If your mower’s been sitting in the shed since last mowing season, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t fire up first pull. That’s normal, and it’s rarely anything serious.
Old fuel is the number one culprit. Petrol left sitting for months breaks down and gums up the carburettor — this is the single most common reason we see stored mowers refuse to start. If it’s been more than a couple of months since you last used it, drain the old fuel and put fresh petrol in before you try again.
Check the spark plug. Pull it out, have a look — if it’s fouled with black residue or looks worn, a $5–10 replacement often solves a no-start issue on its own.
Give the air filter a look too. A clogged filter starves the engine of air and makes starting hard even with fresh fuel and a good plug.
If it still won’t start after that, don’t keep yanking the cord — repeated attempts can flood the engine further. Bring it in and we’ll sort it out. More often than not it’s a quick fix, not a big repair bill.
Before you put it away again next time, running the fuel tank close to empty or adding a fuel stabiliser will save you this whole process next season.
Not sure what’s wrong, or don’t want to deal with it yourself? Walk-ins welcome, no need to book — pop in and we’ll take a look.