I was always cheated by the workers at the workshop where I fix my mower. They made me change my pull cord every time it gets stuck or frozen. This same problem happened a couple of times, and I was beginning to suspect them. I decided to try to fix it, and I realized that I did not have to change it every time it gets stuck. I released that my lawn mower pull cord gets stuck if –

  • I don’t properly depress the Operator Present Control
  • There is a partial hydraulic lock which is caused when the mower is tipped on its side.

Fixing a lawn mower pull cord when it gets stuck does not take up to 20 minutes, and you can do this on your own without the help of any specialist or engineer.

Here are the easy to follow steps I make use of whenever my lawn mower pull cord gets stuck:

  1. Remove the Spark Plug: Removing the spark plug lead from the spark plug is something you can easily achieve with your bare hands. The need to remove the spark plug would only arise if you cannot rotate the blade.
  2. Detach the Grass Catcher from the Mower: You can do this by tipping the mower backwards such that the handlebar rests on the ground, or you could have someone assist you in holding the handlebar to the ground. You can also make use of a heavy substance to weigh it down.
  3. Check the Blades: First, ensure that nothing is obstructing the movement of the blade. Once you have confirmed this, you can rotate the blade by two turns in a clockwise direction. It is totally normal to initially feel resistance when you try to turn the blades by hand. Refer back to the first step if you notice that the resistance persists or is too great.
  4. You can now raise the mower on its wheels and reconnect the disconnected spark plugs lead back to the spark plug. Fix the grass catcher and ensure it is in the right position. Depress the Operator Present Control and start your lawn mower the normal way by pulling the pull cord.

It is important to note that if your pull cord gets stuck because of a partial hydraulic lock, the lawn mower will smoke profusely when you initially turn it on, and this is because of the oil that moved into the cylinder. However, it is nothing to worry about because the oil would burn off quickly and your lawn mower would not be affected.

These steps have helped me a lot whenever my mower pull cord gets stuck. You might need to remove the pull cord and fix it back sometimes; however, the entire processes are very easy to follow, and you would be back to mowing your lawn within a very short period.