Mower mourning: If you have a push mower, you know what kind of fear creeps into your heart every morning. It starts with that pull cord. Give it a good yank, and hope the thing come alive.
But instead, nothing happen. Dead silence. The engine sit there, a heavy, unresponsive lump of metal and plastic.
Stillness fall upon the machine. Sounds familiar? A lot of people who has Husqvarna mowers experiences this come springtime.
It is a popular brand, but machines are delicate and can quits at bad times, like during mowing season. Why is it frustrating? It is because you don’t know why.
Did your engine break or die? Or did you forget to do something simple? Chances are it’s not a major mechanical problem.
The spark plug, fuel line, etc. People will checks these things first. Many no-start situation are caused by those basic maintenance items and simple safety switches. You’ll save time and money by knowing the right order to check them in.
How to Fix Husqvarna Mower No Start
Check the Fuel System First
First, check the gas. Old gas will not be liked by any engine; Husqvarna engines is no exception. Gasoline containing ethanol can separates if you didn’t drain mowers of their gas before storing them over the winter.
That gunk plug the jets in your carburetor. You need fresh gas. Anything more than 30 days old is a good time to dump it.
Drain the tank, and fill it up again with new gas. Another thing: inspect your fuel filter. Just like having a broken pump, a plugged filter starve your engine.
Inspect and Clean the Air Filter
Check your air filter. A dirty air filter will not start just like an empty tank of gas. Seems crazy right?
Gas burns because off air. Too much dirt on the filter won’t allow correct mix. I know because that’s why it’s highlighted in the Husqvarna manuals.
Changing or cleaning the air filter only takes 30 seconds. Running without one will makes the engine work hard. This causes poor performance and eventually will fails.
Test and Replace the Spark Plug
This simple task bring big results. Don’t forget about the plug. Take it off and inspect it even if you believe it’s okay.
An oily or carbureted plug won’t fire. Gap also make a difference. Too large of a gap result in a weak spark.
Too small and your engine are running rough. A plug is really cheap. How much?
Five bucks. Change plugs each season. It’s the best insurance you’ll ever buy for a solid start.
Verify Safety Interlocks and Switches
Last but not least, verify your safety interlocks. Interlock switches shuts down the engine if something isn’t quite right. This might happen if the blade brake is on or you aren’t positioned correctly.
A misaligned cable or a stuck switch will shut off ignition on most Husqvarna units. Make sure the blade lever is completely released. When you squeeze the handle there should of be a click.
If there is no click, then the switch won’t engage and therefore the battery can’t power the starter. It is a safety feature, but it feel like a failure until you understand it. So begin with the fundamentals.
Fresh gas? Good spark? Clean air?
Working safety switches? Tackle those problems first. Sometimes you’ll discover the issue wasn’t ever mechanicaly.
You should of checked the fuel line too. It is actualy more moddern than people think and its naturaly easy to miss.