Mower Repairs & Maintenance

A blue lawn mower sits on the grass on a sunny day

Lawn Mower Troubleshooting Tips

Regardless of how well you take care of your mower maintenance tasks, a time may come when you need to try some troubleshooting steps to resolve an issue. If you’re not sure where to begin, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve created this detailed guide with some tips to get you started. Keep reading for more information. Contact our dealership in Hope Mills, NC, for assistance with parts and services.




A man repairing a red lawn mower on a table of wood

Starting Issues

If your machine is struggling to start, you might have a clogged carburetor. This happens when fuel is left in the mower too long without being used. The liquid evaporates and leaves behind a sticky mess that clogs your carburetor, which prevents the engine from starting. You can try using a carburetor cleaner to solve this issue.
In some cases, you might have a damaged spark plug on your hands. Inspect it for signs of wear and tear. You can also use a spark plug tester to determine whether or not it’s defective. If a strong spark isn’t present between the tester’s terminals, it’s time to replace the spark plug.

Battery Issues

When your battery is constantly dying, it’s time for some mower troubleshooting. Use a charger to charge the battery. If it can’t hold a charge, you should consider investing in a new battery. This might sound odd, but not all battery problems involve the battery itself. You can use a multimeter to confirm the charger is giving out the correct voltage output. This tool also helps you check the alternator for issues, which is the part that recharges your battery.

Blade Issues

If your mower blades aren’t engaging, you may have an issue with the power take-off (PTO) switch. Use a multimeter to check if the switch is damaged. If it’s not, the problem may have to do with your PTO clutch. This part manually disconnects the engine from the blades. It’s not something you can repair, so if this is the issue, you’ll need to replace the part entirely.

Gas Leaks

Gas leaks are a fairly common issue, so don’t panic. Start by finding out where the leak is coming from. If it originates from the bottom of the carburetor, that means the carburetor bowl gasket may be missing or dried out. Replace the part if needed. If the float needle isn’t shutting off the fuel, this could also cause a gas leak. Damaged float needles will need to be replaced.

If neither of these is present, inspect the fuel shut-off valve. The fuel lines should be tightly secured to the valve without any tears, cracks, or holes. If the line or valve is leaking, you’ll need to replace it to fix the gas leak.

Overheating or Smoking

An overheated mower is one of the most common issues, but it’s easy to avoid. Always keep the air-cooled engine and cooling fins clean and free from debris. As long as the fins are clear and not clogged, you shouldn’t experience overheating issues.

A smoking mower may seem scary, but there are a few ways to fix the problem. This is a sign that your carburetor is getting too much fuel. Confirm the carburetor is not jammed in the open position. If everything checks out, inspect the carburetor choke valve and make sure it’s open.

We hope these tips have been helpful. If you have questions or if you’d like assistance with lawn mower repairs and service, don’t hesitate to get in touch. The team at Hope Mills Saw & Mower would be happy to help. You’ll find us near Fayetteville and Lumberton, NC. We also serve Fort Bragg.