A Convincing Explanation For “Why Is My Lawn Mower Hard To Pull Start?”

Good day,

The mower getting hard to start is not uncommon, especially when you use an old machine. Without regular maintenance and weather impacts during the usage process, your mower can decrease in quality and malfunction. 

So, why is my lawn mower hard to pull start? I will discuss the reasons behind this issue and introduce some effective methods to fix your machine.

Now let’s jump straight in to avoid wasting your time!

Why Is My Lawn Mower Hard To Pull Start?

When the spark plug gets damaged due to collisions or environmental impact, it will make the machine fail to pull start. 

However, this component is not the sole cause of the problem. Sometimes the issue may come from the mower’s air filter, which is responsible for directing the airflow to the machine’s engine. Over time, the dirt and debris from grass will slowly build up and block your air filter. 

As a result, the airflow cannot get to the engine, making it fail to pull start. In addition, you need to inspect the other essential parts of the machine, like the carburetor, battery, and fuel mix. 

You should not leave the fuel mix in the tank unused for too long because it will get stale and damage the mower’s engine. Like the air filter, the carburetor can get clogged with dirt and debris, thus blocking the engine’s fuel supply. 

For modern electric mowers that use a battery instead of fuel, the most likely culprit is the battery cell. Check if your machine’s battery is dead or has decreased in capacity after a long period.

Read more: Does A Lawn Mower Take Regular Gas?

Old Mowers May Have Worn Down

How Can I Make My Lawn Mower Pull Easier To Start? 

As mentioned above, the dirty, damaged, or loose components in your mower machine will cause pulling start problems. Here are a few measures you can follow to fix this problem. 

Open the machine cover and inspect the spark plug first because it’s the foremost critical part. Ensure that the spark plug is not loose, dirty, or damaged. 

You can also use a clean cloth to wipe the dust stuck on the spark plug and retighten it. Then, move on to the air filter, fuel filter, and carburetor to check and perform the same process. 

All these components will inevitably get dirty and clogged with dust after a long usage time. If any of them has worn down and made it impossible to start the mower, you should replace the damaged components. 

Lastly, don’t forget to check the fuel line. A clogged or loose fuel line will emit the gas when it’s transferred to the mower engine. Also, ensure that the fuel in the tank is pure and in good condition. 

After checking and fixing all the components, use an ignition device to limit if your mower can start now. If the problem persists, please bring your machine to a professional machine repair store.

Read more: [Top 5] Best Grit For Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades

Dirt And Dead Grass Can Build Up On The Machine’s Components

Can You Start A Lawn Mower Without The Pull Cord? 

Most mower machines can only pull start by using the pull cord. This component allows users to remove the mower manually by moving its flying wheel.

However, you can still start a mower without using the pull cord if the machine features a push-button or electric starter. However, you still need to move the flywheel inside the device to start it. 

If you want to pull the machine without using the cord, the only solution is to move the flywheel utilizing some mechanism manually. I will introduce one efficient way to do this in the next section. 

How To Start A Lawn Mower Without The Pull Cord? 

You can start the mower by wrapping a rope on its flywheel and pulling the chord to move the component. In this situation, the string plays the role of the pull cord, and you need to pull it correctly to start the machine. 

To access the flywheel, please open the mower’s cover and remove the plastic box that protects this component. The plastic cover may be attached using a few screws, so you will need a screwdriver for this task. 

After removing the plastic box, wrap the rope on the nut of the flywheel (a metal ring located in its center). Now, you can quickly pull this rope with sufficient force to trigger the combustion system and start the machine. 

Can You Use A Drill To Start A Lawn Mower? 

Like the previous method that uses a rope to move the flywheel, you can use a drill to spin this component and start the machine. However, I don’t recommend this method because it can potentially damage your mower. 

Without properly securing the flywheel, the drill could damage this component and cost you a lot of money to repair. If possible, please use a pull cord or a rope to minimize the risks.

Use a Drill to fix a Lawn Mower

How To Start A Lawn Mower With A Drill? 

The process is straightforward. You must first ensure that the drill’s size can fit the nut (the metal ring in the middle of the flywheel). Then, attach the drill to this nut and start spinning to pull the mower. 

Final Thoughts

In summary, damaged components like spark plugs and battery or dirty air filters and clogged carburetors can make the mower fail to start. 

It’s critical to scrutinize these components to find out the problem. For traditional mowers that run on fuel and gas, check if the gas mixture inside its engine has gone stale. Old fuel will make it harder to burn and can potentially damage the engine. 

I hope the answers provided in this post can help you understand more about the causes and come up with proper solutions. Thank you for reading!