Toro push mowers don’t like to start, and there’s nothing more frustrating for a homeowner then his or her beloved machine won’t budge. Pulling on the cord will result in either a limp-cord snap back, or the thud of a reluctant tug. While the pull cord system is pretty simple in concept, certain breakdowns occurs that immediately stop your forward momentum.
Fortunately, most of the time a professional lawn equipment repair place isn’t necessary. With a little know-how about what goes on inside the guts of mower, you can easy identify the issue. You can typically solve it using a few tools and some patience.
Save yourself some money and time. Get back to yard chores faster then you expected, and you’ll be glad you knew how to fix your own Toro mower retraction issues. This issue is centered on your recoil starter assembly.
How to Fix Toro Mower Pull Cord Issues
Understanding the Recoil Starter Mechanism
This piece of equipment contain a spring that is wound up as you pull on the cord. It then stores energy to turn engine over. Once the engine starts, the spring unwinds and pulls the cord back into the housing.
If your cord won’t return, more than likely the spring has either broken or slipped out of place. On older ones, this is by far the most common culprit. You will know it happened because you can hear a distinct snapping sound or simply feel tension suddenly go away.
Replacing the Recoil Starter Kit
For most homeowner, replacing the recoil starter kit is an easy DIY job. The other factor is lubrication. That’s where the grease in the recoil mechanism comes into play.
Lubricating the Recoil Mechanism
Over time, the grease inside the recoil mechanism dry out or attracts dirt, which creates friction and prevents cord from sliding back freely. That cause friction. Don’t over-grease this.
Just spray a little dry lube or even some silicone spray down the cord pathway and on pulley. Avoid any regular old WD-40 as it attract more dust over time. You just want something to reduce resistance.
You don’t want to create a gunk trap that will make thing worse later. Examine the rope too. The cord has to feed back into the housing correctly and a bad cord won’t do that.
Inspecting and Replacing the Pull Cord
It’ll be stretched out, frayed or melted. Softening of the nylon by heat from engine makes the cord stick in the housing. Worn cord is unsafe too; it might break while in use.
A new cord is cheap and simple to install. Standard braided nylon rope fits most Toro mower. Cut the new cord to the same length as the old and you’ll have a perfect fit.
Often just replacing the cord solve retraction problems due to physical deformation. Other times it’s a matter of operation, not mechanics. Rusting on the starter pawls or on the teeth of the flywheel that holds them in place can cause the mechanism to lock up if the mower has been stored in damp condition.
Troubleshooting Rust and Hydrolock Issues
Rocking the mower wheel gently while trying to pull the cord may free any seized component. Try that. If there’s too much fuel in engine, it’s “hydrolocked” with gas and the piston won’t move so the cord won’t come back.
Clearing out any excess fuel and checking the spark plug should fix it. Before tearing apart the recoil assembly, it’s always good to rule out engine seizure. Remember, safety comes first when doing repairs.
Safety Precautions for Mower Repairs
Always remove the spark plug wire before removing any cover. That way, if the mower tries to start while your hands is close to the moving part it won’t accidently do so. The recoil spring is tightly coiled and can cause injury if not handled carefuly.
Follow the directions that came from manufacturer for your make of Toro. Each model has a different design for their housings and needs to be taken apart differently. When your mower starts easy every time you need to use it, it’s in good shape.
Quick service to a pull cord problem now avoids more severe trouble later on. Properly storing and cleaning your mower can greatly increase the life of the recoil mechanism. Check the cord periodically and keep mower dry.
If you want your mower to start right every time, put a little love into it and it’ll pull right back at you. And you’re off again around yard.