Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): toro 521 snow blower, briggs and stratton, engine cranks

Question
I bought a used toro 521 snow blower from my neighbor who used it only a few times.  It's been a couple of years since it was used; the fuel was drained from the system back then.  I've added new fuel, can't get it started.  It doesn't even seem to get a 'kick' when I try to start it over and over.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks

Answer
Greg

This is probably the most common problem you are likely to encounter. The cause is very often the same - lack of maintenance.
Note that the assumption here is that it cranks - the crankshaft and blade rotates in a normal manner but the engine never catches. Some larger (Briggs and Stratton) engines may have a low-oil cutoff switch which will stop the engine if the oil level is inadequate. However, this is not likely on a push mower.


In the case of a recoil starter, you are able to pull on the cord and the crankshaft with the blade rotates and it feels normal but the engine does not start. If it feels like nothing is engaging, then the starter mechanism or clutch may be broken. Of course, if the cord breaks, then the problem is obvious!  

In the case of an electric starter, the engine cranks but never catches. If there is no response to the button or key, then the outlet may not be live, the battery may be weak or dead, or there could be a bad connection or bad starter motor. If the motor spins but doesn't engage the engine, the overrunning clutch or gear could be broken.
If you are unable to pull the cord (or the auxiliary starter on one with electric start), there may be a clump of grass stuck between the blade and the deck or there could be serious internal damage, especially if you just encountered an immovable object. See the section: Lawn mower will not start after the blade hit an obstruction. However, you didn't forget to engage the dead-man bar, did you? On most inexpensive mowers this safety interlock is needed to both enable the ignition system and release the blade brake.

Lawn mower is hard to start
Most of the time, the possible causes and solutions will be similar to those where the engine doesn't start at all. However, here are some specific issues dealing with engines that do start eventually and then run fine:

Cockpit error: If you have a user manual, read it! The starting procedure for all engines is not the same. Make sure you are following the recommended starting procedure. This may not always be best but it is a starting point (no pun....).