Lawn Mower wont start #$%@ (how much, Home Depot, buying)

[mrrame]

Last year I bought a new Honda HRR216K5VKA lawn Mower from Home depot. It worked great all last year, and it wont start now.

I had to yank the cable for a good amount of time (30-40 pulls) to make it start, and then it cuts out in a minute. Again, 30-40 pulls to start it, and dies in a minute.

Here is what I did last year

1) After every mow, I cleaned the mower with garden hose, tilted the mower in either direction (did not realize, air filter side should always be facing up until now.)

2) After the last mow of the season, I stored the mower in a corner of my garage. Did not bother to drain the gas, Close the fuel valve (on/off).


Mower has enough gas (from last year) and engine oil. I have no clue how to start it. This model has auto choke, so there is no Choke lever.

Any tips ?

Thanks

[mpascal]

Afraid I don't have tips, but my first mow will be this weekend and I've already been dreading it, thinking my mower's not going to start....

[Workin_Hard]

Take off the air cleaner to get access to the carb. Spray some starter fluid in there (available from an auto part store). It should start ok next time. Your fuel system may be gummed up from sitting all winter. Next year, mix some Sta-Bil into the gas and run it for at least a few minutes before storing. (I mix it every time I put gas into my rider and my snow blower.)

[kevinm]

I had a Honda that did the same thing, but after 9 years. I ended up putting it out with the trash and buying a NEW one. I picked up a cheap one for $150 at Home Depot. At that price they are DISPOSABLE after 3 or 4 years.

[statecollege]

I bought a manual rotary mower. Works every time! I don't spend money on gas or breathe fumes. Also, the sound of the blades rotating is much more soothing than the loud noise of a gas engine.

[mpascal]

I had (and perhaps will be again) considering a manual mower. Do you have a ballpark of how much that costs? Does it do a good job?

[mrrame]

I checked the air filter, its clean. I will check the carbonator this evening.

Originally Posted by Workin_Hard

Take off the air cleaner to get access to the carb. Spray some starter fluid in there (available from an auto part store). It should start ok next time. Your fuel system may be gummed up from sitting all winter. Next year, mix some Sta-Bil into the gas and run it for at least a few minutes before storing. (I mix it every time I put gas into my rider and my snow blower.)

[Workin_Hard]

Originally Posted by mrrame

I checked the air filter, its clean. I will check the carbonator this evening.

You may not be able to actually see the deposits in there. You could also give the carb a good cleaning with GumOut (auto store), allow it to dry (10 min or so) and try it again. If that doesn't work, try the spray starter fluid and it should start with a pull or two. Once it gets going, any deposits should be flushed out within a few minutes of operation. You may also want to pull the plug wire, clean the metal contact with some sandpaper and tighten it back on to make sure you have good electrical contact. If all the above doesn't work, repairs may be needed. Good luck!

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by Workin_Hard

Take off the air cleaner to get access to the carb. Spray some starter fluid in there (available from an auto part store).

You can use carburetor cleaner too. It should fire up if you spray enough in there and you have good gas. I had a leaf mulcher that did the same thing and that always did the trick.

BTW, unless you have a really huge lot, I recommend an electric mower. I have a Black & Decker one that cost about $120. It always starts right up! I've used a manual "push" mower too (on a 3/4 acre lot - and for the exercise and cost you can't beat it ) but the electric mower will give you a much neater and faster cut for only $40 or so more than a push mower.

[statecollege]

Originally Posted by mpascal

I had (and perhaps will be again) considering a manual mower. Do you have a ballpark of how much that costs? Does it do a good job?

I bought mine on line about 4 seasons ago for about $125. It's sold as a Scotts Classic, but I recall that a single US company makes most push reel mowers sold under other brands. I see them now at Home Depot, so check them out there if you desire. Trailer wheels have the identical mowing height adjustments found on power mowers, a nice feature not on push mowers decades ago. The 20-inch swath is as wide as a power mower. Here's an Amazon ad for the identical mower I have: Amazon.com: Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower: Patio, Lawn & Garden

You should have a lawn that is free of sticks and other debris. You can't let your grass grow excessively long, because the push mower will require considerable effort in those conditions. I'm a fanatic about keeping my lawn trimmed at 2 1/2-3 inches. So, in the spring I'm cutting maybe 3 times a week; as it gets hotter and drier into late summer, once a week generally suffices. I have only a front lawn; my back lot is naturalized to minimize grass mowing. So, if you have a huge lot to cut, this is not for you. I'm somewhere between 1500-2000 sq ft with many plant beds to go around.

I did not purchase the bag. I don't bag my cuttings, because they provide the lawn with natural nutrients as they decompose. While I also did not purchase the sharpening kit, I will probably get one this summer so I can keep the mower tuned to its best performance. That said, after 4 seasons of mowing, it still cuts beautifully. As the blades wear some, I have adjusted the cutting bar to maintain optimum scissor action, an easy task. BTW, power mowers don't cut like a scissor--they tear, particularly with nicked or worn blades. A less-than-clean cut allows more moisture to escape each grass blade, thereby drying the grass quicker. Wear can be detected when the reel turns to easy (I.E, the gap between the blades and cutting bar increases, offering less resistance.)

As you can tell, I'm high on this mower, including because I like to do things the "green" way as much as I can. This may not be for you if you like power everything, grind all kitchen waste down the disposal, and throw your bottles, cans, and paper waste in the trash.