I couldn’t start my lawnmower yesterday. I don’t know anything about lawnmowers, really, but I figured if I took it apart I could maybe see what was wrong. I took it apart and couldn’t see what was wrong. When my wife asked me to show her, I reassembled it, but then it unexpectedly started up fine. Lawn-mowing accomplished!
I didn’t do anything…honestly I have no idea. I guess the lawnmower equivalent of “did you try turning it off and turning it on again” is “did you try taking it apart and putting it back together”!
A local “tool library” hosted a 2 hour class through the community college on small engine repair. It was really great. IDK how much you took it apart, but a few things they covered:
The starter pull rotates a large magnet to force the piston to start firing. There is a resting brake applied to the magnet that is attached to the pull arm where you grab the mower. If that’s “stuck” it won’t pull nicely and allow you to start the mower. Related, the brake will also ground out the spark plug to kill the engine. Both could be potentially fixed by taking it apart.
Fuel doesn’t last forever and can get gunky. That could impact hoses, carberator, and starter.
Too many failed starts could flood the piston. You might have helped clear it out.
Forewarned, totally new to small engines but above was helpful for me. I got my mower started that hadn’t been used for ~8 years after replacing the carberator. Got my gas weed whacker (FIL gave it to me after he downsized his house) started after a spark plug change. Next up is a gas pressure water I got at an estate sale.
That sounds like an awesome class. I think point 2 may have been my issue; it sat with fuel in it for a good 8 months or so.