Top 5 Mower Troubleshooting Tips for Beginners

Any successful mowing business will encounter technical issues, especially when first starting. For your convenience, here are the top five mower troubleshooting tips for beginners.

Mower Won’t Start

There’s nothing worse than arriving at a job and your industrial mower won’t properly start. Don’t stress, as your equipment isn’t likely damaged. First, check your gas levels. This might seem obvious, but many times, a mower that won’t start is simply out of fuel. If gas isn’t the issue, check your mower’s spark plugs and ensure they are connected, tightened, and cleaned. Your mower might struggle to turn on if the air filter is dirty. Replacing the old filter with a new one should fix the issue. Lastly, your fuel might not be reaching the mower’s engine. Give the side of the carburetor a few taps to increase the gas flow.

Smoking Mower

An actively smoking mower is a scary sight, but the underlying issue isn’t typically that dangerous or concerning. Most mowers begin to smoke when oil leaks into the exhaust muffler. You can check this by tilting your equipment to the side. The problem might also stem from an overfilled oil chamber. Either way, allow your mower to burn off this excess fuel as it cools. Light-colored smoke clouds could indicate a significant issue with the internals of your mower, so seek professional help as soon as possible.

Start and Stop

Another common issue you might encounter while on the job is a mower that stops in the middle of operating. If you notice your equipment is constantly starting and stopping, there are a few quick solutions you can try. As with a mower that won’t start, you can clean and re-connect spark plugs and replace filters. Additionally, you can try raising the cutting height settings on your device. Sometimes, mowers suddenly stop when cutting dense, tall grass. If this is a reoccurring problem for you, consider using a pull-behind brush cutter that’s more capable of clearing thick vegetation.

Reduced Speed

Most industrial mowers should never exceed five to seven miles per hour. High speeds can overload blades and push the engine to its limit. However, if you notice a steep drop in speed while mowing, you might have a problem with the drive belt. A damaged or dislocated drive belt often causes mowers to slow to a snail’s pace. You can quickly reattach the drive belt, or buy a replacement part and switch out the damaged component with a new one.

Preventing Problems

There are a few things you can do to ensure that these problems and others are less likely to occur while working. First, regularly clean and sharpen your blades. When blades catch or snag onto grass, it slows you down and can lead to significant damage. Additionally, stay on top of oil changes to protect your engine. Lastly, always install replacement parts that are suitable for your specific equipment. Faulty components can easily cause issues for you and your mower.

Use these five mower troubleshooting tips so you can go from a beginner to a professional in no time! For additional parts and equipment, consider our quality selection here at Swisher.