Find solutions fast. No fluff, confusion, or jargon in these guides!
Index

Mower Basics
- Adding a gas stabilizer (video)
- Checking & adding engine oil
- Gas tap location
- Mower cleaning
- Oil type
- Oil quantity
- Removing engine oil
- Starting a mower
- Storing a mower
Troubleshooting By Symptoms
Blade – Deck – Drive System – Engine
Blade troubleshooting

- Blade bolt stuck
- Chute clogging
- Mower leaving uncut grass
- Mower leaving a strip of grass
- The grass bag won’t fill
Deck troubleshooting

Drive system troubleshooting

- Common self-drive faults (video)
- Lawn mower hard to push
- Mower drive system slow
- Self-propelled wheels won’t turn
Engine troubleshooting

- Brand new mower won’t start
- Common no start mower causes (video)
- Honda mower won’t start
- Honda mower surging (video)
- Mower engine won’t start
- Mower engine won’t start (no spark)
- Mower engine won’t turn off
- Mower engine hard to start when hot
- Mower engine cranks but won’t start
- Mower engine starts then stops
- Mower engine starts then dies (video)
- Mower stops after 30 minutes cutting
- Mower ran out of gas now won’t start
- Mower engine surging
- Mower engine surging (video)
- Mower engine overheating
- Mower engine flooded
- Mower engine won’t start video, tools & parts
- Toro Timemaster won’t start
- Toro won’t shut off
Pull Cord
- Pull cord kicks back
- Pull cord won’t catch
- Pull cord broken
- Pull cord hard to pull
- Pull cord faults video, tools & parts
Smoke
- Mower engine blowing white smoke
- Mower blowing black smoke
- Mower engine blowing black smoke (video)
- Mower engine smokes on start-up
- White smoke from engine (video)
Fluid leaks
Mower Repairs Index
Blades – Deck – Drive system – Engine – Fuel system – Ignition system
Fluff-free Mower Repair Guides

Blade repairs

- How to sharpen a blade (video)
- How to remove a blade (video)
- How to remove a stuck blade
- How to use a torque wrench (video)
Deck repairs

- How to prevent rust (video)
- How to protect the mower deck
- Mower deck cleaning
- Mower cleaning tools
- Replacing mower deck
Drive system repairs

- How to replace the drive cable
- How to replace wheels (video)
- How to adjust the drive cable
- Replace the drive belt
Engine repairs

Engine maintenance
- Common oil leaks
- How to tune up your mower
- How to check the engine oil
- How to add engine oil
- Oil quantity
- Oil type
- Tune-up video with tools & parts links
Gaskets & seals
Pull cord
Valve train

Fuel system repairs
- Adding gas stabilizer (video)
- Briggs & Stratton (Classic) carburetor cleaning (video)
- Briggs & Stratton (Intek & Quantum) carburetor cleaning (video)
- Briggs & Stratton (e-Series) carburetor cleaning (video)
- Cleaning carburetor
- Draining gas bowl (video)
- Gas tap (video)
- Honda carburetor cleaning (video)
- Locating your carburetor
- Kohler carburetor cleaning (video)
- Replacing a primer bulb (video)
- Replacing gas filter
- Using a fuel tap
Ignition system repairs

Coil/Armature
- Checking & replacing shear key (video)
- Ignition system testing (video)
- Replacing a coil/armature
- Testing coil/armature (video)
- Testing coil/armature
- What is a coil/armature?
- Where is the coil/armature located?
Spark plug
- Checking spark plug
- Checking spark plug (video)
- Cleaning spark plug (video)
- Gapping spark plug (video)
Winterizing
Tools & Parts
- Best torque wrench for tightening mower blades
- Carburetor removal and cleaning tools and supplies
- Mower blade maintenance tools
- Mower accessories
- New carburetors
- Repair tools identification video
- Small engine repair tools
- Torque wrench setting and use (video)
Repair Safety
Recommended Mowers
Mower FAQs
- Why are mowers so loud?
- Are mower blades universal?
- How to protect mower deck?
- Are gas caps universal?
- Will mower run without air filter?
- Does my mower need oil?
- Do I need mower insurance?
- New blades need sharpening?
- How to reduce mower pollution?
- How to clean mower deck?
- Do mowers have titles?
- Should I buy a mower or pay someone?
- Can you cut grass after frost?
- How long will an electric mower last?
- Can you cut grass in November?
- Do mowers pick up leaves?
- Can you cut grass with morning dew?
- Where to sell my mower?
- How long do Toro mowers last?
- Should I buy a used lawn mower?
- Should I buy a Toro Timemaster?
- Should I buy a new mower?
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John Cunningham is an Automotive Technician and writer at Lawnmowerfixed.com.
He’s been a mechanic for over twenty-five years and shares his know-how and hands-on experience in our DIY repair guides.
Johns’s fluff-free How-to guides help homeowners fix lawnmowers, tractor mowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, power washers, generators, snow blowers, and more.