gas in the carb to start it, but spray a blast of the carb cleaner in it then pull the pull start. Should get it going.

[BigDee]

When all else fails its never to late to buy a new mower.

[UrbanWolf]

When all else fails its never to late to buy a new mower.

I think my AR build is getting delayed, again.

[Jim B]

Check for rust on the surface of the flywheel (the part that passes by the ignition coil) and on the ignition coil (the part that faces the flywheel).