Mower starts only when screwdriver manually holds open butterfly

SOURCE: Toro Lawn Mower Won't Start

this is a very common problem with these toro mowers. the needle valve in the bowl of the carb. is plugged up with dirt or varnish from the fuel. just under the primer bulb there is the carb bowl. it has a nut under it that holds it on remove the bowl and make sure fuel flows constantly while the bowl is off. push up on the float to stop the gas flow. this could be messy and dangerous. careful with the gas. its flammable. best solution is to remove the carb and soak it overnight in a parts cleaner like gunk. caution small parts inside. this happins every year on mine no matter what i do. seems like the orifice is so small it clogs easily. good luck

SOURCE: toro recycler will run until primed gas is consumed.

The problem is that the gas that sat in the carb all winter glazed it over and gummed it up. Begin by going to any auto parts store, like an aiutozone, and getting a bottle of carb. cleaner. Seafoam is one I use. Add it to your gas, one ounce per gallon of gas. Also, pick up a can of engine starting spray.

Remove the air filter and spray the engine starting spray into the air intake. Pull start the engine and give it additional squirts of engine starting spray until it runs smoothly.

SOURCE: Toro 22in Lawn mower. Loud gear noise when try to engage drive.

sounds like the transmission engagment lever is broken or cracked. if you can reach the lever see if it has play when the cable is tight. you will need two people one to hold the lever and one to check the lever. easiest way is to invert the mower and have someone hold the lever on the handle. do not try this wioth mower running. the lever should be tight with the transmission lever engaged.another note here the clutch lever will not feel solid but kinda spongy. usually caused by overtightening the cable.

SOURCE: toro super recycler mower will not stay

Try replacing the fuel and spark plug. Gas may be bad. Get some fresh from the station not from the can sitting in the garage.
Drain the fuel system and put the fresh gas in.
HTH
Good Day.

SOURCE: I have a Toro Personal Pace Recycler mower with a

It's not that hard. I've never done it on my Toro GTS 5.0, but I have done it on a Briggs and it's pretty much the same. Start by removing the 10mm bolts around the perimeter of the engine shroud. DON'T remove the 4 top bolts on the recoil housing. You might have to remove the fuel tank first. Drain it, then loosen the 2 8mm screws and lift it straight up. No need to disconnect the fuel line, just set the tank aside. After removing the 10mm bolts, the shroud should lift right off. Flip it over and you will see the recoil pulley. Remove any leftover cord from the pulley. Now you need to wind the pulley against the spring in the direction it goes when you pull the cord. It might wind 2 or 3 revolutions but don't overdo it. Now you will need some sort of clamp to hold the pulley in place as you line up the slot in the pulley with the opening where the handle goes. Next, feed the new cord through the opening and into the pulley and tie a knot to keep it from slipping out. Carefully release the clamp and let the pulley slowly wind the new cord onto itself. Finally, attach the handle on the other end of the cord and test it. If you can pull the handle and the cord comes out and it retracts normally, re-install the shroud and tank.