Why Won't My Snow Thrower Start?

Electric Start

• If your lawn mower has an electric start, then check the electrical cord. Look for any signs of damage to the cord because damage will cause many problems, including starting problems and electrocution. Make sure that you are following the correct procedure for starting an electric start mower as well. First, you plug the cord into an electrical outlet. Next, plug it into the thrower's electric start. Finally, you turn the key built into the snow thrower's ignition.

Fuel

• Make sure that you have fuel inside of the thrower. Open the gas cap and look inside as throwers do not have fuel gauges. If you do not see any fuel, then fill the tank with regular unleaded gasoline. Even electric start engines need gasoline to keep the engine started.

Spark Plug

• Unscrew the spark plug located on the side of the engine. Look for any signs of cracking or clogs. If there are clogs, try to clean them. If it cannot be unclogged or there are noticeable cracks, buy a new plug and replace the old one. As of June 2010, they cost under $10.

Throttle

• Snow throwers, just like lawn mowers, require you to hold down the throttle gauge located on the handle. If it is not held down, no matter how hard you pull, the engine will never start.

Pull Cord

• Make sure the pull cord is connected into the engine. The pull cord may come loose on an older thrower with lots of use. The easiest way to know if your pull cord is not working is to hear if it makes any sound when you pull on it. If there is none, then the cord is not trying to pull the crank, which means it needs to be put back into position. This is done by unscrewing the back plate of the thrower and restringing back into the crank.