Spring/Summer Maintenance

10 Signs Your Lawn Mower Needs Repairs

07 Jun 2021
10 Signs Your Lawn Mower Needs Repairs

Are you worried that your lawn mower isn’t working properly? Or, perhaps there’s something wrong with the way your lawn mower operates, but you don’t know what to look out for. Since lawn mowers are outdoor power equipment that make loud noises, it’s common to overlook the signs that something is wrong with it.

Moreover, since lawn mowers are seasonal items, they sit in your garage during the winter time and develop rust, and its parts can wear out due to inactivity. So, once you turn it on during mowing season, you aren’t aware of what a properly functioning lawn mower should sound like.

If your lawn mower has been acting up recently, it’s a good idea to contact your local small engine repair service to get its engine checked out. However, what are the indicators that it’s time to do that? To help you get an idea of when to look for small engine repair, here are 10 signs your lawn mower needs repairs.

The Lawn Mower doesn’t Start

If you’re using your lawn mower for the first time during mowing season, it might take a couple attempts to turn it on. However, if you have pulled the cord a few times and it’s still not starting, there could be two possible issues.

The first thing that may need to be replaced are the spark plugs. However, if you’ve put in new spark plugs and your lawn mower is still not starting, the next issue could be the engine. We don’t recommend attempting DIY repairs on the engine, as you could cause more damage to your lawn mower. Instead, a professional small engine repair technician should take a look at it to diagnose and repair the engine safely.

Lawn Mower Makes a Screeching Sound When the Engine Starts

If you turn on your lawn mower, but there is a loud screeching sound coming from the engine, this could be an issue with the engine belt. If your lawn mower is older than 10 years and the engine belt has never been replaced, it might be time to get a new one. Before getting a replacement, try removing the current engine belt and put it back into its place. Sometimes, it might be misaligned and you need to slip it back into its proper position.

Lawn Mower Engine is Leaking Oil

If your lawn mower’s engine is leaking oil, this could be due to a loose plug or pan. However, if black smoke is coming out from the exhaust, the engine could be cracked and the block needs to be looked at by a small engine repair technician. The technician will be able to diagnose if the gears are worn out and replace it with new ones.

Lawn Mower is Making a Loud Knocking Sound

If your lawn mower is making a loud knocking sound, your engine may have a bent blade or it may have a broken mechanism. If you ignore the noise and continue to use it, this could cause more damage to the engine or cause more blades to blend. We suggest you stop using the lawn mower and have a professional technician examine the cause of the loud knocking sound.

Your Lawn Mower is Using too Much Oil or Gas

Do you notice that you have to refill your lawn mower with oil or gas more often than usual in between mowing sessions? If your lawn mower is consuming too much gas or oil, the issue might be with the spark plugs. If the spark plugs aren’t firing correctly, this causes your lawn mower to over-consume oil or gas. Since this issue involves hazardous materials, we don’t recommend you fix this problem yourself. Contact your local small engine repair service to take a look.

Lawn Mower is Making Rattling Sounds

Rattling sounds coming out of your lawn mower is a sign that one of the parts is out of place, loose, or bent. It might be just a small part that needs to be replaced. Nevertheless, you should stop using your lawn mower as rattling sounds could possibly cause permanent damage that cannot be fixed.

Smoke is Coming out of the Lawn Mower

If you spot smoke coming out of the exhaust of your lawn mower, this could be due to a worn out gasket. If the gaskets are fine, maybe the problem lies in your lawn mower’s carburetor. The carburetor controls the proportion of air mixture with the gasoline. If the carburetor is damaged, the gasoline’s percentage is heightened, which creates black smoke. In this case, try replacing the air filter to create airflow into the carburetor. If that doesn’t work, consult with a lawn mower repair service technician to find out what is causing the smoke.

The Lawn Mower’s Engine is Vibrating too Much

Slight vibration is normal when you’re using your lawn mower. However, if it starts vibrating too much, this could indicate a bent or loose part in the system or the engine is breaking down. We recommend contacting a small engine repair technician to fix the problem.

Lawn Mower is Cutting Grass Unevenly

If you notice that your lawn mower isn’t cutting your grass evenly, the problem could be a loose belt that is slipping and making the blades stall. Or, if the belt is intact, the blades could be dull. Over time, blades get dull, especially if your lawn mower is an older model and has been used frequently. On the other hand, if your blades are fine, there could be a problem with the motor’s power. Blades can be sharpened by a lawn mower specialist and, afterward, they can check the motor’s power to ensure it’s working properly.

The Lawn Mower Engine is Shuddering on Heavy Grass

If you have thick, heavy grass, your lawn mower should be able to cut it easily. However, if the engine shudders on thick grass, it means your lawn mower is losing compression. This problem lies within the engine and you should get it checked out by a professional before you attempt to cut heavy grass again.

At Peel Exterior Maintenance, we offer a variety of small engine repair services in Georgetown, Ontario for your lawn mower issues including engine rebuild and blade replacement and balancing. Contact us today to set up a consultation by calling 1-888-290-1216 or contact us here.