How to Start a Lawn Mower That Has Been Sitting
Most lawn mowers need to be started now and again. But if it has been sitting for a while, the engine may not start. How to start a lawn mower that has been sitting will teach you how this can be done in some simple steps using items that are probably already around your house!
First, try to find the spark plug wire and remove it from the spark plug. Next, turn on the ignition switch and make sure there is fuel in the tank. If these things don’t work, take out your battery cables and see if this gets it running. This blog post will outline some other ways you can get your lawnmower back up and running without too much trouble!
What Can Cause if a Lawn Mower Has Been Sitting For a Long Time?
A lawnmower sitting for a long time might cause it to be hard to start. There can be several reasons for this, including:
1. The Engine Has No Oil
If the oil has run dry in your lawnmower, or if there is no oil at all in it, you will see very soon that the engine does not work well.
2. The Spark Plug Might Need Replacing
If a spark plug is faulty, it can lead to a hard time starting the lawn mower when you go to use it again. This is especially true if your engine has not been used in some time, like when you store for winter, or after an extended vacation.
3. The Carburetor Might Need Cleaning
If the carburetor on your lawnmower is dirty from sitting for a long time, it can lead to a hard time starting the engine. You can clean out the carburetor with some small tips, as discussed below.
4. Fuel Might Be Stale
If fuel has been sitting in the lawnmower for a long time, it can lose its power and not be very effective. If you know that your fuel is old, try adding some fresh gasoline to see if this helps with starting it.
5. The Lawn Mower Might Have Bad Reeds
If the reeds in your lawnmower are bad, the engine life will be reduced, and it might not start up well when you go to use it again. You can try checking for bad reeds by removing the spark plug and looking into the piston chamber. If there is a lot of debris, you might need to replace the reeds.
6. It Might Need a Tune-Up
If your lawnmower hasn’t been used in a while and is having trouble starting up, it may be due to an issue with the electrical system. One possible problem is that the coil isn’t working properly, which prevents the lawnmower from getting the power it needs. You can have a professional tune-up done to get your lawnmower running smoothly again.
7. It Might Need to be Filtered
If your lawnmower has been sitting for a long time, you might need to clean the filter in the fuel line. This is especially true if fuel has been sitting in the lawnmower. You can get a filter from your local parts store, or you might be able to find one online by doing a quick search for “fuel line filter” and the model of your lawnmower.
8. The Clutch Might Need Adjusting
One problem with older lawn mowers is that the clutch might need to be adjusted. You can check this by checking to see how much play there is in the blades and looking at the lawn mower’s cables and controls. If you find that there needs to be some adjustment made, you can take your lawnmower into a service center to get it fixed up.
If you’re aware of your unused lawnmower and want to use it again then check the methods below on how to start a lawn mower that has been sitting for a long time.
How to Start a Lawn Mower That Has Been Sitting: 13 Methods to Try
If your lawnmower has been sitting for a bit, there are several things that you can do to try and get it to start up again. Of course, these options will depend on the problem with the engine, but in general, you should try out these procedures one by one to see if they lead to a better starting lawnmower.
1. Check for Oil
If the oil has run dry in your lawnmower, or if there is no oil at all in it, you will see very soon that the engine does not work well. So make sure that you put some new oil into your lawnmower engine, and then try to start it up again.
2. Replace the Spark Plug
If a spark plug is not working correctly, it can be difficult to start the lawnmower. This is especially true if the engine has not been used for a while, like when you store it for winter, or after a long vacation.
3. Clean Out the Carburetor
If the carburetor on your lawnmower is dirty from sitting for a long time, it can lead to a hard time starting the engine. You can clean out the carburetor with some small tips, as discussed below.
4. Add Fresh Gasoline
If fuel has been sitting in the lawnmower for a long time, it can lose its power and not be very effective. If you know that your fuel is old, try adding some fresh gasoline to see if this helps with starting it.
5. Check for Bad Reeds
If the reeds in your lawnmower are bad, the engine life will be reduced and it might not start up well when you go to use it again. You can try checking for bad reeds by removing the spark plug and looking into the piston chamber. If there is a lot of debris, you might need to replace the reeds.
6. Get a Tune-Up
If your lawnmower has been sitting for a long time and it is hard to start, there might be something wrong with the electrical system inside of it. One problem could be that the coil is not functioning well enough to give the lawnmower the power it needs. You can get a tune-up done by a professional so that the lawnmower will run well again.
7. Clean the Filter in the Fuel Line
If your lawnmower hasn’t been used in a while, you might need to clean the filter in the fuel line. This is especially true if there’s been fuel sitting in the lawnmower. You can buy a new filter from a parts store, or you might be able to find a replacement from the lawnmower manufacturer.
8. Check the Air Filter
If your air filter is dirty after being stored or not used for a long time, you might have trouble starting up your lawnmower again. You can clean out the air filter with compressed air and then check if that helps start it.
9. Look at the Spark Plug Wires
If your spark plug wires are not making good contact with the spark plugs, you will see some problems starting up your lawnmower. You can check to ensure that the spark plug wires are doing their job correctly by having them inspected by a professional.
10. Check for Bad Grounds
If your lawnmower has been sitting for a long time, you might need to look at the ground connections. These can corrode over time and cause problems with starting up the engine. If there are any damaged areas on these grounds, you will need to replace them.
11. Look at the Fuel Tank Cap
If your fuel tank cap is not sealing well, fuel can leak out when you store your lawn mower. This means that there might be less available when you try to start it up again after it has been sitting for a while. You can replace this cap or seal it in some other way to have fuel for starting.
12. Look at the Spark Arrestor
If your lawnmower has a spark arrestor, it could be blocked with debris that is hard to remove. If this happens, you might have trouble starting up your lawnmower again. Try looking into both the inside and outside of this component to see if you can find anything lodged inside of it.
How Do You Start a Small Engine That Has Been Sitting for Years?
If you’ve let your small engine sit for years, several things will need to be addressed. First of all, gasoline does not last forever! So if the small engine has been sitting for more than six months, it’s probably a good idea to drain the gas tank and replace it with fresh fuel.
If you have a lawnmower engine that has been sitting for a long time, adding a fuel stabilizer such as Sea Foam to the gas can help preserve it. Sometimes it’s easier to pull start the engine after it has been sitting for a while, as parts of the carburetor may be gummed up. Be sure to read this full blog post on how to start a lawn mower that has been sitting to get the best results.
Conclusion:
If you have a lawnmower that has been sitting for months and is now in need of some TLC, we’ve got the perfect blog post to help. We are going to show you how to start a lawn mower that has been sitting for more than months.
First, make sure the spark plug wire is connected and not broken off in the engine because if there’s no spark plug wire, we can’t get any fuel into the engine, and nothing will happen.
From checking oil levels to making sure your spark plug wire isn’t broken, you should do some other things before starting it up again. We hope this blog has been helpful. We have been working to bring you the most delicate articles on lawnmowers and how they work. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to read this article!
