Garden

Experienced gardeners share their insights in answering this question :
The mower deck there is a problem with safety switch under seat

How to Identify and Fix Common Gardening Problems ?

We provide a variety of viewpoints on how to identify and fix common gardening problems. Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced gardeners :

Belt-the number one cause for your blades not to engage is that your belt is either stretched or loose causing it to slip or fall off completely. Belt could have snapped also. When you are trying to process too much grass/leaves they could pack up under your deck and push off your belt.
Discharged battery, faulty electrical connection (battery circuit), battery leads too long or wire diameter too small, or incorrect size battery (too small). To address these issues, check the battery and charging system for problems. Wrong oil viscosity for temperature expected.
Touch the metal shaft of a screwdriver to both of the large terminals at the same time. If the engine turns over and starts, the solenoid is bad and should be replaced. If the starter motor does not run, the motor itself is probably defective.
The reasons why mower is not moving forward or reverse is that the battery is dead, or due to clogged fuel line. Additionally, malfunctioning transmission, or a broken drive belt, also a faulty spark plug, even when friction wheel isn`t in contact with the friction plate, or damaged Tires.
Worn or broken blade drive belt – If the riding mower blades are not spinning, the blade drive belt may be worn or broken and unable to engage the blades. If the belt is intact, inspect it to see if it`s loose or slipping on the pulleys then replace it with a new one if necessary.
Power take-off (PTO) clutches provide a mechanical disconnect between the power created by gas and diesel engines or electric motors to another piece of equipment. The PTO clutches enable the transmission of that energy to auxiliary equipment that does not generate its own power.
If/when the PTO exceeds the preselected RPM setting, the EOC will de-energize the solenoid valve, disengaging the PTO.
Deformed Blade

In some cases, the unnatural shape of the blade can be enough to prevent you from tightening it properly. A bent shape can also mess with the blade`s overall balance. An unbalanced mower blade can produce vibrations that will loosen the bolt over time.

Discover Relevant Questions and Answers for Your Specific Issue

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

I have had a poulan pro 550 series push mower for almost 1 year at the end of the season last year the mower would start briefly and then stop. i have cleaned out the air filter and that did not help.the mower started, i made one revolution around the yard 3/4th of the way the mower quit. I then primed the mower it started then quit and now it will not start at all. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to do. Thanks
ANSWER : There is a little spring that works the carburetor arm. If that popped off then the mower will not run.

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I have a troy bilt riding mower. I put a new battery in it last summer. This yr., my son left the key in on positon when he got done cutting the grass. Naturally it killed the battery, I jump started the mower and cut grass for 4 hrs., but the battery did not charge. What could the problem be?
ANSWER : It may not be charging due to a bad connection to the battery or to the generator on the engine. The generator on the engine may be going or has gone bad.I hope this helps.

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Lawn mower cranck but wont start…
ANSWER : Since you already checked for spark and air I would drain all the fuel out of it and check that fuel for water. Over time some lawn mowers end up with contaminated fuel. You can see the water sitting on the bottom of the fuel if you let it stand for a bit in a small plastic bowl.

Be sure to empty and dry out you fuel can as well. Especially if the mower stopped running right after a refuel. Which is a good sign your gas can is contaminated too.

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Lawn mower motor runs good, the drive wheels run good but the blade won’t stay enguaged. Thanks
ANSWER : Check your cable that controls the blade engagement.

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When I hold the bar down that engages the blade it will not cut?
ANSWER : Is the blade sharp?

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Why wont my mower start and gas comes out of muffler
ANSWER : Carb is flooding out ether bad plug or your carberator needs rebuilt

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I have a Poulan push mower that after mowing in a ditch started making a loud noise and running rough. It almost sounded as if metal was hitting metal. The mower was vibrating more than normal. I checked under the mower and nothing is hitting. After a few times of stopping the mower engine because it sound as if it is going to die down the mower will not start now. The shaft does not appear bent and the blade appears ok. The mower has oil, a good spark plug and a clean air filter. It was running fine until that moment. I did not see anything that I hit but it is possible I hit something in the ditch like a pine cone or branch. What could the problem be and how would I go about fixing it?
ANSWER : If you are sure the oil level is correct then it sounds like it’s about to die, unfortunately. A pine cone shouldn’t cause any damage, but a large branch may do so. Was it smoking before you shut it down? The vibration could be caused from a bent blade. It could also be caused from a part breaking in the motor. I wish I could have given you better news!

Good Luck,

Jim

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YARD MACHINE MOWER NOT A YEAR OLD YET AND IT CRUDDIES UP EACH NEW SPARK PLUG AND SMOKES, NOT RUNNING WELL. ITS RUNS REAL FAST AND THEN REAL SLOW, SPUTTERS. I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT AIR FILTER CLEAN AND OIL CHANGED. WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM? MY SON THINKS ITS THE RINGS AND SAID I SHOULD TAKE IT BACK TO HOME DEPOT BUT I’VE HAD IT FOR 11 MONTHS. WHAT SHOULD i do??
ANSWER : Return the mower if possible for warranty repair or call MTD with the issue. MTD mowers typically are good quality and should run like new for a long time with proper care. Depot may give you a 1-800 number instead of customer service so before you load up the mower talk to them. It does sound like a bad valve seat or rings either one is not typical wear and tear.

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