Zero-turn mowers are attention-loving machines and would tap out of every second of your time as long as the need be. With their learning curve almost leaping off the chart, it’s quite normal to wonder where to even start from. There is a ceremony of steps to follow to ensure your Bad Boy z-turn mower is running the proper way. As minuscule as boring steps could be, they play a huge role in ensuring your safety and your mower’s efficiency.

If you are a newbie, starting your z-turn might seem a little tricky, which is quite excused. It also might come a little easier if you have an idea of how ZTRs roll, but not until you’re an expert with the machines, inferring the proper starting steps is highly essential and thus, that leads us to the importance of this discussion.

In this article, we’ll be going through the proper guidelines that will help you start your Bad Boy z-turn mower easy peasy! Let’s crank it on.

1. Begin On A Flat And Airy Surface

You might be wondering why I’m stating the obvious, but since zero-turn mowers contain tanks that enclose liquids, the machine needs to be leveled so that the liquids are properly distributed. If your Bad Boy ZTR is tilted, it could affect the smoothness of the starting procedure. Especially if it’s a brand-new mower or one that has been out of use for a long while. Ensure that there’s proper ventilation and stability before you begin the process.

2. Target All The Safety Points And Ensure They Are On

The safety features are a great, great part of the Bad Boy zero-turn starting process. If any feature is switched off, the mower will simply refuse to start. Here are the main safety points and how to put them on:

Pull The Parking Brake Up

The parking brake is a small lever located at your right-hand side if you’re sitting in the machine, a little closer to the right steering lever and further away from the cutting deck of the mower. To turn the parking brake on, you have to pull the lever up. If the lever isn’t pulled up, there’d be no way on earth the mower will start. This is to ensure that your zero-turn doesn’t move around and cause an accident when you’re starting it.

Extend The Steering Levers

The steering levers also play very crucial protective roles in starting your Bad Boy ZTR. You would need to extend the levers outward as you would stretch out your arms out your sides to engage the safety feature. If even one of the steering levers is not fully extended, the machine will not start. This feature is also to ensure you don’t mistakenly steer the machine while you’re switching it on.

Disengage The Cutting Deck Blades

The PTO switch is responsible for engaging and disengaging the deck blades and is a great safety feature. As you might imagine correctly, it’s highly dangerous to have the blades spinning when the z-turn mower is starting– anything can get whipped into the air and cause potential harm especially if you have people standing around.

All you have to do is slap the PTO switch down– it’s a big yellow knob on the control panel. After this, you have a few steps for your Bad Boy zero-turn mower to crank up successfully.

3. Put The Choke Lever On The Start Position

The choke lever is also known as the throttle and can be located on the control panel resembling a small knob that you can move back and forth towards the extremes. It helps to warm up the engine to induce the starting process. All you have to do is pull the lever backward to the choke position and proceed to crank the engine.

4. Twist The Ignition Key

Locate the starting key of your Bad Boy zero-turn, twist, and hold it to start up the machine. Try not to hold the key in the crank position for more than five seconds as this could wear out the engine of your mower. If you have followed the correct steps, your z-turn should purr into life effortlessly.

5. Disengage All Safety Features

Remember the safety features you had to put on? Turn them all off by taking the opposite steps; pull down the parking lever and compress the steering levers to the normal position. The PTO switch can be engaged when you’re ready to mow.

If you leave the safety features on for a little more than 5 seconds, your mower will abruptly turn off because it would indicate a need for security. With all this being done, you can pat yourself on the back for successfully starting your Bad Boy z-turn like a pro.

4 Reasons Why Your Bad Boy Zero-Turn Mower Is Refusing To Start

If you have followed the steps I have given and your Bad Boy ZTR is proving difficult, there could be a problem that hasn’t been diagnosed yet. Here are a few reasons why your z-turn is throwing a fit:

Stale Fuel Problem

Fuel goes bad after 30 days of being pumped, and in the tank, could cause your mower to emit the weirdest starting noises you’ve ever heard, to abruptly halt, or simply refuse to start.

The best way to identify if your fuel has gone stale is by pouring some in a clear glass to observe the color– If it looks cloudy, it’s definitely gone bad and has probably taken the carburetor down with it too. Empty the bad fuel and properly clean the tank and the carburetor before you follow through with the guidelines again.

Bad Engine Oil

Just like fuel, engine oil goes bad over time and requires to be changed. To know if the oil has expired, make a test swab on a white surface like toilet paper and examine the color; if it looks dark and dirty, the oil has definitely gone bad and requires a change.

Spark Plug Issues

Spark plugs are responsible for the initial cranking response that switches the zero-turn mower to life, and thus, are usually the first culprits when the machine refuses to start. Take a peep to see the state of the plug, if there’s any rusting or denting, you might need to change the plug for the better.

Clogged Air Filters

Air filters play a huge part in ventilating the internal parts of your Bad Boy ZTR, and if it gets clogged or damaged, it will lead to overheating and inadequate filtering. Ensure you frequently inspect the air filter of your machine. It doesn’t take the whole day– just a few probes, dips, and rinses in clean water and your air filter is as good as new!

Now That All Is Said And Done…

There’s little to no chance of your Bad Boy zero-turn refusing to start if the stated guidelines are followed carefully. I suggest you take your time in learning this process to fully understand the importance of each step. If in the worst-case scenario your mower still stubbornly refuses to crank on, then the problem is beyond your expertise.

I advise you to contact your dealer or a repair person so that they can run proper checkups to see what went wrong. It could be anything from a loose wire to a problematic engine– best not to take chances by waiting any longer. Good luck with your adventure!