Mtd riding mower carburetor. Here’s What To Do If Your Lawn Mower Won’t Start

My Lawn Mower is Not Getting Gas to Spark Plug [5 Fixes that Work]

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It is frustrating when your lawn mower won’t start. I’ve seen this problem even with new gas-powered mowers. After extensive diagnosis and experience, I’ve found the most common cause is that the lawn mower is not getting gas to the spark plug. But that’s not all.

When your lawn mower won’t start, chances are it is not getting gas to the spark plug. Common causes include a dirty air filter, spark plug, and carburetor. To fix these issues, replace the fuel filter, clean the carburetor and spark plug, and replace the fuel if it is old as illustrated below.

What causes my lawn mower not to pump gas to spark plugs?

Gas-powered lawn mowers need gas to be pumped into the carburetor in order to start. Should anything obstruct the flow of gasoline, the engine won’t start. And even if it does, it’s likely to fail after a couple of minutes.

Here’s what causes mowers to not efficiently pump gas to the spark plug and ignite:

A dirty air filter

The air filter on a carburetor cleans the incoming air of dust and other debris that could cause damage to engine parts. Over time, the air filter could get clogged up, thus affecting the flow of oxygen to the engine.

When the engine does not get enough oxygen that helps with fuel combustion when the spark plug ignites your lawn mower won’t start.

Manual choke left turned on

The choke is a shaft-mounted valve within the air intake chamber of the carburetor. Its function is to block the airflow for improved suction and consequently facilitate a more efficient engine start-up.

While some chokes are automatic, some mower motors have manual chokes that the user has to turn on and off by themselves.

If you leave a manual choke on several minutes after starting the mower, the carburetor will likely flood up, leading to starting failures the next time you try to start up your lawn mower.

Clogged filters in the fuel pump

powerful mowers, such as ride-along lawn mowers, make use of fuel pumps to pump gas into the engine – instead of the gravity-feeding system that’s common in most push-along mowers.

If the filters are clogged, your lawn mower won’t start because gas will not reach the spark plug.

Stuck open valves

If the intake and exhaust valves don’t seal fully due to sticking, build-up of debris or normal wear and tear, compression is hampered, consequently creating ignition problems.

If the intake valve becomes stuck, this affects the efficiency of the flow of the air/fuel mixture to the cylinder, resulting in a lawn mower that won’t start.

Signs your lawn mower is not getting gas

There are several issues that could be causing your lawn mower not to run, including electric faults within the spark plugs as well as the causes I’ve listed above.

For instance- if your spark plug is wet, you definitely can’t get your motor to start. However- more often than not- the issue is usually caused by the cutting off of efficient fuel supply to the spark plugs.

Here are a few signs your lawn mower is not getting gas to the spark plug and won’t start due to the inability to pump gas to the engine:

Lawn mower won’t start completely

If you totally can’t get your mower to start, there could be issues with the efficiency of fuel flow to the engine.

• This is usually caused by debris collecting and blocking crucial components of the fuel intake system such as the throttle, primer button, carburetor bowl, and the fuel filter.
• A malfunctioned fuel pump.

Such clogging hampers the efficient flow of gas to the spark plugs.

Riding lawn mower starts then stops running

If your fuel tank is full, but your mower still comes to a stop after just a few seconds, it’s highly likely that the hole atop the tank’s cap has been blocked by dust and debris.

This cuts off the back pressure needed to push fuel out of the tank and into the carburetor – by cutting off air supply into the tank.

No gasoline odor

If you can’t get your mower to start and at the same time can’t sense any gas smell coming from the motor, your lawnmower has definitely run out of fuel.

Most mower brands typically include a dipstick attached to the screw cap. A dipstick is used to check the fuel level within the gas tank. It will typically have low and high-level markers.

• Dip the dipstick into the gas tank to check the gasoline level.
• If the fuel mark is below the low-level mark, it means you’re running out of gasoline and that’s why your mower won’t start.

In this case, refill the gas tank then try starting the mower again to see if the problem will have been fixed.

See also my guide on the type of gas to use with your lawn mower

How to Fix a Lawn Mower that’s Not Getting Gas

Some of these problems can occur when in the middle of mowing. A dirty spark plug, for instance, may cause your lawn mower not to have enough power for mowing. Fuel pump and filter problems too can make it not to start.

Here are simple DIY fixes you can use to correct the problem and start the lawn mower again.

Use fresh or new fuel

I found that for Craftsman mowers, old fuel tends to clog up the carburetors and cause difficulty in the flow of gasoline. As such, you should always ensure that the gasoline in your tank is as fresh as necessary.

• A good way of keeping stored oil fresher for longer is to use a gas stabilization product.
• Use a high-quality fuel stabilizer for small engines such as the Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment.

This solution will prevent fuel degradation by reducing oxidation. Your fuel will stay clean and fresh for longer.

Replace the fuel filter

If you own a Husqvarna mower and it won’t start, the most likely cause would be a clogged fuel filter. This usually happens if you’ve left fuel in your mower for long.

The best fix is to drain off the old fuel from the gas tank and replacing the filter.

Clean the carburetor

For MTD mowers, the most common cause of fuel not getting to the spark plug is a clogged-up carburetor due to the buildup of debris.

To fix the problem, clean up the carburetor by taking out the fuel bowl and spraying the carburetor with some carburetor cleaner.

A clean carburetor will get your MTD lawn mower motor running again.

Here’s a video on how to clean the carburetor on your lawn mower:

Learn the reasons why a lawn mower won’t start after winter or during peak season, and how to fix those problems.

Family Handyman

Introduction

Most of the time when a lawn mower won’t start the cause is a problem with the gas or the lawn mower carburetor.

What to Do if Your Lawn Mower Won’t Start

Whatever kind of lawn mower you’ve got, the last thing you want once winter finally lifts and spring has sprung is a lawn mower that won’t start.

If you’ve taken the proper steps to winterize your lawn mower, you’re far less likely to be dealing with such issues. It’s also why you should tune up your lawn mower at the start of every season. However, it’s not out of the ordinary to find your gas-powered lawn mower not starting from time to time, so it’s important to know why your lawn mower isn’t starting and how to fix it.

Project step-by-step (6)

Check the Gas Tank

Let’s start with the obvious. Before you have a heart attack pulling on the rip cord, you’ll want to check the fuel. Like any gasoline-powered engine, lawn mowers run out from time to time. Maybe you forgot it was running on fumes when you finished mowing last time. It sounds simple, but we’ve all overlooked the gas tank from time to time.

Even if there is gas in the mower, if the fuel’s been in there more than a month, that could be the problem. Gas sitting around too long in the tank can get contaminated with dirt and extra moisture.

So if your gasoline has been in the mower for more than month, drain the gas properly, dispose of it correctly, and fill up the mower with new gas. It may take quite a few pulls to suck the new gas into the lawn mower carburetor, so be prepared to clean and dry the plug a few more times.

Add fuel stabilizer when you fill up the tank to help protect the gasoline in there from dirt and moisture.

Family Handyman

Check the Spark Plug

Start by making sure the lawn mower spark plug cable is connected to the plug itself. It’s quite possible that it got pulled off there over the winter while the mower was being stored in the garage.

If that’s not the issue, the next step is to remove the spark plug to see if it’s wet. There’s no way the engine will start if it is. So clean the plug with carburetor cleaner and let it dry. Cleaning it with compressed air isn’t enough; you need a solvent to remove oil residue. If it’s really grimy and dirty, it might be best to change the spark plug.

Fertnig/Getty Images

Check for Debris in the Mower Deck

Grass clippings can get clogged in the mower deck, which can prevent the blade from turning. This is a common problem if you’ve cut wet grass or let the lawn get especially long and bushy between cuttings. If the cord is hard to pull, that’s a good sign that there’s debris clogging up your mower’s deck.

This is a pretty easy problem to solve. With the mower off, flip it on its side or upside down and scrape out the gummed up grass clippings. Once that’s done, you can flip it back over and start it up again.

JJ Gouin/Getty Images

Check the Air Filter

The lawn mower’s carburetor regulates the mix of gasoline and air going into the engine where it’s burned to create power. Before air goes into the carburetor it passes through the air filter which prevents dirt and debris from getting into it.

If the air filer is clogged or dirty, it throws the ratio out of whack. Sometimes that results in your lawn mower smoking, and sometimes it prevents it from starting entirely. So take a look at the air filter to see if it’s dirty. If so, you can clean it or just change it outright.

Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Check the Carburetor

Another common reason for a lawn mower that won’t start is a clogged or dirty carburetor. It can also cause your mower to run rough or spew black smoke when you’re trying to cut the grass. If that’s the case, you may need to clean the carburetor.

To get to the carburetor, you’ll have to remove the air filter. Once that’s out of the way, you can remove the carburetor in order to clean it.

Once it’s out, check for corrosion. If you see chalky/powdery white corrosion like this, it’s probably better just to replace it. To clean it, take it apart and spray carburetor cleaner on the parts and inside the housing. After that, put the carburetor back together and reinstall it in the mower.

Check the Fuel Filter

Like the air filter, the fuel filter prevents dirt and debris from getting into the combustion chamber of your lawn mower’s engine, taking that stuff out before the gas gets mixed with air in the carburetor. Problems with the fuel filter might also result in the engine sputtering or rough idling, even before it gets to the point of preventing the mower from starting.

To start, tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas. If that doesn’t work, you might have a clogged filter.

Not all lawn mowers have a fuel filter, but for the ones that do, it’s usually located in the fuel line or the fuel tank. To find out where the fuel filter is at, check your lawn mower’s owners manual, which will also tell you what type of filter it is.

If the filter is in the fuel tank, you’ll need to drain the gas from the mower into a drain pan, assuming you can’t run the engine until it’s out of gas. If the filter is in the fuel line, clamp off the fuel line before removing the filter. Once you have the filter off, you can check to see if it’s dirty and clogged by holding it up the light. If it is, install a new one. Make sure it works with this lawn mower maintenance checklist.

Mtd riding mower carburetor

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I purchased a Huskee 4200 lawnmower from Tractor Supply. Don’t have enough room on here to list everything wrong with it. But trust me it was a complete waste of money. Nothing but junk.You could take a couple hundred dollars and buy an old Murray.

Horrible. This is probably the worst mower you could purchase. The mower I purchased is a 30” cut riding mower manufactured for Sears. I purchased this mower in 2018. It is a 2017 model so it was already at least a year old when purchased. At the end of the first year I had to replace the drive belt that shredded and left me in my front yard and in the past two years I have had to replace this belt every two to three uses. I replaced the pulley and belts back in June and today 8-21-2021 I just shredded another belt. These mowers are a headache from start to finish. I will never purchase anything that touched by the letters MTD. #MTDISJUNK

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JUNK, save yourself a headache and steer clear of this garbage, tires, gas cap, switches all junk, COMPLETE GARBAGE, FIND A BETTER BRAND BECAUSE THIS BRAND IS NOT GOOD, BEST FIRST TO CHECK REVIEWS ON ALL.

I would not recommend the Columbia lawn tractor. It has been in repair mode more often than it runs. I had it one week before it had to be picked up for repair. I hope to donate it while it is running.

Your company does not know what y’all are doing. I placed a order with y’all on 3/20/21 and paid extra for shipping on the first order for the lawnmower blade to have my money taken out of our bank account and NEVER RECEIVED THE PRODUCTS. Come to find out they NEVER SHIPPED THE LAWNMOWER BLADE OUT AFTER I CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT MY ORDER. The second order was on 3/20/21 also for the lawnmower air filter. We still have NEVER Received the air filter but y’all have taken my money out of my bank account. We were given our money back on the blade from 3/20/21. But I have called several times and no one can tell me why we can’t receive our orders. They continue telling me it’s waiting to be picked up by UPS. Then I ordered again for 2 lawnmower blades on 3/28/21 because I need these products to be able to run the lawnmower.

They have lied about everything telling me first that the products were shipped out and they were never shipped come to find out. I have never dealt with such a horrible company, that’s with everything down from to customers service and warehouse department. The sad thing is that I have called 3 times and got a case numbers in regards of the orders and nothing been done. All of this has been very disappointing on how a company like themselves treat their customers. Still nothing has been done on none of these orders. They just keep telling you that it’s waiting to be picked up by UPS. Susan is very unprofessional, very rude and has no compassion for the customers. I could go on but I think I have said enough. IF I WOULD HAVE READ THE OTHER REVIEWS I WOULD HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH THIS HORRIBLE COMPANY.

My mother purchases a Troybilt self propel mower that came with a 2 yr manufactured warranty, used to cut a half an acre lot and did it 16-18 times a year. Start cutting grass in March wont stay cranked. Took carb off to clean and empty gas out and refilled and the mower would stop and not crank. After 30 min air filter was little dirty, the MTD finds theses independent shops, gives them video courses and all the sudden their train technician in my opinion not facts. Their china brand crap is invading the market. It’s too poorly made to fix and cost more than buying the mower and only little under 2 yrs. Horrible company. Stay away. Buy Honda or Ariens. Not crap mtd products. Wont honor warranty.

I ordered a riding mower with the Stow Hauler attachment on July 1,2020. I have received the mower, but have received no communication from MTD regarding the hauler. I have tried to contact them on numerous occasions, but get put on hold for A VERY LONG TIME, and ultimately have not been able to find out anything. They are hiding from the public because their service is SO POOR! I will make it a point in the future to NOT BUY these products. This company’s interest in helping customers is non-existent. NEVER AGAIN!!

I purchased a couple parts for my Huskee mower (MTD motor) on Sunday, 04/26 from mtdparts.com. I paid for the 2-4 day shipping option. Five days went by, and my order was still not shipped, so I finally attempted to contact MTD via phone and chat on Friday morning, 05/01. I waited on hold on the phone for an hour and a half, and kept trying the chat agent for two and a half hours (retrying when it said no agent was available), and got no contact with anyone. Finally, I received an email on Tuesday, 05/05, informing me my order shipped.

I understand things are tough with the COVID pandemic, but the utter lack of communication or announcements on any of MTD’s online presences (including MTDparts.com) is unacceptable. Even something like “all orders may be delayed” would have been fine. At least then, I’d know to go somewhere else if my needs were time-sensitive. It is absolutely infuriating that I cannot get anyone to give me an explanation, refund the extra shipping I paid, etc. I will never use MTDparts.com again.

First off I just have to say I absolutely love these negative reviews from people who bought one of these tractors and complain because it shuts off when they put it in reverse and they can’t mow backwards, that is just hilarious, or they get out of the seat and the tractor dies so they go buy a new battery! LOL that is priceless! So anyway I have a 1997 Huskee GT and this thing has been the best garden tractor, mower, bulldozer, rototiller, snow plower oh, anything you can think of! I’ve pulled stumps with this thing!

MTD makes the absolute BEST yard equipment as far as I’m concerned and IF my 1997 ever gives up the ghost, I’ll buy another one just like her, and if she outlives me I’ll pass it down to my son who is almost the same exact age. Thanks MTD for years of hard work and producing tough, high quality machines (that are so thoughtful they shut off if you leave your seat).

I purchased an MTD lawn mower 7/30/2018 and used it 3 times before putting it up for the winter. It was stored under a protected carport. I used only gasoline that had been treated for ethanol. When I tried to start it in April 2019 it would not start. I took it to authorized service and paid 85 to have it diagnosed. Their evaluation was that it needed a new carburetor and that it was not covered by warranty. I called the MTD customer service and they said that due to EPA requirements that the jets in the carburetor had been made smaller and that was probably the problem. They also said it was not covered by warranty. I’ve read many other reviews saying the same kind of thing. This company should not be allowed to sell a product that only lasts for 3 uses.

Modern Tool and Die Company author review by ConsumerAffairs Research Team

MTD has an 80-year history with a headquarters in Valley City, Ohio. This riding mower manufacturer focuses on mid-range options for residential customers and commercial usage.

• 1.36-gallon fuel tank: This fuel tank holds enough gas to complete small yards.
• 20 HP: The mid-range engine provides enough power for the typical homeowner.
• Affordable: These affordable riding mowers provide a budget conscious option for homeowners.
• 2-year warranty: A limited warranty gives protection against problems soon after purchase.
• 42-inch deck: This cutting deck accommodates up to two-acre lawns without difficulties.

The ConsumerAffairs Research Team believes everyone deserves to make Smart decisions. We aim to provide readers with the most up-to-date information available about today’s consumer products and services.

Where Is Carburetor On Lawn Mower? Beginners guide with pics

Mower engines are quite compact, locating components can be difficult, not to worry, this guide will clearly identify your carburetor, fill you in on what it does, and the fastest way to find it. I also share a top mechanics tip to prevent the common carburetor problems. (Gumming)

A mower carburetor is located behind the air filter on the side of the engine, opposite side to the muffler.

In this post, you’ll learn how to locate and identify your lawn mower carburetor and your mower air filter.

Identifying The Mower Air Filter

A mower carburetor lives behind the air filter and is often hidden from view. So first we’ll locate the air filter, finding the air filter means we found the carburetor, make sense? The air filter is positioned to one side of the engine, makes and models differ as to which side. But no matter what engine or model, they all tend to use a black plastic air filter cover. Once you’ve located the cover, finding the carburetor is a ton easier.

Most mower’s air filter covers are rectangle in shape and employ easy tools less access for on-the-fly air filter cleaning. A regular type of carburetor lives behind the air filter housing and is identified by its shiny metal bowl shape, but we’ll look at carburetors a little later. For now, check out these pictures and try to identify the air filter cover.

What Does A Mower Carburetor Look Like?

Most carburetors look very similar, with small metal components with levers and springs and the characteristic bowl shape under the carburetor body.

Carburetor – Standard carburetor type with the bowl.

If you had a carburetor in your hand you’d notice an opening front and back, that’s where air enters the carburetor and is forced through the venturi, drawing fuel from the bowl as it travels onto the combustion chamber. What I have described are the standard and most common type of carburetor, but not all carbs look like this.

Briggs Stratton carburetor and tank assembly – A common Briggs and Stratton carburetor fitted to the Classic and Quantum engines, it’s a plastic carb and metal gas tank assembly.

This type of carburetor is somewhat similar, as it lives under the air filter and employs levers and springs to control engine rpm. However, it doesn’t use a conventional gas bowl, instead of the gas tank assembly and carburetor work together to perform all the functions of a carburetor.

New Type Plastic Carburetors – It’s worth noting the latest carburetor types are plastic, they still live behind the air filter housing and employ levers and springs and a gas bowl. However, the bowl may not be as pronounced as the traditional bowl.

Common Carburetor Problems Fixes

Carburetors although small and insignificant looking are in fact very sophisticated and crucial to your mower engine performance. A mower engine requires a mixture of fuel and air in order to run. The ratio of fuel to air also known as the AFR (air-fuel ratio) is 14.7 to 1 (written 14.7:1).

The carburetor is tasked with maintaining this ratio, and that’s no easy task. Fuel demands change as the engine cuts grass or idles or traverses up a steep hill, the carburetor needs to make adjustments immediately.

If the carb supplies too little gas to the mix, the engine loses power and/or dies. If on the other hand, the carb supplies too much gas to the mix, the engine stumbles, blows black smoke, and operates at reduced power. When the ratio is off, it may be the fault of the carburetor, however many times it’s not.

A blocked air filter will prevent enough fresh air from reaching the carburetor, this often results in black smoke and poor performance. A common fix for many carburetor problems is gas bowl draining, it’s easy to do and for many fixes, there is a poor running, mower. Check out draining the gas bowl video here.

Blocked Jet

A blocked fuel line or fuel filter will prevent enough gas from reaching the mower. However, the most common type of carburetor issue is contaminated gas (old, dirty, or water in the gas). The next most common carburetor problem is dirt in the fuel jet and emulsion tube.

The jets and tube are tasked with metering the fuel through small holes, as you can imagine when these holes are obstructed, the ratio is off. The most common repair I make to mowers in a season is carburetor cleaning.

Old gas gums up the carburetor and causes a ton of easily preventable problems. I replace a ton of carburetors. Gumming and is such a preventable issue. I’ve covered this common repair in this post “Mower stats then dies”, or check out the video library if you need video help with carburetors or other common mower problems.

This mechanics top tip – Use a gas stabilizer. Adding a gas stabilizer will prevent carburetor gumming over the winter hibernation months, come spring it’s pull and mow, Nice! Check out the gas stabilizer video here and you’ll find a link there to the stabilizer I recommend.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!