14 Causes for Your Poulan Pro Lawn Mower to Start Then Stop Working

When an engine lacks the air, gasoline, or spark necessary to continue running, or when it has overheated or is working extremely hard, a Poulan Pro lawn mower will start before dying.

This could be caused by a clogged fuel filter, jammed choke, filthy carburetor, dirty gas cap, faulty spark plug, faulty ignition coil, plugged cooling fins, or a clogged mower deck.

Before starting any repairs, always remove the spark plug wire and ignition key (if your lawn mower has one). Follow the safety measures listed in the Poulan Pro operator’s manual after allowing the engine to cool.

Why a Poulan Pro Mower Starts Then Stops Working

1. Bad Fuel in a Poulan Pro Mower

Your lawn mower may experience a variety of issues depending on the type of fuel you use in your Poulan Pro, including dying after some time.

Using poor fuel or petrol that has been sitting in your lawn mower for a time might block the fuel system and lead to component deterioration.

After just 30 days, gasoline starts to degrade and lose its effectiveness. Due to the chemicals added to fuel today, especially ethanol, which start to degrade the fuel and cause it to split, it loses its ability to operate efficiently and hotly.

The majority of gasoline sold today contains ethanol, a green substance made from corn. The sticky residue that forms in the fuel tank as a result of ethanol’s ability to draw moisture from the air might clog the various components of your fuel system.

In this post, you may learn more about the effects of ethanol and the best fuel for your Poulan Pro lawnmower.

Solution: Drain and flush your fuel tank if the fuel in your Poulan Pro’s gas tank is old. Put fresh fuel in it that also contains a stabilizer and cleaner.

In order to clean and stabilize my fuel, I like a product by the name of Sea Foam Motor Treatment. More information about why I prefer it may be found here.

To avoid the effects of ethanol on your tiny engine, you can use use ethanol-free fuel in your mower. Some gas stations sell ethanol-free fuel under the names REC-90 or leisure fuel.

At your neighborhood hardware store, you can also find it in canisters. The cost of this choice is high.

2. Plugged Fuel Filter on a Poulan Pro Mower

To prevent dirt from getting into the fuel components and engine, a filter is utilized on the fuel system to strain fuel as it exits the fuel tank. The engine can suffer long-term harm from dirt.

If the gasoline filter isn’t replaced frequently, it may clog and prevent enough fuel from reaching the carburetor. A Poulan Pro may run slowly or cease entirely as a result of this.

Replace a clogged filter with a fresh gasoline filter as a solution. It’s preferable to change the filter once a year in order to reduce this issue in the future.

3. Clogged Fuel Lines on a Poulan Pro Mower

Your gasoline lines may become clogged with old fuel, which will limit the engine’s access to fuel. As you check different sections of your fuel line for obstructions, you can start and stop the flow using the fuel shut-off valve or by crimping the gasoline line.

Solution: After locating the clogged area, spray carburetor cleaning in the affected area to remove the obstruction. The obstruction in the gasoline line was cleared using compressed air.

You must replace your fuel line if you are unable to clear the fuel obstruction.

4. Bad Fuel Pump on a Poulan Pro Mower

The mower must employ a fuel pump to transport fuel upward to the carburetor if the gas tank is lower than the carburetor. Some Poulan Pro lawn mowers may not need a gasoline pump.

If yours does, you should examine the fuel pump if the mower isn’t receiving fuel. To do this, take the fuel line out of the carburetor and put it in a fuel collection container.

Start the mower, then observe the flow that emerges from the line. The gasoline pump is functioning properly if you are getting a nice, steady or pulsing flow from the line.

Solution: Buy and install a new fuel pump if you aren’t getting good flow.

5. Dirty Carburetor on a Poulan Pro Mower

Your Poulan Pro might start before dying if your carburetor is dusty and clogged. Old gasoline varnish can clog your fuel jet and stop the little parts of your carburetor from functioning correctly.

To confirm that your carburetor is the issue, carry out the next procedure. Spray some carburetor cleaner into the air intake after removing your air filter from the air filter housing.

Try to start your lawnmower. You must disassemble and clean your carburetor if it starts but then won’t run.

Solution: Cleaning the carburetor on your Poulan Pro is not a difficult process. Your carburetor should be easy to clean if you have some mechanical aptitude and don’t mind handling little parts.

To ensure that the carburetor is correctly reassembled after cleaning, it is best to snap pictures as you remove it. Utilize carburetor cleaner to clean the carburetor. This page contains instructions.

Bring your Poulan Pro to your neighborhood lawn mower repair shop for cleaning if you decide against cleaning the carburetor yourself, or you can install a new carburetor.

6. Plugged Poulan Pro Air Filter

To operate, your engine needs air. Your engine’s ability to get enough air will be compromised by a clogged air filter, which will make it run slowly.

If your air filter is so blocked with dirt that your Poulan Pro can’t reach clean air, it may even stop working after running for a time.

Throughout the mowing season, it’s crucial to inspect and clean your air filters multiple times. A clogged air filter may not only cause your Poulan Pro to stop down, but it may also harm the internal engines, incurring a hefty repair price.

Clean a Poulan Pro Paper Air Filter Element as a solution.

• Your air filter should be taken out of the housing.
• Avoid letting dirt enter the air intake. Remove any remaining dirt from the housing by wiping.
• As much dirt as you can remove should be knocked out by tapping your air filter against a sturdy surface. Avoid blowing out your filter with compressed air as this could harm it.
• Hold the paper component up to a light source to check if you can see light through it.
• If you notice light, reuse your air filter. If you don’t see any light, or if it’s stained with oil or otherwise damaged, swap it out for a new air filter.

7. Poulan Pro Spark Plug Is Poor or Dirty

Another cause of your Poulan Pro’s inability to start is using faulty or filthy spark plugs. Your spark plugs might have been able to generate enough spark to start your lawnmower, but they can’t keep it going.

Check the condition of your spark plug after removing it. Your plugs could foul out as a result of a dirty plug with carbon buildup, which would result in sporadic running issues.

Solution: You can try cleaning your spark plug, however a spark plug that is too dark or damaged needs to be changed.

To prevent running issues caused by a spark plug in the future, it is recommended that you change your spark plug once a year when performing your Poulan Pro lawn mower servicing.

Make sure your spark plug wires are in a secure position and that your spark plugs are gapped in accordance with the recommendations of your engine manufacturer before moving on to inspecting a different potential cause of your Poulan Pro dying while mowing.

8. Blocked or Broken Cooling Fins on a Poulan Pro Mower

The purpose of the cooling fins on your Poulan Pro is to maintain air flow around the cylinder head or engine block. Your engine may overheat and shut off after starting if the fins are clogged or damaged.

Solution: Replace any broken fins and clean the area around your fins. Clear the area around the engine of debris. When operating close to a hot engine, exercise caution.

9. A Poulan Pro Mower’s Crankcase Has Too Much Oil

When you overfill the crankcase of your engine with oil, more pressure is created inside the crankcase as the crankshaft and rod push through the extra oil. Your mower can overheat and stop working as a result of this.

Running your Poulan Pro with too much oil can also result in oil entering the cylinder through the valve train. When this oil starts to burn off, it will produce smoke that can clog your air filter and make your mower stop working for lack of air.

A lawn mower’s engine may experience additional issues as a result of having too much oil in it. To find out more, read this article.

Solution: To get your engine oil to the right level, drain some oil until the oil level on your Poulan Pro’s oil dipstick reads between the full lines.

You may remove a small amount of oil using a variety of techniques. Utilizing an oil evacuator or a turkey baster (yes, the kitchen implement; do not use it for cooking), remove oil from the oil filter through the drain plug.

If you discover that your air filter has become blocked as a result of engine smoking, check it and replace it. Have a small engine mechanic examine your engine to see if using your engine with too much oil caused internal engine damage if you still experience issues with your engine after adjusting the oil level.

10. Poulan Pro Choke is in the Wrong Position

Make sure your choke is in the correct position. The choke is used to allow more fuel into the combustion chamber before the engine heats up by restricting airflow. The choke exists to help a mower start when cold.

If you leave your choke on after your engine starts and heats up, your engine will shut down when it continues to receive more fuel and less air.

11. Bad Spark Plug on a Poulan Pro Mower

To start the mower, spark required to come from your spark plug. However, it may only occasionally spark if it is very dusty, has an improper spark plug gap, or has a loose spark plug wire.

This may cause your Poulan Pro to run less efficiently or maybe stop working entirely.

Solution: Take off the spark plug and check it for burnt electrodes, porcelain breaks, or dark tips. If any of these circumstances are present, get a new spark plug.

Check to see that the spark plug gap is accurate and the wire is securely fastened.

12. Bad Ignition Coil on a Poulan Pro Mower

If there isn’t enough spark and you’ve made sure the spark plug is in good shape, your ignition coil might be malfunctioning. Your mower may stop working once it gets heated if the ignition coil is defective.

The coil’s windings separate and short out. This prevents the spark plugs from receiving the necessary voltage for optimum operation.

Use an ohm meter to look for continuity breaks in order to spot a faulty ignition coil. Replace the coil if you notice a break in it.

13. Bad Poulan Pro Mower Gas Cap

The fuel cap on your Poulan Pro features a vent that lets air pass through the cap. After starting, the mower will stop if this vent is blocked. A blocked vent will result in a vacuum in the fuel tank that will limit the flow of fuel.

Start your mower by loosening or removing the fuel cap. If it starts and keeps running, change the cap.

Let it run for a little while longer to see if your mower shuts off again. There is a strong likelihood the fuel cap is the source of the issue if it does shut down. Replace a damaged or blocked gas cap with a new one.

14. Clogged Poulan Pro Mower Deck

In addition to affecting your cut, a clogged mower deck can make your engine work hard or even shut off.

Your engine will use more power when your mower deck is clogged with grass and dirt because your engine has to work harder to turn the blade through the dense debris.

A clogged mower deck and a set of worn-out mower blades can increase the strain on your engine to the point where it shuts down and dies.

Solution: Scrape the mower deck and regularly sharpen your blades to reduce the additional strain on the engine. Avoid operating your mower in a puddle of water. The leaves in your yard cluster together, and wet grass sticks to your deck.

To sum up

It is possible for a Poulan Pro lawn mower to start before dying due to problems that can be avoided by giving your mower its annual maintenance.

Maintaining your Poulan Pro’s performance requires routine checks of the engine oil level, the condition of the air filter, deck scraping, and mower blade sharpening.