Why Won’t my Toro Lawnmower Start with fixes. Diagnose&Fixes

Taking your Toro lawn mower out for a run and realizing that the engine doesn’t start can be a frustrating experience. Particularly for someone who did not deal with this problem before and isn’t aware of how to fix it. This blog post will show all the probable causes why your Toro lawn mower doesn’t start and how to fix this. You will have your machine up and running again in no time.

If your lawnmower does not start, the most probable reason can be the absence of combustion in the engine that fails to produce a power stroke. This can be due to several reasons that we will examine now in more detail.

Why won’t my Toro lawnmower start:

• Faulty spark plugs not producing a spark for ignition
• Clogged carburetor jets with fuel deposits
• Defective ignition coil

Some additional less frequent causes may include:

• Faulty fuel pump
• Clogged fuel filter restricting the flow to the carburetor
• A broken flywheel key might also cause the mower not to start

You don’t have to be an experienced mechanic to fix your Toro Lawnmower starting problem. Just stay tuned to this post as we explain the entire procedure in a user-friendly manner.

Causes and Fixes of a Toro Lawnmower Not Starting:

Listed below are the causes and their eventual remedies that help you start your lawnmower. We shall investigate each case separately and step-by-step:

1. Defective spark plug:

A defective spark plug is one of the most frequent reasons for a Toro Lawnmower engine not cranking. To keep your engine running, a spark plug serves the essential purpose of igniting the air-fuel mixture during combustion. The plug consists of two leads that generate an electric arc, which produces the spark ultimately. Carbon buildup can affect the creation of sparks over time. Besides, because of wear and tear, the electrode can also weaken.

● Solutions:

– The spark plug inspection:

Inspecting the spark plug for signs of damage and wear and tear should help you verify whether the component works. If there is a significant carbon buildup, or if any electrode is broken or not, you should perform an inspection.

-Tester with ignition:

You can use an ignition tester to check whether the plug generates the spark. The terminals of the tester display a strong spark that indicates that the component is working correctly. No spark means that the plug is defective and must be replaced.

– Plug replacement:

A faulty spark plug cannot be repaired; therefore, it can be replaced with a cheap solution. You should replace your spark plug every once a year, as a general guideline.

2. Restricted Carburetor:

The carburetor clogging is another frequent cause of your Toro lawnmower engine not starting. A carburetor ensures that an air-fuel mixture is supplied to the engine for combustion in the appropriate proportion. The most likely reason when an engine doesn’t start is the absence of combustion. In almost every case, something you should troubleshoot is a clogged carburetor.

● Solution: Carburetor cleaning:

You should follow the steps below to fix the carburetor problem:

• Remove the hood: Remove the lawnmower’s hood and the air filter assembly so that the carburetor becomes noticeable.
• Disconnect fuel lines: Carefully remove the fuel lines and take the carburetor off from the main mower assembly. Exercise caution or use a rag for handling the spills while disconnecting the fuel lines.
• Disassemble the carburetor: You need to disassemble the carburetor after removing it. Remove the screws and the jets carefully. We recommend recording a video or taking some pictures of the assembly after each step during this procedure. This step is done so that each part can be assembled back to its original place.
• Inspect jets: You should inspect them for dust particles and dirt that might have clogged their holes now that you have removed the constituent jets and screws from the assembly. Since it happens due to the dust particles that are part of the air or fuel, this accumulation is quite imminent.
• Unclog with the cleaner: A carburetor cleaner fluid can be used to unclog the jets. For cleaning the holes and tubes, you can also use compressed air.
• Reassemble: You should assemble the carburetor and attach it back to its original place after the cleaning is completed.

● Carburetor Preventative maintenance:

It is best to do some preventive maintenance to improve the lifetime of your Toro lawnmower and ensure that the machine starts without difficulties:

• Fresh fuel: It is recommended that you always use new gas for your Toro lawnmower to ensure better carburetor performance and effectiveness. After a couple of months, fuel becomes stale.
• Fuel stabilizer: We recommend adding a fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank if you do not plan to use your lawnmower for a certain period. The fuel does not deteriorate in quality.
• Carburetor repair kit: To assist you in servicing and replacing defective parts, you can also buy a carburetor repair kit.

3. Defective Ignition coil:

An ignition coil delivers voltage signals to the spark plug so that, during combustion, it engages the spark. You need to test for a defective ignition coil if there is no combustion in the engine and the spark plug works fine as well.

● Solution: Ignition tester:

You can use an ignition tester to troubleshoot an ignition coil. When the engine is running, the ignition tester terminal will show if the coil is working correctly. If the tester does not see a spark, your ignition coil is defective and should be replaced.

Additional Steps:

If the above did not solve your Toro lawnmower starting issue there are some more reasons you can check:

1. Faulty Fuel Pump:

You should check for sufficient fuel in the tank if a gasoline-powered lawnmower fails to start. A fuel pump, which is a motor that carries the fuel to the carburetor, is present. You should check whether the fuel pump motor is working if the engine does not start and the fuel is also sufficient.

– Solution: Fuel Pump Replacement:

You should install a new full pump motor to transport the fuel mixture to the carburetor.

2. Clogged Fuel Filter:

The filter is situated in the fuel line that carries the fuel from the tank to the carburetor. Due to prolonged use, the filter gets clogged with deposits. Thus it doesn’t allow the fuel to reach the carburetor. That is why you witness your lawnmower engine not starting up.

– Solution: Fuel Filter Replacement:

The fuel filter should be replaced. To do the replacement, lift the mower hood and disconnect the fuel line leading to the carburetor. Use a rag to collect the spills. Install the new fuel filter and dispose of the old one.

4. Broken Flywheel key:

Flywheel key is a component that links your Toro lawn mower engine’s crankshaft with the flywheel. If the lawnmower does not start, then the flywheel key is one thing you can inspect. This step is because the key could wear out due to continuous operation as your engine gets old and needs to be replaced. If your mower strikes a hard object with an impact, the key could also break.

Related Questions:

1. Can you clean a carburetor on a lawnmower without taking it apart?

A carburetor can be cleaned without entirely detaching it from the mower body. To perform this cleaning, the following steps should be followed:

• Remove the hood: Lift the lawnmower’s hood if it’s a riding mower and take the air filter off. Also, remove the air filter assembly that includes its housing so that the carburetor is exposed.
• Remove the bowl nut: As your carburetor is exposed, use a wrench to open the bowl nut and remove the bowl. There is no need to detach the linkages and the mounting studs of the carburetor.
• Clean the bowl and nut: Take the bowl and the bowl nut away and spray some carburetor cleaner on them to remove any clogs and deposits. Use a compressed air jet if available.
• Spray the interior: Also, spray the carburetor cleaner on the carburetor’s inner portions that are now exposed. It is better to start your engine and then spray the cleaner so that the fuel flowing through the hot running engine breaks apart all the deposits.
• Reassemble everything:

Once the cleaning is done, reassemble everything that was removed. Attach the bowl and nut and reconnect the air filter. Start your mower and examine its performance.

2. Why does my Toro lawnmower keeps dying?

The causes of a Toro lawnmower stalling are almost the same as if it was not starting. We have listed these below:

• Carburetor: The carburetor might be clogged due to the deposits formed by the old fuel. To fix these, access your carburetor and disassemble its parts to clean them individually, preferably with a carburetor cleaner liquid.
• Fuel cap: The fuel cap has a small hole to allow the air from entering it. The hole might get blocked sometimes due to dust. This blockage causes a vapor lock in the tank due to which the fuel doesn’t reach the engine, and the lawnmower stalls.
• Spark plug: The spark plug electrodes often get weakened. Due to this problem, no spark is produced during ignition, and the machine doesn’t start. If you find the spark plug defective, replace it with a new one.
• Ignition coil: If the spark plug is fine, but the engine doesn’t start, the ignition coil might be faulty. To test this, use an ignition tester to determine its functionality. You should replace it if it seems defective.

Final Comments:

In a nutshell, there are several causes why your Toro Lawnmower does not start. This blog post list the most common reasons and how to fix them. A lot of those engine problems arise due to inadequate maintenance. One should keep a check on the fuel quality from time to time or most preferably use a fuel stabilizer if you do not use your Toro lawnmower for an extended period. This step can prevent clogs from developing in the carburetor. “A stitch on time saves nine” as we say that ensuring proper maintenance at regular intervals prevents you from the hassle of spending extra bucks afterward.