Top 18 Reasons Why Your Troy Bilt Lawn Mower Wont Start
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If you have a relatively big yard, a Troy Bilt lawnmower is one of the go-to tools for easy landscaping and grass-cutting. What should you do if your mower has problems?
Here, our experts dive into the solutions when your Troy Bilt lawn mower wont start.
Issue #1: Gas Tank Isn’t Enough Or Empty
At any given time, your lawnmower is run by fuel or gas. Most lawnmowers are gas-powered, and it is easy to identify why they wont start. The gas task is empty or doesnt have enough gas to make it start.
Fill With Fresh Fuel
It is essential to check your gas tank from time to time. To keep your Troy Bilt running, a good recommendation for that is to fill your gas tank with fresh fuel. It is also to keep your motor good maintenance to extend the life span of your Troy Bilt.
Issue #2: Old Or Wrong Type Of Gas
You must make sure your Troy Bilt is fueled with fresh gas. You can also damage the quality of your gasoline if you don’t clean your lawn for a while or haven’t used your mower in a while. Filling your gas tank with the wrong type of gas can also damage your lawnmowers motor.
Repair: Drain The Fuel Tank And Fill With Fresh Fuel
If you accidentally filled your gas tank with the wrong gas, all you need to do is drain your fuel tank and fill it with the right fresh fuel with a fuel additive. This will help stabilize and clean your fuel system, especially if the fuel was incorrectly poured.
Issue #3: Gas Cap Won’t Vent
Its possible that your vent is plugged, giving no fuel to your engine. To identify this issue, you need to remove your gas cap to see if it is venting. If it is venting, place the lid back and run it continuously. This is to check if your lawnmower starts to spit and shuts down automatically after.
Fix: Clean The Gas Cap
Your lawnmower will shut down if it has been checked for fuel. If your lawnmower stops working after checking the vent, it is likely that your gas cap has become clogged. If the cleaning fails, it is time to replace your gas caps.
Issue #4: Damaged Spark Plug Or Loose Connection
Your spark plug could be a reason your Troy Bilt is having trouble starting up. You might have loose connections, dirt on the tip, or damage over time.
Repair: Check And Remove Spark Plug
Check your spark plug if it is not properly gapped, if there is carbon build-up, especially on the tip or if it might have a broken porcelain insulator. If there are damages, replace the spark plug with a new one.
Issue #5: Plugged Air Filter
As time goes by, dirt and grass clippings can get lodged in your filter. This can cause your engine to have reduced air flow. Hence, this will make your engine overwork and leads to overheating and shutting down. This will also damage your lawnmowers internal engine, which may cost you a lot more than finding a new filter.
Fix: Remove And Check Air Filter
Remove and check your air filter for dirt and grass cuttings build-up. Tap your filter onto a hard surface to clean it. Since this is a paper air filter, you can hold it up to see if light passes through it. If it is not, it’s time to replace the air filter.
In another case, for a foam filter, you can wash it with dish soap. Your foam filter can be rinsed and dried flat by air drying. If your foam filter has already been torn or brittle or has brown spots, our team recommends replacing it with a new one.
Issue #6: Bad Fuel Pump
Over time, your Troy Bilts fuel pumps can go bad. Your old fuel could be the reason. It may cause damage to the internal parts of your pump that later on will leak, and the engine will not receive sufficient fuel to start.
Repair: Replace The Fuel Pump
You should replace your fuel pump if this happens.
Issue #7: Fuel Filter
One reason that your lawnmower wont start is because of a plugged fuel filter. The filter keeps dirt and debris out of your fuel tank but can get clogged up over time.
Repair: Replace The Fuel Filter
You need to replace your fuel filter if it is already plugged.
Issue #8: Fuel Line Clogged
A clogged fuel line is caused by old or bad fuel. Thats why it is important to fill your tank with fresh fuel. A clogged fuel line can stop fuel from passing to your engine, and this causes your Troy Bilt not to work.
Fix: Unclog The Fuel Line
Unclog the fuel line by locating first which line gets clogged and removing it from the mower. Spray the carburetor cleaner into the tube to loosen the blockage. Blow air into the line to remove the blockage using compressed air.
Issue #9: Clogged Carburetor
Old and dirty fuel can cause a clogged carburetor. Your lawnmower will not work if your carburetor becomes clogged.
Cleanse The Carburetor Thoroughly
The carburetor has lots of small components when cleaning. You can either contact an engine mechanic to clean your carburetor yourself or have it replaced by one.
Issue #10: Bad Battery, Loose Cables, Or Corroded Terminals
To start your Troy Bilt lawnmower, you need a strong battery, good cables, and clean terminals. If one of these is not in good shape, the engine cant work.
Fix #1: Charge And Test Your Battery
Your battery is an important component. Check and test your battery to see if it still has enough volts to supply power to your engine. If it is not, you will need to replace it.
Fix #2: Clean Corroded Terminals
You can use natural cleaners and scrub with a wire brush to clean the corroded terminals.
Issue #11: Defective Safety Shift
To work, every part of the Troy Bilt lawnmower must be connected. If your Troy Bilt lawn mower wont start, it may be because the safety switch is defective.
Fix: Test The Switch
You can use a multimeter to test the safety switch for defects.
Issue #12: Ignition Coil Or Defective Ignition Switch
As soon as you try to turn on the switch and your mower wont start, the problem could be either the ignition coil or the ignition switch.
Fix: Multimeter Test Ignition Switch
To identify the problem with your ignition switch, test it using a multimeter . If it is bad, replacing it is a need. To verify that the spark plug is functioning, you can test the continuity of the ignition coil with a multimeter. If there is a break in the continuity, you need to replace the ignition coil.
Issue #13: Defective Starter Solenoid
You can identify if the starter solenoid is defective or bad; when you turn your ignition key, there is a hum or click. Try to check if the wire attached to the solenoid gets hot and starts to melt or smoke.
Fix: Test The Solenoid
Test your mowers solenoid with a battery charger if your solenoid is mounted with a starter. This will also test your starter if it is working with the solenoid.
Issue #14: Bad Recoil
Your mower’s recoil can wear over time. This and the whole recoil assembly will affect the clips, pulley, or strings. Your lawn mower will stop working if these parts become damaged or worn.
Fix: Replace The Spring And Restring The Recoil
Re-seal the recoil and replace the spring. You should also check for damage to any other parts of the recoil in case this causes an engine failure. You will need to replace your recoil assembly if this happens.
Issue #15: Blown Fuse
If the problem is with the electrical system of your Troy Bilt, then the cause for this is the fuse. It might have been damaged or blown.
Replace The Fuse
In replacing the fuse, make sure that you have the same amperage. It is important to determine the cause of a blown fuse if it continues to blow. This can be done with the assistance of a Troy Bilt dealer, or a lawnmower repair specialist.
Issue #16: Faulty Charging
Your charging system may be the reason your mower suddenly stops working. And this may prevent your mower from working the next time. The charging system can drain your battery and prevent your mower from starting again.
Fix: Repair Charging System
In repairing your charging system, you can have your Troy Bilt dealer help you fix the problem or a local lawn mower repair shop.
Issue #17: The Wrong Operating Procedure
It is important to follow the procedure when starting your Troy Bilt lawnmower. If you pass other instructions, it probably wont work the way it should.
Fix: Review Your Lawn Mower’s Operating Manual
Before starting anything with your mower, read and review every step and not miss any instructions.
Issue #18: Damaged Flywheel Key
This gets damaged when something hard like a rock hits it. The engine will not start if the flywheel key is broken.
For Damages, Fix: Use The Flywheel Key
Check the flywheel key if there is damage. Once you have located the damage, take it out and replace it.
FAQ
Is the fuse on a Troy Bilt riding mower dead?
A Troy Bilt riding mower’s fuse is located between the key switch, battery, and wiring harness. It may differ depending on the design and age of the mower. The fuse can be seen under the hood, just behind the steering wheel panel or beneath the seat.
Conclusion
It is essential to regularly inspect your Troy Bilt lawnmower.
You can prolong the life of your lawnmower by maintaining it properly. If you suddenly find that your Troy Bilt lawn mower wont start, you dont need to panic about what to do. It is easy to identify the cause of the problem and determine what you can do about it.
