Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

 I BOUGHT THIS NEW AND HAVE HAD IT 3 YEARS NOW...CHANGED THE FUEL AND PUT A NEW PLUG IN IT...STILL CRANKS AND CRANKS BUT NOTHING!

ANY SUGGESTIONS?   GOT 9" OFF PURE JOY OUTSIDE THAT NEEDS ATTENTION   THANKS IN ADVANCE!

There is a safety key on the unit that needs to be in place before it will run.  Make sure that it is positioned properly.  Might sound funny, but many problems with electrical devices can be solved by asking if the unit is plugged in. 

After that it is a matter of 3 things, spark, fuel and air.

Remove the spark plug, reconnect the spark plug wire in a dim spot and turn it over.  Do you have spark?

If yes, get some spray starter fluid.  Spray into the spark plug open hole and replace the spark plug and turn it over.  It might run here, but if it continues to die you might have an issue with fuel delivery.  Make sure that you are getting gas into the carb and that the gas is fresh. 

Remove air filter and replace if you haven't in a while. 

Many times you can get some carb cleaner and spray the carb and it will clean up the varnish deposits.  Next time you store it.  Store is dry (run it out of gas) or put stabil in the tank.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

THANK YOU  YES IT'S PLUGED IN AND THE SAFETY KEY WAS IN PLACE...I JUST HAD REMOVED THE AIRFILTER  TO ALLOW IT TO BREATH...i DON'T REMEMBER EITHER IS THERE A FUEL MIXTURE OR STRAIGHT GAS?

I'LL TRY STARTING FLUID IN A BIT..THANKS...IT APPEARS IT'S GETTING NO SPARK!...

Sometimes the spark is tough to see that's why I said take it in a dim area like your garage and don't try it in direct sun light.  You sometimes have to give it a place to spark too.  Clean up the spark plug with some sandpaper or scrap the carbon off of it with a utility knife.  After you reconnect the spark plug wire, place the spark plug next to a metal object so that you can see the spark.  Note:  Don't hold on to the plug wire unless you want to get zapped harder than you think that a snow thrower will zap you.  Don't ask how I know.

If you have spark that is half the battle.  Knock them off or your list one by one to see what the problem is.  Even if you can't see a spark, clean the plug, get some starting fluid and give it a try.

It takes straight gas.

  IT HAS NO SPARK, HELD THE WIRE IN MY FINGERS AND ALL THE LIGHTS OFF IN THE GARAGE!  DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO NEXT...ANY IDEAS?

REGARDLESS...THANK YOU FR THE INPUT, I DO GREATLY APPRECIATE THE INSIGHT AND ADVISE!   THANKS...JEFF

While I'm not a mechanic and my very basic idea on gas engines consists of spark, gas and air there are people on here that have a very good understanding of engines - much better than I and they will know where to go next.  At least you moved forward in the fact finding mission.  Something simple is make sure that the spark plug wire is fully seated at both ends.  Just guessing but it could be as simple as a new wire or spark plug.  I think that these engines have magnetos but now I am getting out of my comfort zone.  You are farther ahead than you were this morning.  Sorry that I can't be more of a help.  You could also find an on line manual for your specific engine and check the trouble shooting section of that manual.  Some one here more talented than I will give you a push in the right direction soon.  Good luck to you.

 CLAY:

 REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME I DO GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT! I AM MUCH FARTHER AHEAD THAN I WAS!   THANKS!

When you do your spark test, are you grounding the plug against the engine?  The spark plug must make contact with a metal surface on the engine for spark to occur.  Seldom is a starting problem caused by electrics.  Not impossible but usually improbable.  Please advise the method you used to do the spark test.

borat wrote:
AND KEEP HANDS AWAY OR YOU WILL KNOW WHAT A SHOCK FEELS LIKE