Lawn Mower Troubleshooting Guide
While using your lawn mower, you may hit a glitch from time to time. Though it may not be complicated enough to make you visit a nearby service department, you’ll still need the right tools and knowledge to fix it and get your machine going. To help you with the solutions to common lawn mower issues, we’ve put together this maintenance guide
A Stuck Starter Rope
Usually, when your lawn mower’s engine flywheel brake is engaged, it can make it difficult for you to pull the starter rope. Inspect the brake to see if it is pressing against the handle. If this isn’t the cause of this issue, you may want to check the mower’s blade.
To fix a stuck starter rope, turn off the engine and disengage the spark plug wire. Place the machine on a flat, hard surface and clean the bottom side of the blade. You'll also want to remove any dirt or debris that may have accumulated here before putting the mower back into position.
Power Loss
There can be several reasons why this happens. It could either be due to a dirty air filter or a dull and bent blade. To fix this issue, clean and replace a dirty filter and sharpen the bent blade. You may also want to raise the cutting height on your mower to accommodate taller grass.
Smoke
It is scary to see your mower puffing out smoke. If the oil chamber overflows, some oil can leak into the exhaust muffler, which produces smoke. Sometimes, a loose oil cap can also create a leak. To fix this problem, allow your engine to cool down and then tighten the cap.
Mower Not Starting
Check to see that your lawn mower isn’t out of gas and the battery is working fine. You may want to replace a dead battery and replenish the fuel tank. If you have old (last season’s) gas in your mower, it will prevent the machine from starting up. To fix this, drain your fuel tank and fill it up with fresh gas.
Slow Speed
A damaged, dislocated drive belt or worn-out batteries can result in your mower’s sluggish performance. Charge the battery for a few hours to revive it and see if it works. If it doesn’t, use a multimeter to check if the battery is dead. In this case, you’ll need to replace the battery to get your mower operational again. Consult the owner’s manual to figure out the location of the drive belt for replacing it. Usually, it is in the motor casing. However, before you access it, remember to turn off the mower and allow it to cool down.
We hope you will find these tips handy while troubleshooting common problems with your lawn mower. If you want a trained mechanic to service your machine, connect with Central Arkansas Mahindra in Little Rock, AR. We welcome all those coming from Sherwood, Conway, and Hot Springs.