How to Fix a Murray Lawn Mower That Won’t Start

Lawn care can be tedious, but once the grass starts growing in the spring, mowing becomes a fact of life in most neighborhoods. When you finally muster the strength to tackle that first cut of the season, there are few sounds as disheartening as that of a lawn mower engine that turns over but doesn’t start.

Before you drag the mower in for repairs or invest in costly replacement parts, first make sure that a clogged air filter, soiled spark plug, damaged safety cable, clogged mowing deck, or contaminated gas isn’t to blame. Work through the following steps, and you may be able to get your puttering grass guzzler up and running again in no time How to fix a Murray lawn mower that won’t start.

A Murray lawn mower won’t start when the fuel tank is empty; old fuel is clogging the fuel components; the spark plug is bad; the air filter is plugged; the battery is bad; the charging system is failing; the carburetor is dirty, or a switch is bad.

Keep reading for additional items that will cause your Murray lawn mower to not start. Follow all safety precautions in your Murray operator’s manual to avoid injury.

How to fix a Murray lawn mower that won’t start

Lawnmowers made by Murray require gasoline to operate. The fact that this is true is probably already known to you. Oftentimes, when you’re frustrated because your mower won’t start, you can forget to check this simple requirement in the heat of the moment.

The fuel system should be checked if you feel as though you are consuming more gasoline than you normally do. Fuel can leak from the tank, fuel lines, fuel filter, carburetor, and fuel pump if your mower has one.

In the event that a fuel tank is running low on fuel, add fresh fuel. If your Murray lawn mower is leaking, perform the necessary repairs.

The fuel pump on the Murray riding mower is faulty

It is possible for the fuel pump on your Murray riding mower to fail, resulting in the mower not starting.

Three ports are present on the Murray fuel pump (gas in, gas out, and pulse in), along with two small check valves. 

There are several factors that can cause this problem, including contaminated gas or fuel gas.

Identify any cracks in the fuel pump and fix them. You can control the fuel flow of your Murray riding mower with a fuel shut-off valve.

Fuel filter or line restrictions should be checked. Once you notice the pump is receiving fuel, make sure the fuel is being properly pumped out. 

Faulty safety switch on Murray zero-turn mowers

It is the responsibility of the safety switches to shut off the engine when the rider gets off the seat and when the engine is engaged.

The safety switch stops the rotating blades, providing vital protection.

It’s possible that your Murray-riding zero-turn mower won’t start if this switch fails.

A new switch should be used to replace the damaged one.

You should not operate your Murray riding mower without a safety switch installed.

The fuel pump on the Murray mower is broken

It is necessary to use a fuel pump when the carburetor sits above the fuel tank. Fuel pumps are unlikely to be installed on push mowers. CARBURETORS are fueled by a fuel pump.

In the event the pump becomes unable to build pressure by using the vacuum in the crankcase, it must be replaced.

You may be able to observe damage visually in some cases. Whenever the pump is damaged, the housing may have a small crack, or fuel may leak from the seams. Failure of your Murray mower can also be caused by a malfunctioning fuel pump.

If you think you have a faulty fuel pump, check the port connected to the inlet of the pump to see if fuel is being delivered to it.

You will test your fuel pump to make sure it is pumping a steady or pulsating flow of gas once you confirm it is getting fuel to it.

Close the valve or clamps and shut off the fuel flow to test fuel flow. In addition, you can crimp the line with hose pinch pliers. Stop fuel flow and remove the fuel line from the carburetor. Place it somewhere safe.

Let the fuel flow and start the mower. Watch for a steady or pulsating flow from the line. In the event that you are not getting sufficient fuel flow, your fuel pump may be damaged.

Keep Murray safe  

Many safety switches are used on Murray lawnmowers. It is installed with safety switches to prevent the mower deck from starting without an operator.

Moreover, it has a safety switch to not start if your parking brake is not engaged. Safety switches may fail on your mower.

The Murray lawn mower safety switch should always be engaged. Never run a mower with a safety switch bypassed. Safety switches can always save you from serious injury in an unexpected situation.

Check the switch with a multimeter or temporarily bypass the safety switch. 

Conclusion

A lawn mower motor that sputters and dies after you pull the starter cord repeatedly can be extremely frustrating. You may think the lawn mower needs to be taken to a repair shop or even left by the curb for bulk trash pick-up day, but it may only need a simple repair.

Identifying the cause of a Murray mower failing to start is the first step. 

Here, we have shared some possible causes such as defective spark plugs, faulty fuel pumps, and clogged air filters and how to fix a Murray lawn mower that won’t start.

Restore Murray mower functionality with the recommended fixes. Try some of these tips first, but if your lawnmower doesn’t start, you might need a technician.