engine won't start !

Gas spitting out the carb might be flooding, remove the plug when it wont start to see if its wet, try starting it without choke or throttle

Agree...if is spark but still won't even fire w/ starter (bad idea for these small engines, btw, except for _very_ tiny amounts) there's some aux reason for not firing and a fouled plug would be one possible one.

Other ideas would involve where did you check spark? Between wire and outside (connector) to plug or did you pull plug and check spark at plug electrode? A bad plug can fail to provide good spark even if have good spark going in.

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Drain the gas or shut the fuel supply off until no droplets of gas spit out the carb and see if it starts. Pull the plug then and see if it is dry and has spark. Then try some starting fluid. Those things are easy to flood as I have a Toro with a Tecumseh that floods easily. Usually just a couple pumps of the primer while choked and starts on first pull no matter what temp it is.

Yes and even a poor gap setting.

Check your plug color here*

I doubt if this is your problem but down here in south Texas we have dirt daubers (a kind of wasp) that build nests in the mufflers of lawn tractor, weed eater and other small engines and you will search for days trying to find out why they won't start before you figure it out.

Thanks so far for the few replies, so I'll clarify a few open items:

Spark was checked by removing the plug and grounding the electrode and observing the spark on the plug.

There is no color to spark plug ..it is new and clean ..has a small amount of wetness when removed.

I have NOT attempt (yet) to drain the fuel and then start it dry, but I did remove the plug, let the starter spin it around and then blew hot air from heat gun into cylinder at diff valve open settings ...saw vapors leaving muffler which seems unobstructed

When putting a poonful of gas into cylinder ...muffler exit became wet

Flooding is a possibility, which is why I took apart the carb to check the float and valve ..everything looked pristine ...used carb cleaner to blow out all orifices ...wouldn't screwing in (bottoming) both the low idle jet screw and float jet screw cut off all fuel??

Still looking for someone who has had solid state ignition module problems for comparison

Stew

Any wetness on the plug indicates Flooding, just because you bought a new plug does not mean a stockboy or person did not drop it, cracking the insulator , ruining it. It sounds like you are flooding the motor, but im deaf at this distance, i cant hear anything. Try Either on a dry plug, a motor that has set for hours.

I would still run it out dry (test by making sure the plug is dry after you pull the cord several times) then hit it with starting fluid. If it's a two stroke and it starts on starting fluid shut it off right away. Then pull the carb off and go over it with a fine tooth comb. I bought my Toro used in 1985 and haven't even changed the plug in it. it's got a 6 horse

Boy that sure brought back memories. My Dad was a Buick dealer back in the

Thanks for the memory.

JC

That's funny, right there!!

Clear me up here. A plug under compression; brakes down!?

Exactly. I personally have seen this many times. Especially with new plugs.

I have seen this phenomenon several times. All in altered states of consciousness, though.

Steve

When you have everything for the engine to run but it doesn't, it is likely caused by an obstructed exhaust. That can also cause gas to be blown back out of the carburetor. It is pretty unlikely that your ignition system is bad or off tim;ing, but the suggestion to try a new spark plug, even if the present one is sparking, is valid.

Don Young

"Don Young" wrote

It is pretty unlikely that your ignition system is

I had a guy come to do some concrete work. He had a nice mechanical trowel with a Honda engine. After pouring the concrete, they couldn't get the trowler to work. He gave up and started to trowel it by hand, which was

It had spark, it had gas. I poured a little in the intake. No luck.

I went and pulled a Honda plug from my mower, and it was a match. I put the plug in, and it took off on the first pull. The guy was just about in tears thanking me. The concrete came out okay.

Always keep a couple of extra plugs. You can mess with them and clean them up with a pin in the recesses of the parts on a cold winter evening. But when it's GOT to run, it's nice to have a quick replacement that you KNOW is good.

Steve

Try a shot of ether on the air cleaner filter. Might have summer gasoline. Or, might be flooded.

How thick of oil did you use? Lou