Lawn Mower Starts Then Dies
The scent of clean-cut grass. There’s genuinely nothing to find it irresistible. However, it’s pretty frustrating to be all prepared to address the ones tall green blades most effective to have your mower fire up and then sputter out. If your lawn mower starts then dies or off evolved. You need a brief solution about what’s responsible, and what to do to restoration it. We’ll proportion the four maximum commonplace reasons to this mower problem and what you need to do to address each.

Lawn Mower
When your mower begins then dies it can sense such as you’re on my own, but this trouble is extra not unusual than you might assume, and the restore can be an easy one.
Let’s check the four maximum not unusual reasons in the back of that fake beginning and how to restoration them.
Causes for Lawn Mower Starting then Dying
If your lawnmower begins, runs in short, then dies these are the four maximum common motives that are occurring:
- Dirty carburetor / clogged carburetor bowl
- Old fuel that has long passed awful
- Dirty or faulty spark plugs
- To a lot of oil for your reservoir
- Below We’ll get into each ability trouble, why it could bring about a mower that begins then dies, and what you must do to repair it.
Read More About: How To Care Your Lawn And Garden Guide
Dirty Carburetor
When your garden mower starts off evolved then dies. Your carburetor is maximum possibly concerned somehow.
Think approximately it. If you live in a northern region, your mower sits all iciness … waiting months with no action.
And, in case you stay in an extra temperate zone, your mower works difficult yr-around.
In both instances, your carburetor is going to need a bit of TLC.
What’s so vital approximately the carburetor?
Your engine wishes a steady drift of fuel to run efficiently. The carburetor is accountable for mixing fuel with simply the proper amount of oxygen to create combustion.
This combustion supplies a continuous rotation of the crankshaft this is vital to run the mower’s engine.
If your carburetor is grimy or the carburetor bowl is clogged, the manner above is compromised, and your engine may additionally startup. But it’ll not run properly and may die shortly once you pull the twine.
How To Fix It?

Lawn Fixing
Your grimy carburetor desires a very good blowout with an aerosol can of carburetor cleaner. This will price you less than $10.50 and could be remaining for a season or. We use the WD-forty Specialist Fast-Acting Carb/Throttle Body Parts Cleaner. This purifier makes use of a solvent method to break down carbon contaminants. Leaving your carburetor clean and gum-loose. We supply our mower a shot of that on every occasion a mow. Right earlier than pulling the wire, and suggest which you do the equal.
The handiest downside to this specific purifier is it does now not have a straw for centered spraying. If you want extra particular software, Gumout makes a purifier so one can do the trick with its jet spray applicator.
You can purchase both products domestically, or online.
For the manner.
Unscrew the carburetor bowl and deliver it a once-over with the cleanser. Be positive to smooth the screw and hollow with the carburetor cleaner as nicely. This is where the directional spraying straw is specifically handy. When reattaching the bowl, don’t over-tighten the screw. This may want to strip the threads enough to distort the seal.
What You Should Do?
For carb upkeep, supply a light spray near the air consumption hollow to your mower’s engine simply before you start it up. This is generally just at the back of the air filter. Remove the filter, give the hole a twig, then replace the filter.
When you start the mower, it’ll be pulled into the engine and clean deposits for your carb.
Old Gasoline in Your Mower

Old Gasoline in Your Mower
You understand your mower can’t run without fuel, but the quality of the gas is similarly vital.
If the gas in your mower has been sitting inactive for a while, evaporation has most probably created a harmful residue
This residue leaves debris that clogs your mower’s internal components.
The quit result is restrained gasoline glide, which means that your mower can begin and die rapidly thereafter. Sometimes, your mower received begins in any respect.
How do You repair it?
If your mower tank is less than half of the complete vintage gas, you may try adding new gasoline to dilute the impurities. If the antique fuel is extra than half of a tank, it’d be quality to siphon it out and fill the tank with clean fuel.
In both cases, adding a stabilizer such as Sta-bil Fuel System Stabilizer (Amazon link) is a clever concept. Stabilizers save you the clogging residue for up to two years, and at around $10.50 a bottle. They’re a less expensive additive that could preserve your mower walking like a champ.
Always read the guidelines to understand the right gas to stabilizer ratio in your mower.
What should you do?
We used to mix Sta-bil into my gasoline, however now We simply pay a little extra for four-cycle TruFuel – an ethanol loose fuel product that can sit for years with outgoing terrible.
It’s greater costly than regular gasoline mixed with Sta-bil. However, multiple larger cans will get my Honda self-propelled mower (this one from Home Depot if you’re curious) thru the mowing season up right here in New England, and We like the peace of mind that comes with understanding my mower and snowblower usually start on the primary pull, and We don’t need to fear approximately awful gas giving me problems after We equipped to mow or want to clean the driveway.
You should buy it online, or domestically at Home Depot or some nearby hardware shops.
Dirty or Defective Spark Plugs

Defective Spark Plugs Lawn Mower Repair
Spark plugs deliver the “spark” that ignites the air/gas aggregate on your engine.
This small explosion makes your engine produce power.
The spark plugs are a crucial aspect of your mower’s ignition machine. If they may be dirty or defective. They’ll now not spark, and your mower will not begin, or may additionally start after which quick die.
How do you restore it?
- Your mower’s spark plugs are clean to find. In most walk-at the back of mowers they’re included with a black cable and proper inside the front of your mower.
- You’ll need a socket wrench of the proper length to do away with your plug (take a look at your guide to discover the right length in your mower/spark plug).
If your spark plugs aren’t too heavily lined with construct-up, you could attempt cleaning them. You should by no means easily a spark plug with a shot-blasting purifier. A twine brush and appropriate purifier will do the trick if the plug is simply grimy.
However, if your mower’s spark plug seems filthy or seems to have a dark carbon residue. You might be higher off changing.
This is a clean process and it’s inexpensive – a new spark plug with be $7-10 and your length might be to be had regionally.
What You Should Do?
Spark plugs ought to be replaced every 12 months or for problem-free mowing, and We do mine yearly as part of my spring mower preservation.
I get a brand new air clear out and change the oil in my mower at the same time. This runs me approximately $21 general, takes me about 16 mins, and keeps my mower in perfect working circumstance.
Replacing Your Spark Plug
- Removing your spark plug is an easy job each person can do. Simply unhook the spark plug cord and eliminate the vintage plug with a spark plug socket.
- Replacing a spark plug may be a chunk greater difficult for a primary-timer. However, We nevertheless don’t forget it a clean process.
- Use a spark plug gauge to degree the distance between the 2 electrodes on the tip of your spark plug. Check for the specs in your version to know the recommended length of the distance.
- If essential, use a spark plug gauge to adjust the gap by lightly bending the curved electrode. When the gap is accurate, the gauge will drag a bit as you pull it thru space.
Now you may install the brand new plug and fasten the spark plug lead. Be cautious not to over-tighten on set up.
If you’ve got by no means achieved this earlier then. There are several movies online that may be of notable help. But my recommendation is that as quickly because it starts to feel snug, deliver it no extra than any other area turns to save you damage.
Too Much Oil within the Mower’s Reservoir
If your carburetor is smooth and the spark plugs are firing, the trouble might be too much oil.
We agree with its human nature to want to over-fill a garden mower’s oil reservoir, especially if you’re now not mainly accessible. You sense so completed that we’re doing the task your self which you pass overboard and over-fill the tank.
- It takes place, and it’s now not the stop of the arena (or your mower).
- White smoke popping out of the engine is a tell-tale signal that immoderate oil is the offender.
- If plenty of smoke is popping out, your mower is probably strolling, but no longer for lengthy. In this case, the excess oil will eventually drown out the engine and motive it to die.
How do You restoration it?
This is genuinely an easy restore. If you’ve got too much oil, you just want to drain some. You can use a siphon, or (when you have a walk-in the back of the mower) you may tip your mower and drain the oil from the hole wherein you upload it.
What did We do?
We are responsible for overfilling the oil tank occasionally too. So We’ve found out to move slowly once We upload oil. We take a look at, and check once more with the dipstick and steadily bring the level as much as the proper region.
If you’ve got overfilled your oil tank, We advise which you to use a dipstick to measure the amount of oil within the reservoir earlier than doing away with it, and on the other hand after to make sure you get the right degree.
Not sufficient oil is another (and greater critical) hassle, and you will not need to inadvertently alternate one difficulty for any other.
After draining some oil and checking to look when you have an ok quantity, start the mower once more.
If the mower fires and remains running without the billowing puffs of white smoke. You have corrected your problem.
Lawn Mower Starts Then Dies When it’s Time to Call a Professional
If you have got examined all the methods We’ve shared for fixing your lawnmower that starts off evolved and then dies. With any luck, your hassle is solved.
But if no longer, it might be time to throw in the store towel and get in touch with a professional.
The following are different issues that would be retaining your mower from running nicely.
More Serious Reasons Your Lawn Mower Starts Then Dies
Worn out carburetor: If your carburetor is extra than grimy, it is probably time to replace it.
Faulty choke: Unless you are extraordinarily handy, figuring out this problem and restoring the sensitive balance important to get your engine purring like a kitten is another difficulty for the specialists.
Gas tank or gasoline line blockage: Anytime your fuel is not attending to the engine, your mower will no longer run properly. A blockage of any kind that prevents the regular float of fuel is trouble that might take an educated eye to perceive and fasten.
The average weekend warrior with confined expertise on the matter will probably feel greater comfortable hiring someone with the experience and the gear to get the job accomplished properly.
We advise that you start by checking your mower’s warranty. If it’s blanketed, a restore may not fee you whatever. Some companies will ship someone right to your home, or come to select up your mower to save you time.
If your mower isn’t covered through warranty. Find a nearby small-engine repair save that has accurate opinions. These guys can restore nearly anything, and their prices are commonly lower than you’d expect.
Lawn Mower Starts Then Dies Preventing Mower Problems

Lawn Mower Starts
The excellent manner to make certain your mower will fireplace up and run like a champ is to place preventative measures in the vicinity.
We actually have hints for winterizing your mower, and a spring preservation checklist that you can take a look at out in case you’d like to analyze greater.
To summarize the ones here, but:
- Clean your air filter out regularly (update it annually).
- Change your spark plugs every 1-2 years.
- Keep saved oil and gas clean. Use a stabilizer on your gas to preserve it fresh for up to 24 months, or pay more for 4-cycle TruFuel.
- Keep your engine smooth with an engine degreaser.
- Use the dipstick and don’t overfill your oil reservoir.
- Keep your carburetor smooth with a carburetor cleaner spray.
- Performing ordinary renovation to your mower is the nice way to hold it jogging smoothly, and investing a few bucks in keeping with yr in that is well worth it.
You’ll avoid complications, repair charges, and your mower will ultimate a long time. Beginning right up when you want it.
If you do encounter a problem together with your garden mower. Decide in case you are secure with seeking to restoration it yourself.
If the difficulty appears to be something past the fundamentals, don’t hesitate to name a professional. There’s no shame in this, and sometimes do-it-your self-maintenance is just now not really worth the time, energy, or frustration.
But in case you are up for the project of solving the hassle yourself. The above pointers provide an excellent beginning place, and online movies may also be useful. We think YouTube is an excellent aid.
We Believe that after reading our guide your problem about lawn mower starts then dies has been resolved!