Lawn mower fire truck. Here’s What To Do If Your Lawn Mower Won’t Start

Learn the reasons why a lawn mower won’t start after winter or during peak season, and how to fix those problems.

Family Handyman

Introduction

Most of the time when a lawn mower won’t start the cause is a problem with the gas or the lawn mower carburetor.

What to Do if Your Lawn Mower Won’t Start

Whatever kind of lawn mower you’ve got, the last thing you want once winter finally lifts and spring has sprung is a lawn mower that won’t start.

If you’ve taken the proper steps to winterize your lawn mower, you’re far less likely to be dealing with such issues. It’s also why you should tune up your lawn mower at the start of every season. However, it’s not out of the ordinary to find your gas-powered lawn mower not starting from time to time, so it’s important to know why your lawn mower isn’t starting and how to fix it.

Project step-by-step (6)

Check the Gas Tank

Let’s start with the obvious. Before you have a heart attack pulling on the rip cord, you’ll want to check the fuel. Like any gasoline-powered engine, lawn mowers run out from time to time. Maybe you forgot it was running on fumes when you finished mowing last time. It sounds simple, but we’ve all overlooked the gas tank from time to time.

Even if there is gas in the mower, if the fuel’s been in there more than a month, that could be the problem. Gas sitting around too long in the tank can get contaminated with dirt and extra moisture.

So if your gasoline has been in the mower for more than month, drain the gas properly, dispose of it correctly, and fill up the mower with new gas. It may take quite a few pulls to suck the new gas into the lawn mower carburetor, so be prepared to clean and dry the plug a few more times.

Add fuel stabilizer when you fill up the tank to help protect the gasoline in there from dirt and moisture.

Family Handyman

Check the Spark Plug

Start by making sure the lawn mower spark plug cable is connected to the plug itself. It’s quite possible that it got pulled off there over the winter while the mower was being stored in the garage.

If that’s not the issue, the next step is to remove the spark plug to see if it’s wet. There’s no way the engine will start if it is. So clean the plug with carburetor cleaner and let it dry. Cleaning it with compressed air isn’t enough; you need a solvent to remove oil residue. If it’s really grimy and dirty, it might be best to change the spark plug.

Fertnig/Getty Images

Check for Debris in the Mower Deck

Grass clippings can get clogged in the mower deck, which can prevent the blade from turning. This is a common problem if you’ve cut wet grass or let the lawn get especially long and bushy between cuttings. If the cord is hard to pull, that’s a good sign that there’s debris clogging up your mower’s deck.

This is a pretty easy problem to solve. With the mower off, flip it on its side or upside down and scrape out the gummed up grass clippings. Once that’s done, you can flip it back over and start it up again.

JJ Gouin/Getty Images

Check the Air Filter

The lawn mower’s carburetor regulates the mix of gasoline and air going into the engine where it’s burned to create power. Before air goes into the carburetor it passes through the air filter which prevents dirt and debris from getting into it.

If the air filer is clogged or dirty, it throws the ratio out of whack. Sometimes that results in your lawn mower smoking, and sometimes it prevents it from starting entirely. So take a look at the air filter to see if it’s dirty. If so, you can clean it or just change it outright.

Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Check the Carburetor

Another common reason for a lawn mower that won’t start is a clogged or dirty carburetor. It can also cause your mower to run rough or spew black smoke when you’re trying to cut the grass. If that’s the case, you may need to clean the carburetor.

To get to the carburetor, you’ll have to remove the air filter. Once that’s out of the way, you can remove the carburetor in order to clean it.

Once it’s out, check for corrosion. If you see chalky/powdery white corrosion like this, it’s probably better just to replace it. To clean it, take it apart and spray carburetor cleaner on the parts and inside the housing. After that, put the carburetor back together and reinstall it in the mower.

Check the Fuel Filter

Like the air filter, the fuel filter prevents dirt and debris from getting into the combustion chamber of your lawn mower’s engine, taking that stuff out before the gas gets mixed with air in the carburetor. Problems with the fuel filter might also result in the engine sputtering or rough idling, even before it gets to the point of preventing the mower from starting.

To start, tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas. If that doesn’t work, you might have a clogged filter.

Not all lawn mowers have a fuel filter, but for the ones that do, it’s usually located in the fuel line or the fuel tank. To find out where the fuel filter is at, check your lawn mower’s owners manual, which will also tell you what type of filter it is.

If the filter is in the fuel tank, you’ll need to drain the gas from the mower into a drain pan, assuming you can’t run the engine until it’s out of gas. If the filter is in the fuel line, clamp off the fuel line before removing the filter. Once you have the filter off, you can check to see if it’s dirty and clogged by holding it up the light. If it is, install a new one. Make sure it works with this lawn mower maintenance checklist.

Learn the reasons why a lawn mower won’t start after winter or during peak season, and how to fix those problems.

Family Handyman

Introduction

Most of the time when a lawn mower won’t start the cause is a problem with the gas or the lawn mower carburetor.

What to Do if Your Lawn Mower Won’t Start

Whatever kind of lawn mower you’ve got, the last thing you want once winter finally lifts and spring has sprung is a lawn mower that won’t start.

If you’ve taken the proper steps to winterize your lawn mower, you’re far less likely to be dealing with such issues. It’s also why you should tune up your lawn mower at the start of every season. However, it’s not out of the ordinary to find your gas-powered lawn mower not starting from time to time, so it’s important to know why your lawn mower isn’t starting and how to fix it.

Project step-by-step (6)

Check the Gas Tank

Let’s start with the obvious. Before you have a heart attack pulling on the rip cord, you’ll want to check the fuel. Like any gasoline-powered engine, lawn mowers run out from time to time. Maybe you forgot it was running on fumes when you finished mowing last time. It sounds simple, but we’ve all overlooked the gas tank from time to time.

Even if there is gas in the mower, if the fuel’s been in there more than a month, that could be the problem. Gas sitting around too long in the tank can get contaminated with dirt and extra moisture.

So if your gasoline has been in the mower for more than month, drain the gas properly, dispose of it correctly, and fill up the mower with new gas. It may take quite a few pulls to suck the new gas into the lawn mower carburetor, so be prepared to clean and dry the plug a few more times.

Add fuel stabilizer when you fill up the tank to help protect the gasoline in there from dirt and moisture.

Family Handyman

Check the Spark Plug

Start by making sure the lawn mower spark plug cable is connected to the plug itself. It’s quite possible that it got pulled off there over the winter while the mower was being stored in the garage.

If that’s not the issue, the next step is to remove the spark plug to see if it’s wet. There’s no way the engine will start if it is. So clean the plug with carburetor cleaner and let it dry. Cleaning it with compressed air isn’t enough; you need a solvent to remove oil residue. If it’s really grimy and dirty, it might be best to change the spark plug.

Fertnig/Getty Images

Check for Debris in the Mower Deck

Grass clippings can get clogged in the mower deck, which can prevent the blade from turning. This is a common problem if you’ve cut wet grass or let the lawn get especially long and bushy between cuttings. If the cord is hard to pull, that’s a good sign that there’s debris clogging up your mower’s deck.

This is a pretty easy problem to solve. With the mower off, flip it on its side or upside down and scrape out the gummed up grass clippings. Once that’s done, you can flip it back over and start it up again.

JJ Gouin/Getty Images

Check the Air Filter

The lawn mower’s carburetor regulates the mix of gasoline and air going into the engine where it’s burned to create power. Before air goes into the carburetor it passes through the air filter which prevents dirt and debris from getting into it.

If the air filer is clogged or dirty, it throws the ratio out of whack. Sometimes that results in your lawn mower smoking, and sometimes it prevents it from starting entirely. So take a look at the air filter to see if it’s dirty. If so, you can clean it or just change it outright.

Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Check the Carburetor

Another common reason for a lawn mower that won’t start is a clogged or dirty carburetor. It can also cause your mower to run rough or spew black smoke when you’re trying to cut the grass. If that’s the case, you may need to clean the carburetor.

To get to the carburetor, you’ll have to remove the air filter. Once that’s out of the way, you can remove the carburetor in order to clean it.

Once it’s out, check for corrosion. If you see chalky/powdery white corrosion like this, it’s probably better just to replace it. To clean it, take it apart and spray carburetor cleaner on the parts and inside the housing. After that, put the carburetor back together and reinstall it in the mower.

Check the Fuel Filter

Like the air filter, the fuel filter prevents dirt and debris from getting into the combustion chamber of your lawn mower’s engine, taking that stuff out before the gas gets mixed with air in the carburetor. Problems with the fuel filter might also result in the engine sputtering or rough idling, even before it gets to the point of preventing the mower from starting.

To start, tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas. If that doesn’t work, you might have a clogged filter.

Not all lawn mowers have a fuel filter, but for the ones that do, it’s usually located in the fuel line or the fuel tank. To find out where the fuel filter is at, check your lawn mower’s owners manual, which will also tell you what type of filter it is.

If the filter is in the fuel tank, you’ll need to drain the gas from the mower into a drain pan, assuming you can’t run the engine until it’s out of gas. If the filter is in the fuel line, clamp off the fuel line before removing the filter. Once you have the filter off, you can check to see if it’s dirty and clogged by holding it up the light. If it is, install a new one. Make sure it works with this lawn mower maintenance checklist.

Volunteer firefighters are getting older. It could be a life-or-death issue

Robert Worthington, Buddy Tester and Jerry Scarborough, three volunteer firefighters in Maryland, are all over the age of 65.

Jerry Scarborough is 69 years old, but that doesn’t stop him from jumping behind the wheel of a fire engine when there’s an emergency.

Frequently, the 20-plus-year member of the Darlington Volunteer Fire Company in rural Maryland isn’t even the oldest firefighter on the scene.

On one call last year, he raced to extinguish a blaze engulfing a tractor in a field, but found a situation that wasn’t quite that exciting.

It turned out to be a little John Deere lawn mower, Scarborough explained.

Buddy Tester and Robert Worthington of the neighboring Level Volunteer Fire Company had also raced to the scene.

Tester is 76 years old. Worthington is 87.

National

Firefighting is mostly white and male. A California program aims to change that

Two-thirds of U.S. firefighters are volunteers, who can face anything from a house fire with people trapped inside, to a pile-up on the highway or a leak of hazardous chemicals.

Fewer young people in recent years have signed up to take on those challenges and that poses serious risks to people and their homes, especially in rural areas.

There may not be a fire crew nearby during an emergency and it’s increasingly likely to have older firefighters respond.

Jerry Scarborough, 69, leans on the bumper of Engine 913 at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Jerry Scarborough, 69, leans on the bumper of Engine 913 at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

People may find themselves waiting 45 minutes for a fire truck to show up when their house is on fire, said Steve Hirsch, head of the National Volunteer Fire Council, or they may be stuck for more than half an hour during a medical emergency when every second counts.

People have to understand that if they don’t go out and volunteer, that could happen, said Hirsch.

than a third of volunteers in small communities were over the age of 50 in 2020, according to the National Fire Protection Association. That compares to 1987, when only 15.9% were older than 50.

Leaning on older volunteers has its own risks, Hirsch believes.

In our line of work, cardiac events are always a major issue, and the older you get, the more likely you’re going to have a cardiac event, Hirsch said. That affects the crew’s safety, affects the public’s safety and our ability to respond.

Where are the young volunteers?

The heart of the problem: fewer people willing to put on the boots and helmets and spend long hours at the firehouse.

There were just 676,9000 volunteers in the U.S. in 2020, compared to 897,750 in 1984.

In the same time, emergency call volumes tripled.

Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s crest is seen on the door of a fire engine at the department’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s crest is seen on the door of a fire engine at the department’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

For Worthington, who has been a firefighter for 70 years, the role has changed over the decades.

The big difference between then and now – if we joined tonight we could ride the truck tomorrow. It was none of this stuff. You got to do all the in-house training before you can ride, he said.

The demands can be rough, said Tester, a firefighter of 60 years.

I’d hate to be a young kid today to join the fire department, he said. And I feel sorry for them.

Hirsch says that juggling volunteering with everyday life dissuades people from signing up.

I don’t think it has anything to do with young people not wanting to volunteer, he said.

The NVFC lists other reasons that make recruiting difficult.

Potential volunteers may not be able to afford to live where a department is based or they may have a lower sense of pride in community.

Also, some companies won’t allow employees to leave work to run out on calls.

Some young people are stepping up

There are some young firefighters at Darlington, however.

20-year-old Ben Shrader had very personal reasons for joining.

I witnessed my dad, he went into cardiac arrest in front of me and my mother, he said. I just felt so helpless.

Ben Shrader, 20, stands in the engine bay at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Ben Shrader, 20, stands in the engine bay at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

A crew from another department arrived to try to revive his father, but were unsuccessful.

When it was his time it was his time, Shrader added. I spent a little while not knowing really what to do, until one day I said ‘screw it, I want to do something with my life.’

He signed up at Darlington, following advice from a friend of his dad who also volunteers there.

For 18-year-old Sam Santelli, the motivation is different.

Sam Santelli, 18, stands by a fire engine at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Sam Santelli, 18, stands by a fire engine at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

My grandfather is a Baltimore city fireman, he pushed me into it, he said. It was either this or the military, so I chose this.

Also, time spent at the firehouse is time spent staying out of trouble.

Being here keeps you straight and in line, he said.

The benefits of older volunteers

Both young men see the value of having older volunteers around.

They teach you a lot, especially on the calls, said Santelli.

They also are role models, teaching us respect and integrity lessons, he added.

Shrader is still surprised by the older volunteers’ abilities on the fireground.

Even if we think they might not be in their prime, they can still show us a thing or two, he said. They kick our butts on what we’re doing!

Jerry Scarborough, 69, at the pump panel of Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s Engine 913 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Jerry Scarborough, 69, at the pump panel of Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s Engine 913 in Street, Maryland.

They also can make judgment calls and decisions based on years of experience, he said.

They’ve seen plenty of stuff, so they know when ‘hey, we should probably get out of here‘ or ‘hey, go check there’s no-one inside here,’ he said.

Scarborough knows his department needs more young people like Santelli and Shrader.

It’s a problem and to me, so many kids, and including my own grandchildren, some of them, they’re just not coming out and wanting to volunteer, he said. We need people badly, and I wish more people would be interested in doing this.

But that’s a call the NVFC’s Hirsch believes people will respond to.

I have faith in the American people that once we tell them we need help, they will be there.

Lisa Lambert edited this story for digital and radio.

Volunteer firefighters are getting older. It could be a life-or-death issue

Robert Worthington, Buddy Tester and Jerry Scarborough, three volunteer firefighters in Maryland, are all over the age of 65.

Jerry Scarborough is 69 years old, but that doesn’t stop him from jumping behind the wheel of a fire engine when there’s an emergency.

Frequently, the 20-plus-year member of the Darlington Volunteer Fire Company in rural Maryland isn’t even the oldest firefighter on the scene.

On one call last year, he raced to extinguish a blaze engulfing a tractor in a field, but found a situation that wasn’t quite that exciting.

It turned out to be a little John Deere lawn mower, Scarborough explained.

Buddy Tester and Robert Worthington of the neighboring Level Volunteer Fire Company had also raced to the scene.

Tester is 76 years old. Worthington is 87.

National

Firefighting is mostly white and male. A California program aims to change that

Two-thirds of U.S. firefighters are volunteers, who can face anything from a house fire with people trapped inside, to a pile-up on the highway or a leak of hazardous chemicals.

Fewer young people in recent years have signed up to take on those challenges and that poses serious risks to people and their homes, especially in rural areas.

There may not be a fire crew nearby during an emergency and it’s increasingly likely to have older firefighters respond.

Jerry Scarborough, 69, leans on the bumper of Engine 913 at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Jerry Scarborough, 69, leans on the bumper of Engine 913 at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

People may find themselves waiting 45 minutes for a fire truck to show up when their house is on fire, said Steve Hirsch, head of the National Volunteer Fire Council, or they may be stuck for more than half an hour during a medical emergency when every second counts.

People have to understand that if they don’t go out and volunteer, that could happen, said Hirsch.

than a third of volunteers in small communities were over the age of 50 in 2020, according to the National Fire Protection Association. That compares to 1987, when only 15.9% were older than 50.

Leaning on older volunteers has its own risks, Hirsch believes.

In our line of work, cardiac events are always a major issue, and the older you get, the more likely you’re going to have a cardiac event, Hirsch said. That affects the crew’s safety, affects the public’s safety and our ability to respond.

Where are the young volunteers?

The heart of the problem: fewer people willing to put on the boots and helmets and spend long hours at the firehouse.

There were just 676,9000 volunteers in the U.S. in 2020, compared to 897,750 in 1984.

In the same time, emergency call volumes tripled.

Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s crest is seen on the door of a fire engine at the department’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s crest is seen on the door of a fire engine at the department’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

For Worthington, who has been a firefighter for 70 years, the role has changed over the decades.

The big difference between then and now – if we joined tonight we could ride the truck tomorrow. It was none of this stuff. You got to do all the in-house training before you can ride, he said.

The demands can be rough, said Tester, a firefighter of 60 years.

I’d hate to be a young kid today to join the fire department, he said. And I feel sorry for them.

Hirsch says that juggling volunteering with everyday life dissuades people from signing up.

I don’t think it has anything to do with young people not wanting to volunteer, he said.

The NVFC lists other reasons that make recruiting difficult.

Potential volunteers may not be able to afford to live where a department is based or they may have a lower sense of pride in community.

Also, some companies won’t allow employees to leave work to run out on calls.

Some young people are stepping up

There are some young firefighters at Darlington, however.

20-year-old Ben Shrader had very personal reasons for joining.

I witnessed my dad, he went into cardiac arrest in front of me and my mother, he said. I just felt so helpless.

Ben Shrader, 20, stands in the engine bay at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Ben Shrader, 20, stands in the engine bay at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

A crew from another department arrived to try to revive his father, but were unsuccessful.

When it was his time it was his time, Shrader added. I spent a little while not knowing really what to do, until one day I said ‘screw it, I want to do something with my life.’

He signed up at Darlington, following advice from a friend of his dad who also volunteers there.

For 18-year-old Sam Santelli, the motivation is different.

Sam Santelli, 18, stands by a fire engine at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Sam Santelli, 18, stands by a fire engine at Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station 2 in Street, Maryland.

My grandfather is a Baltimore city fireman, he pushed me into it, he said. It was either this or the military, so I chose this.

Also, time spent at the firehouse is time spent staying out of trouble.

Being here keeps you straight and in line, he said.

The benefits of older volunteers

Both young men see the value of having older volunteers around.

They teach you a lot, especially on the calls, said Santelli.

They also are role models, teaching us respect and integrity lessons, he added.

Shrader is still surprised by the older volunteers’ abilities on the fireground.

Even if we think they might not be in their prime, they can still show us a thing or two, he said. They kick our butts on what we’re doing!

Jerry Scarborough, 69, at the pump panel of Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s Engine 913 in Street, Maryland. Adam Bearne/NPR hide caption

Jerry Scarborough, 69, at the pump panel of Darlington Volunteer Fire Company’s Engine 913 in Street, Maryland.

They also can make judgment calls and decisions based on years of experience, he said.

They’ve seen plenty of stuff, so they know when ‘hey, we should probably get out of here‘ or ‘hey, go check there’s no-one inside here,’ he said.

Scarborough knows his department needs more young people like Santelli and Shrader.

It’s a problem and to me, so many kids, and including my own grandchildren, some of them, they’re just not coming out and wanting to volunteer, he said. We need people badly, and I wish more people would be interested in doing this.

But that’s a call the NVFC’s Hirsch believes people will respond to.

I have faith in the American people that once we tell them we need help, they will be there.

Lisa Lambert edited this story for digital and radio.