Stanley lawnmowers are of great utility for both professionals and homeowners. One of the most common issues a Stanley lawnmower user faces is the machine’s inability to start after repeated attempts. Let’s examine the case of Stanley’s lawnmower starting problems and discuss various ways to troubleshoot and fix them.

Stanley lawnmower starting problems:

If a gas-powered Stanley lawnmower doesn’t start, check and clean its air and fuel filters, then service the carburetor. A bad spark plug can also lead to this issue in some cases. If an electric lawnmower undergoes this problem, the battery and the start switch should be checked. In some models, overheating the motor prevents the startup operation until the temperature falls below a specific limit.

The following article provides a comprehensive step-by-step approach for pinpointing the problem source whenever a Stanley lawnmower fails to start or stops just after starting.

Stanley Riding Lawnmowers: Troubleshooting Starting Problems

As of now, Stanley has discontinued producing riding lawnmowers. The majority of the products comprise self-propelled electric lawnmowers. Nevertheless, second-hand riding lawnmowers are still in use.

Here are some of the common problems that your Stanley riding lawnmower is likely to experience.

1. Riding Lawnmower doesn’t Start?

If a Stanley riding lawnmower doesn’t start, check the fuel level and examine the air and fuel filters. Assess the spark plug’s condition and replace it if it has worn out considerably.

– Examine the Fuel system:

To begin troubleshooting, start by checking the fuel level in the tank. Ascertain that the fuel condition hasn’t deteriorated, causing the fuel lines and the filters to choke. Poor quality fuel that has been sitting in the tank for a long time must be drained entirely. The fuel lines should be cleaned with a cleaner, and the fuel filter needs to be replaced.

– Check the Filters:

After the fuel system is checked and serviced, you should also check your air filter, often located at the back of the engine. Remove the air filter cover and then access the filter. With time, dust accumulates on the filter, which restricts airflow to the engine and might result in the engine not powering up.

Hence, you should clean this air filter using a soap-water solution and install it after drying. If the filter’s mesh has undergone wear and tear, you should buy a new one instead.

– Spark Plug Inspection:

The spark plug ignites the air-fuel mixture in the engine. Due to repeated exposure to combustion, the electrodes develop carbon deposits, which reduce spark quality. You can inspect the electrodes using a feeler gauge to determine the separation between the ground and the central electrode.

The exact value can be checked from your engine’s model or the owner’s manual. Typically, it lies between 0.035-0.07 inches. If the electrode separation is significantly higher than the rated value and its condition has deteriorated enough, it’s recommended to replace the spark plug altogether.

2. Stanley Riding Lawnmower Starts but then Dies?

If your lawnmower’s engine doesn’t produce sufficient power or shuts down after starting, the carburetor jets and the air filter are clogged with debris. A vapor lock is another likely reason.

Loss of power from the engine is due to the engine not running on optimum air-fuel setting. The engine either receives an air-fuel mix that is too rich (>12 AFR) or too lean (>14 AFR), where AFR is the air-to-fuel ratio. This is either due to the air filter or the carburetor getting blocked with debris.

Before cleaning the carburetor, inspect and clean the air filter from dust. Test the machine again, and if it stalls again, proceed towards carburetor cleaning.

– Stanley Cleaning the Carburetor:

The carburetor cleaning can be performed both on the lawnmower and by detaching it from the mower. I recommend doing the latter as it ensures a thorough cleaning. To detach the carburetor, remove the fuel lines, detach the linkages, and unscrew the mounting bolts.

Afterward, place the carburetor on a table and detach the bowl nut and the bowl. The nut has a jet that sprays fuel for mixing. Drain any stale fuel residues from the bowl. Next, using a carburetor cleaner, spray the innards of the carburetor to dislodge any sticky debris due to fuel.

Ensure the fuel jets are cleaned from deposits indicated by the spray coming from the other side.

After cleaning, reassemble the bowl and the bowl nut. Attach the carburetor back to the device and test its performance once again.

– Stanley Vapor Lock:

A vapor lock in the fuel lines can cause an engine to stall during operation. This occurs when the fuel tank vents are clogged, and the fuel vapors cannot escape. The excessive buildup increases vapor pressure, which affects fuel flow to the engine. Thus, keep the tank vents clean to prevent vapor locks.

If a vapor lock has halted the engine, open your fuel cap for a while and allow the vapors to escape. Then, place the cap back on and restart the engine. The vapor lock effect is more pronounced during hot summer days as the vapor pressure is higher in summer than in winter.

3. Riding Lawnmower Is Smoking?

The lawnmower produces excessive either due to a ruptured gasket or unburnt fuel leaving the engine after combustion.

– White Smoke:

When you notice white smoke from the exhaust, it is due to the engine oil burning alongside fuel. The oil has leaked from the crankcase into the combustion chamber. It is due to two reasons. The first one is the mower tilted in the wrong direction (with the air filter or carb pointing downwards), causing oil to leak into the combustion chamber.

The second reason is a broken gasket. This involves disassembling the engine; hence, you should consult a professional to perform this repair. Another reason for white smoke is excessive overfilling of the oil tank and using oil with too low viscosity (such as using 5W30 in winter).

– Black Smoke:

Black smoke results from incomplete combustion that produces unburnt hydrocarbons (or soot), thus imparting a black color. This happens when the engine doesn’t receive enough air (due to a blocked air filter). Hence, you should ensure that the air filter is clean.

4. Stanley Riding Lawnmower Runs Rough/Misfires?

If a lawnmower runs rough or misfires, you need to perform a tune-up that involves changing the fuel, replacing the spark plug and air/fuel filters, and cleaning the carburetor.

– Engine Tune-Up:

The most common reason for a rough-running engine is bad gas. Avoid using ethanol-blended fuel that produces a white sticky residue after degradation. When storing the mower for a long time, add a fuel stabilizer to maintain the fuel quality.

If the fuel has become stale, drain the tank and clean the fuel lines with a carburetor cleaner. Apart from the fuel lines, check and clean the fuel filter. The air filter and the carburetor also need inspection and servicing if necessary.

– Sheared Flywheel Key:

If tuning up the engine doesn’t solve the problem, the flywheel key, another likely culprit, must be inspected. The flywheel key couples the flywheel with the crankshaft via a slot in which it’s snugly fitted. Moreover, it ensures spark timing as the magnet connected to the flywheel passes by the coil at the set instant.

The key is designed to prevent impact loads on the crankshaft from hard objects as it shears off in such cases. If the key has sheared off, the engine is likely to misfire. In this case, a new key must be installed to fix the issue.

Stanley Self-Propelled Lawnmowers: Starting Problems and Fixes

Currently, Stanley produces battery-powered self-propelled lawnmowers. These machines use a lithium-ion battery to power an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine. These lawnmowers encounter fewer startup problems than their gas counterparts, thus making them a leading choice for most users nowadays.

Here are some common issues you are likely to face in an electric lawnmower:

1. The Electric Lawnmower doesn’t start.

An electric lawnmower doesn’t start if the battery is low or if the electric motor is overheated. If the start switch is faulty, it may not start.

If your electric mower doesn’t turn on, check the battery level. Connect it to the charger for 10-15 minutes and try starting it again. If it fails to do so, the start switch will likely be faulty.

You can check the start switch using a multimeter and connect it to the switch terminals. Using the resistance mode on the multimeter, check for continuity in both the on and off modes of the switch. If an infinite resistance is read in both on and off states, the switch is faulty and should be replaced.

Apart from the switch, the electric motor may not start if its thermal safety switch is activated due to the motor overheating. In this case, you should wait 10-15 minutes before starting it again so the motor cools down.

If it still doesn’t start, please get the lawnmower checked by a professional or by the company’s service center.

2. Electric Lawnmower starts but then dies?

An electric lawnmower shuts down mid-operation if the battery level is too low or the motor has overheated. It also shuts down if the blades are jammed or stuck due to a foreign object.

Most electric lawnmowers have a thermal switch that shuts off the electric motor in case its temperature reaches a certain threshold. This prevents the winding from burning out. Please note that the motor gets overheated whenever it is revved excessively or when asking for more power than you should (high and thick grass). Hence, you should avoid overrevving the engine, typically on hot days.

Some motors also shut down when there’s excessive load on the blades, such as in the event of debris stuck in the spindle assembly or when trimming through long grass strands. Hence, turn your lawnmower over to check for foreign objects that might have jammed the blades.

3. Is my Electric Lawnmower Battery Dead?

To check for a dead battery, use a multimeter to check the voltage readings. If they fall below the rated value, the battery might need to be replaced.

Most electric devices nowadays run on Li-ion batteries that have a much longer service life than lead-acid batteries. These batteries can easily last for more than five years if used properly. You can know when the battery needs a replacement, as it happens when its run time has reduced significantly.

To further verify, you can connect a multimeter to get the terminal voltage and compare it with the rated value. You can then contact the Stanley service center or another supplier to order a new battery.

To prolong your battery life, I recommend that you never fully charge/discharge it. Try to keep it within 25-85% range. Moreover, avoid exposure to hot conditions and always store them in a cool place. Your battery can easily last 8-10 years if properly maintained, depending on how often you charge it.

Lawnmower Starting Problems

1. Gas-Powered Lawnmower Starting Problems

2. Corded Electric Lawnmower Starting Problems

3. Cordless Battery Powered Lawnmower Starting Problems

4. Robotic Lawnmower Starting Problems