How to Start a Lawnmower with a Bad Starter | Complete Guide

The starter is usually the first thing to check when your lawnmower won’t start. If you’re not sure how to replace it, this article will show you how!

Here Is a Quick Process To Start a Lawnmower With A Bad Starter:

 Step 1:

Remove any other wires that are not necessary for starting your lawnmower. This includes kill switch wiring and choke wire if applicable.

Step 2:

Next, detach the starter from the engine by removing bolts (or screws) with a wrench or socket set. Carefully remove the starter so as not to break it into two pieces; make sure you know which way is “up” on the part of the starter that attaches to the engine before pulling off.

 Step 3:

Now try turning over how to start a lawnmower with a bad starter.

What is a lawnmower starter?

  1. A lawnmower starter is a device that facilitates the starting of a lawnmower engine.
  2. The starter consists of a starter motor, battery, and flywheel that turns the motor shaft to spin the engine shaft.
  3. Lawnmowers need two things to start: electrical power from a battery and rotational power from a flywheel.
  4. A lawnmower starter puts both together, spinning the flywheel with an electric motor to make a spark for the gasoline-powered engine. Once it’s going, you can turn off the starter and let it run on its own.

How to start a lawnmower with a bad starter – Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1:

First, you will need to identify the problem and fix it. If your starter is bad then you will need to replace it or bring in a professional.

Step 2:

Next, check your battery by checking its voltage level and charging it if needed. If your battery needs to be charged, do so as soon as possible.

Step 3:

Once you have checked that the battery is good, disconnect any other wires that are not necessary for starting your lawnmower.

Step 4:

Now try turning on the lawnmower by using either a screwdriver or wire brush.

Attach one of these to the positive cable, and attach the other end to any metal part of your lawnmower.

Next, move away from your lawnmower and try starting it. If you succeed then your problem was indeed the starter, but there may be another issue that is preventing your lawnmower from turning on.

Step 5:

If this does not fix the issue then you need to replace the game battery by disconnecting one wire at a time until the lawnmower turns on.

Why Do Lawnmower Starters Fail?

Lawn Mower starters are not subjected to the same level of wear and tear as, say, engines are. Still, they are used on a regular basis. This can sometimes lead to them failing prematurely even though they have no serious defects.

The most common cause of failure is overheating. The overheating may be caused by poor design or simply being used in high humidity. It might also be due to improper installation, overloading the machine by heavy mowing of wet grass, or slowing down while turning on slopes.

Whatever the cause, overheating damages the insulation between cells in the starter’s windings until finally they short out and fail when put under load again. This causes the coils in the starter to prematurely wear out. When this happens they won’t function properly, even if they are still in one piece.

A broken starter will turn the engine very slowly when it is working; if it slips too much an engine can be damaged by lack of oil pressure or water not being burned up fast enough (if there is no cooling fan).

How To Test A Bad Starter With A Multimeter?

Sometimes the starter will act up and you won’t be able to start your lawnmower. This is usually because there is corrosion buildup in the starter or connecting wires. Removing this corrosion can be really easy with a few household items.

  1. The first step in removing the corrosion is to test your starter to see if it still works. You can do this by using a multimeter to measure the resistance of your connecting wires when you turn the key on and off.
  2. There should be an increase in resistance when you turn the key on and an additional drop when you turn it off. If not, then one or more of your connections are probably corroded.
  3. If your connections are corroded, then use sandpaper to remove the corrosion.
  4. Dampen the sandpaper and sand until the corrosion is gone. Once it’s removed, your lawnmower should start right up.
  5. If your connections are not corroded and you still can’t get it to work, then there may be something wrong with the starter or battery itself.

If you think the battery might be bad, then check the voltage level. This can be done with a multimeter or by taking it to your local parts store and having them do it for you.

 If the battery is good, then bring in a professional to diagnose what’s wrong with the starter.

The Parts Of The Lawnmower Engine That Are Important For Starting It Up

The parts of the lawnmower engine that are important for starting it up are-

  1. Bushing

The bushing is an important part of the lawnmower engine because it helps to reduce some of the friction between the flywheel.

  1. Flywheel

The flywheel is a disc with a high inertia mass that is used to generate motion.

  1. Pulley

Pulleys are flat disks on either side that are used to transmit motion from one shaft to another.

  1. Starter

A starter is a device used to start an internal combustion engine by turning over the motor.

Sign Of An Impending Failure

A bad starter is a sign of impending motor failure. If it is not immediately rectified, then more problems will arise.

Start by checking why the starter failed. Did you overcharge the battery? Is there a loose connection somewhere in the system?

Look for any wires that are not necessary for starting your lawnmower.

Why does the lawnmower starter get hot?

  • The lawnmower starter gets hot because of sparks that cause heat.
  • Lawnmower starters are usually made from plastic composite material, which means they can melt if left on too long.
  • When lawn mowers are used in damp conditions it is more likely that the starter will get hot and potentially melt.

Start A Lawnmower With A Screwdriver

You can start a lawnmower with a screwdriver or an ice pick by using the following steps:

Step 1:

You need to remove the screws on the side of your lawnmower’s engine.

Step 2:

Remove any wires that are not needed for starting the engine and connecting it to power.

Step 3:

Now turn the screwdriver or ice pick in between the flywheel and starter shaft until it is caught securely.

Step 4:

Now turn your starter until it starts rotating and then keep turning it.

Conclusion

It is important to know the various ways that starters fail, as well as what signs of impending failure you should keep an eye out for.

This way you can take proactive measures before there are problems.  For example, if your lawnmower starter gets hot during use it could be a sign of imminent failure and needs replacing right away.

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