Why Does My Yard Machine MTD Mower Click When I Try to Start It?

Spark Plug Setting

• The spark plug is crucial to the engine’s timing. As you pull on the starting handle on your Yard Man mower or turn the ignition key on your riding mower, the flywheel helps to generate electricity to travel through the spark plug. That electricity ignites the fuel vapors in the combustion chamber. If the spark plug is fouled or damaged, no electricity will come out. If the spark plug doesn’t have the proper gap setting according to your engine owner’s manual, the electricity won’t reach the vapors.

Battery

• The battery’s condition also will prevent your Yard Man riding mower from starting. The battery should have a sufficient charge in it to assist in a start. If your battery is out of warranty and has exceeded its life cycle, chances are it isn’t holding the necessary charge to start. Also check to see if the battery wires and terminals are in the correct setting. The red wire should be on the positive connection while the black wire is on the negative or ground connection. Ensure the terminals and posts are free of corrosion, which can be cleaned off with baking soda and a stiff wire brush.

Safety Switches

• MTD riding mowers and zero-turn mowers have safety switches that prevent the engine from starting unless it is in a “safe” position. Depending on which mower type you have, this position can include a rider being seated on the mower, the parking brake being engaged or the PTO blade not being engaged. The zero-turn mower models require the choke to be engaged as well. Check your owner’s manual for all of the settings specific to your riding mower model.

Blown Fuse

• The larger Yard Man engines have wiring systems containing fuses that prevent an engine overload from shorting out other electrical parts. If these fuses blow, all electrical generation in the engine will stop and cause a shutdown. You won’t be able to start the engine again because no charge from the battery will be traveling to the starter solenoid. Examine the wiring diagram in your owner’s manual to locate the fuses and determine the proper fuse size for replacement.