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-Michael Since my question, we have cleaned the carb, put all back together. New spark plug, still no start. There is gas on the plug after attempting to start. There is spark showing when I pull the rope. Don poured gas into the carborator intake still wont start. It does make sounds like it wants to start but simply wont ignite. We were told it had a new motor put on, just before it sat the 3 years outside. Soooo the tank is clean, the oil is changed, the carb is cleaned , a new spark plug, new gas,..before all this......when all this began it would not start, butafter many atempts it did finally start, ran rough, leveled out smooth, mowed for 10 minutes and was shut off and has not started since. There you go! what next? thanks Mary---------------------
Followup To
Question -
I was given a 6-10 year old Craftsman 6 1/2hp. self propelled mower. It had stayed outdoors 3 years with oil and gas in it, open to the elements.We emptied out the oil (very black) emptied the gas(greenish almost syrupy). rinsed out the tank twice with gasoline. New spark plug. It started and ran rough, died etc, finally ran smooth. Mowed 30x20 ft space and shut it off. Wouldnt start again. Don got a wheel puller and removed the flywheel to check for sheered pin. Yep. replaced sheered pin and reinstalled flywheel. Has spark. Gasoline in the spark plug hole does not start or attempt to start. 2 questions. when Don took off the flywheel where one of the hooks held the edge of the flywheel it chipped off a thumb sixed piece of the aluminum. Not one of the fins but on the edge. Would that give us a problem or am I back to cleaning out the ports of the carborator.I am not exactly sure what to use to clean out these little holes or just what holes they are but I will try. I am learning a lot about engines and having fun doing it.Thanks Mary
Answer -
Hi Mary,
I'm not sure what piece of the flywheel was broken off but that shouldn't affect the starting. (It might affect the balance and cause a vibration when running.)
If you have spark and compression, fuel added to the spark plug hole or added to the carb's intake, should produce some sign of starting.
Let me know how you make out.
Michael
Answer -
Hi Mary,
Right after it quits, check for spark. If good, try to re-start by squirting fuel into the carb's intake and if it starts, try to keep it running by adding fuel. Make sure the gas tank cap is venting.
Let me know.
Michael
There is now some improvement. The mower will actualy start. It fires probably 7 or 8 times (but sounds more like a perculator than an engine) before the engine dies. It will start on the second pull again with the same soft perking sound. Dont you just love my description? It will not remain running and does not sound like a motor should while running that very short 5 or 6 seconds it is running. This one is a problem isnt it? We simply cant figure out the cause of this. Thanks. Mary
AnswerHi Mary,
It still sounds like a fuel related problem to me. You don't mention how you made out by adding fuel to keep it running so I'm not sure if it needs more or less fuel. You could look again inside the carb for a blockage, rechecking each and every small hole, probing with a small wire. If no change, test the compression, which would show a valve problem. If the key was sheared, the crankshaft might have gotten twisted from an impact, causing the timing to be off.
Keep me posted.
Michael
