Your Husqvarna mower doesn’t start or it’s running sluggishly. You have narrowed down your problem to the fuel system, but now you’re not sure just where to start. I have put together a list of items to check on your mower along with steps to troubleshoot and repair your fuel supply problem.
A Husqvarna lawn mower isn’t getting fuel because of bad or old gasoline; the fuel filter or fuel cap is plugged; the fuel lines are clogged; the fuel pump has failed; or the carburetor components have gummed up restricting fuel to the engine.
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Follow all safety instructions provided in your equipment operator’s manual before diagnosing, repairing, or operating. Consult a professional if you don’t have the skills, or knowledge or are not in the condition to perform the repair safely.
6 Reasons Your Husqvarna Mower Isn’t Getting Fuel
Bad or Old Gasoline in Your Husqvarna Lawn Mower
Gas that has been sitting in your Husqvarna mower for long periods of time can break down. The ethanol in your fuel attracts moisture.
This combination of ethanol and moisture can cause gummy deposits in your fuel system that can cause restrictions. When these components become clogged, your mower will no longer get fuel.
Use unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 87 and a maximum ethanol content of 10 percent. Because fuel can begin breaking down as quickly as 30 days after purchase, it is important you use your gasoline within a short period of time.
If you are unable to do so, use a fuel additive to stabilize your fuel. I like to use an additive in every tank of fuel so I can minimize the problems that can develop from running old fuel in my mower.
I prefer to use Sea Foam Motor Treatment as an additive. It is a petroleum-based product that not only stabilizes fuel, it also cleans the fuel system. Read more about the advantages of Sea Foam and the best fuel to use in your Husqvarna in these articles.
Repair: Remove old fuel using a fuel siphon and place it in an approved fuel container to recycle at a later time. Refill your fuel tank with fresh fuel with an additive to stabilize and clean your fuel system.
Husqvarna Fuel Filter is Plugged
Your fuel filter prevents dirt from entering the fuel system and contaminating the engine. The dirt that collects in the filter can plug it preventing fuel flow.
It is good practice to change your fuel filter annually during the full maintenance of your Husqvarna mower. This should prevent you from running into clogging filter problems during the mowing season.
Repair: Replace your fuel filter with a new filter. When installing, make sure the arrow on the side of the new fuel filter is pointed in the direction of the fuel flow. The arrow should be pointed away from your fuel tank and toward the carburetor.
Clogged Fuel Lines on Your Husqvarna Mower
The fuel lines on a Husqvarna mower can become clogged due to running old fuel. A gummy residue can be left behind preventing fuel to flow to the engine. To find a clog in your fuel lines, use your fuel shut-off valve to start and stop fuel. You can also crimp the line to stop the flow.
Check to make sure you have fuel flow running through your fuel lines. Do this by shutting off your fuel flow and removing the end of a section of the fuel line furthest from the fuel tank. Place this end in a container and start your fuel flow.
Make sure the container is placed lower than the fuel tank because fuel cannot run uphill without the help of a pump. If you don’t have fuel running into the container, your fuel line is plugged. Follow the repair instructions to remove the clog.
Repair: To remove the clog in your fuel line, shut off your fuel supply and remove the section of the line that is clogged. Spray carburetor cleaner into the line. This is used to help loosen the clog. Follow with blowing compressed air into the line to remove the clog.
If you are unable to remove the clog in the line or you notice your fuel line is dry and cracked, you need to replace it with a new fuel line.
Bad Fuel Pump on Your Husqvarna Mower
Over time your fuel pump can fail. Fuel sitting in your fuel pump can degrade the component or it can wear from normal use.
When it fails, the pump is no longer able to create the pressure it needs to push fuel up to the carburetor. Your Husqvarna’s engine will not get the fuel required to start and run.
Before you begin testing your fuel pump, confirm you are getting fuel to the inlet port on the pump. You may have already confirmed this by checking fuel flow through your fuel lines.
If not, check to make sure fuel is able to flow through the line attached to your fuel pump’s inlet port before checking your fuel pump.
Repair: Replace a fuel pump that is unable to pump fuel to the carburetor. Do this by removing the fuel line from the carburetor and placing it in a container.
Start your engine and watch for a steady or pulsating flow of fuel from your fuel pump. If you don’t see this constant flow, your fuel pump is bad.
Dirty Carburetor on Your Husqvarna Mower
The Husqvarna mower’s carburetor is essential to making sure the engine receives the correct mixture of fuel and air. When the carburetor is dirty and clogged, it may restrict fuel from getting to your engine.
Fuel can leave gummy substances and crusty deposits preventing your carburetor from functioning properly.
Before you start tearing apart your carburetor to find the clog and clean it, take this quick step to determine whether the carburetor is a problem.
Remove the air filter from the housing and spray carburetor cleaner into the air intake. Start your engine. If it starts and runs for a bit and then shuts down, you need to clean your carburetor.
Repair: I recommend tackling the job of cleaning the carburetor yourself if you are a little mechanical and don’t mind working with small parts. If that’s you, follow my step-by-step directions in this guide to clean your carburetor.
If you are not this person and choose not to clean your carburetor, you can either replace it or have your local lawn mower repair shop clean it for you.
If you choose to replace it, have your engine model and spec number to ensure you receive the right part. This is not to be confused with the mower model and serial number.
Most lawn mower manufacturers utilize other manufacturers’ engines such as Briggs and Stratton, Kawasaki, Honda, and Kohler to name a few major players in the small engine market. You can usually find the model and spec on the engine cover.
I have found some manufacturers may only use a QR code that you will have to scan to get this information. You can easily scan it with a QR reader using your cell phone to obtain the details.
Clogged Husqvarna Mower Fuel Cap
Your Husqvarna fuel cap is designed with a vent to allow air to pass through the cap. When the vent is plugged restricting airflow, the fuel tank will act like a vacuum and prevent fuel from flowing out of the tank.
Repair: Run your Husqvarna mower for a while with and without the fuel cap in place. If the mower continues to run fine without the cap but shuts off after a while with the cap in place, chances are your fuel cap is plugged.
You can attempt to clean it to remove the clog. If this doesn’t work, buy a new Husqvarna fuel cap.
Keep Your Husqvarna Fuel System Clean
Use the correct kind of gasoline for your gas-powered lawn mower. Choose a gas with a minimum octane rating of 87 and a maximum ethanol content of 10%.
The lower the ethanol content the better. Refrain from using E15 and E85 fuels that are popping up at more fuel stations today. These fuels contain 15% ethanol and 85% ethanol respectively.
Make sure the fuel is fresh and being used timely. Add a fuel additive to stabilize and clean your fuel system, like Sea Foam Motor Treatment, so you don’t have to worry about consuming the fuel within a certain timeframe. Sea Foam can stabilize your fuel for up to two years.
Husqvarna Mower Still Will Not Start
If you are still having a problem with your Husqvarna lawn mower not wanting to start after checking out the items above, you may have a different starting issue.
Read my article on reasons a Husqvarna mower will not start to identify other causes of starting problems.
Still Having Problems with Your Husqvarna Lawn Mower?
If you are still having problems with your mower, check out my guide on common problems owners encounter with their lawn mowers.
I put together a chart to identify causes and solutions to problems including starting, smoking, cutting, vibrating, dying, and more.
You can find this guide at Common Husqvarna Lawn Mower Problems & Solutions.
If you don’t feel comfortable troubleshooting and performing repairs on your lawn mower, it’s best to contact your local Husqvarna dealership or lawn mower repair shop for assistance.
You must remain safe and only perform repairs you are mechanically able to perform to avoid injury or further damage to the mower.