What's wrong with my lawnmower?

[Carruthers]

I have a Toro 20956 lawn mower which won't start.
I've charged the battery but using the key to start it results in absolutely nothing happening, no sign of life whatsoever.
Attempting to start it by pulling the recoil start handle doesn't produce any sign of life either.
A couple of points. I left a small amount of fuel in the tank at the end of the mowing season in October last year but I've filled the tank with fresh fuel so I don't think that the problem has its roots there.
Secondly, in May last year I had trouble starting it and replaced the spark plug.
This model has a well known weak point in the factory fitted plug which was, I think, by Bosch. I fitted an NGK plug and it started straight away.
I removed the plug a few days ago and it wasn't oiled up and appeared almost as good as new.
I'm really puzzled by this and, although I have an old electric mower, it's a pain managing thirty yards or more of mains cable.
I am acutely aware of the possibility of slicing through the cable as I once managed to do that with a hedge trimmer and narrowly avoided 240v up the Carruthers left arm..
If anyone can offer advice, preferably of a constructive nature, I'd pleased to hear from you.

Thanks, Dwellars

[xoxoxoBruce]

Three things, spark, fuel, and timing.
First thing is to see if it has spark at the plug.

...using the key to start it results in absolutely nothing happening

Nothing as in it doesn't turn over or it doesn't start?
Pull the wire off the plug and see if the spark will jump a small gap between the wire and plug when the engine spins.

Second thing is fuel. pull the spark plug out and spin the motor over a few times. Do you smell fuel? Will a match to the plug hole make a small flame? If not the fuel from last year has probably turned to jell in the carburetor and needs to be cleaned out.

If you have spark and fuel take it to a pro for repair.

[Carruthers]

Thanks for that, Bruce.

Nothing as in it doesn't turn over or it doesn't start?

It doesn't turn over. It's quite dead.
Using the recoil starter turns it over but it shows no sign of life.

A mate of mine is a car mechanic and he's promised to give it a look over on several occasions.
Unfortunately, he's under a number of domestic and work pressures so he hasn't found the required free time.

I'll follow your advice tomorrow and see what transpires.

Thanks again.

[Gravdigr]

CDI box (ignition module, by another name, it sends the spark to the spark plug), perhaps...

...'course, you could always try one of these:

[xoxoxoBruce]

Charged the battery and won't spin sounds like a kaput battery. Have to check the voltage level and ability to maintain voltage under drain.

Yes I'd have suspected Ignition first in the old days, but now(at least in the US) regular gasoline will go to hell in a couple of months. When it does it smells horrid, which is a tell.

[Carruthers]

Charged the battery last week and a couple of days later measured the voltage at 12.3v with meter supplied by mate mentioned above.

My concern now is that the fuel has 'gone off' over the winter but I suspect that it might not be the only problem.

Damned thing cost me a serious 'wedge' three years ago.

[Gravdigr]

Bad fuel won't keep your spark from sparking, but, yeah prolly oughta get the carb cleaned of the gunk from the old gas.

You can prevent this next year by using just a teensy squirt of Stabil, when you're finished with the mower for the season.

BTW, the goats are almost maintenance-free, and spare parts are common, but, installation is very difficult.

[Carruthers]

Thanks, Grav.

Re the goats, farm manager down the road often deploys ewes and lambs or rams, depending on time of year, to attend to mowing duties on his front lawn.
I've thought about asking to borrow a couple of sheep to pen on my front lawn (they could share with the Badgers) but knowing my luck the buggers would escape in the middle of the night.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I had a sheep for one summer in my youth, who hung around the yard with no fencing. When a car would pull in the yard, she'd come hell bent for election around front to greet whoever it was. Goats, on the other hand, are notoriously strong willed and difficult to restrain. Probably because they like to get high. I heard Griff was successful by the sheer force of his personality.

I was having a no spark problem with a small engine a couple years ago. The starter spun it neatly enough, but no spark at the plug. Spark was generated by fins/teeth on the flywheel passing a pick-up coil as it rotated, but the engine had sat unused for several years and the flywheel was heavily rusted. Seems the accumulated rust had not bridged the gap but changed the gap enough to prevent the pick-up coil from working. Who'd a thunk it.

[Gravdigr]

I'd almost forgotten about your badgers, Carruthers.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

I'd almost forgotten about your badgers, Carruthers.

Unfortunately they are ingrained upon my memory and the lawn is similarly scarred.

[sexobon]

The Toro website says that a fuse must be installed to start electric start mowers. Does your model have a fuse? If so, is it intact and making contact?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by sexobon

The Toro website says that a fuse must be installed to start electric start mowers. Does your model have a fuse? If so, is it intact and making contact?

Yes, I had a look at that and the fuse looked fine. However I replaced it with the spare to see if that helped but unfortunately it didn't.
I'm still hoping that my mechanic mate will be able to have a look, but thought I would see what I could do until that happens.

[lumberjim]

I had a Toro that i let get gunked. Mechanic said it's cheaper to replace the carb than to try cleaning it. cost $90? maybe....

Oh and Do make sure you put fuel stabilizer (I also use Stabil, grav) in your gas can toward the end of the season.

[Carruthers]

I'm pleased to say that my mower is now working.
My mechanic mate went straight to the carburettor and found that the fuel therein had gelled and there were also some crystals in there.
The jet was blocked but was soon cleaned. Upon re-assembling, it started after the second pull of the cord.
I'll charge the battery tomorrow in the hope that the key start can be used once again.
Thanks to all who contributed advice and information.
My mechanic is the owner of the Labrador in Post #6 so I didn't even get a bill.
I do like a happy ending.