Mower won't start

[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).

[Jim B]

My family's old mower won't start...

How old is "old"? If it's really old, and has points, they could be bad.

[BPTactical]

If your not getting spark and you are not familiar with a magneto system, your in over your head. Timing is adjusted on a magneto by a precise gap measured in thousandths of an inch between the armature(flywheel) and stator(pickup). That's why I made the comment about the blade hitting something, it will either knock the timing off or it can shear the crank key, shifting the flywheel.
A tune up shouldn't be too much, I took mine in last year for a once over and it was 65.00 IIRC and they rebuilt the carb, timed it, new fuel filter and plug.

Oh and the comment on it being Gods way of telling you to go fishing is a wholly valid comment and should be heeded.

[Great-Kazoo]

Clean and redo carb, blade sharpened, oil changed, new air filter LABOR: $50 +parts.

BP mentioned it already. turn mower on side (with carb side down) check blade (with spark plug REMOVED) to see if blade hit something / shaft bent. Putting new gas in it does not always allow your vehicle / mower / internal combustion engine to start. Sitting as long as you said it did, means the diaphragm in the carb , needle and possibly the float are trashed. The diaphragm is a thin rubber like membrane that dries out. Just like fuel line old parts need to be replaced.

FOLLOW one of the many vid's on youtube..for carb rebuilding and tune up.
To rebuild the carb you need mower MODEL, MAKE, SERIAL NUMBER, Engine size, Carb MFG (there are 3-4 different carb mfg)

One of the biggest things people neglect doing it adding a fuel stabilizer before putting up for winter / storage. After time it is not uncommon for a Carb to corrode internally. Which , once other issues are ruled out is more than likely what you have a problem with. Carbs run $50-120.

[Gman]

Take it to a shop that does small engine repair. If it's a Briggs & Stratton, it'll probably run just about forever. Never cared much for messing with Tecumseh engines.

The Sta-bil in the power equipment gas can is cheap insurance that you won't have to worry about your carbs getting gunked up.

[kwando]

Hope this is not the first time you're starting the mower... But my first time EVERY year my OLD mower needs a kick start of starting fluid in order for me to start it. +1 on using sta-bil

[sniper7]

New mowers are cheap. Or Craigslist has plenty of them as well.

[brutal]

If all else fails, I've got an old 3 in 1 (bag, discharge, mulch) clunker you can have if you drive to Parker and pick it up.

It's old, ugly, a little rusty, has a coat hanger for the safety lever wire, the bag is half rotted, but it runs and is self-propelled. I use it to cut the weeds in the way back. Not sure if I can find the plug for mulching. The wife refused to be seen using it so I had to buy her a new fucking Toro she can fuck up in 3 months.

[sniper7]

If all else fails, I've got an old 3 in 1 (bag, discharge, mulch) clunker you can have if you drive to Parker and pick it up.

It's old, ugly, a little rusty, has a coat hanger for the safety lever wire, the bag is half rotted, but it runs and is self-propelled. I use it to cut the weeds in the way back. Not sure if I can find the plug for mulching. The wife refused to be seen using it so I had to buy her a new fucking Toro she can fuck up in 3 months.

Hell...I would buy a new mower every year if my wife mowed the yard!

[brutal]

Hell...I would buy a new mower every year if my wife mowed the yard!

She "likes the exercise" and needs it.

Speaking of which, I need to get after her, it's getting long in the front. The grass that is.