Picked up a used BR 430 - wont start.

[FredBacher]

What do you think the electrical tape did or messing around with the wire hooked up to the spark?

We've been working on this thing for weeks now with no luck up until this point.

 

[Fish]

There at the end, look at the cylinder wall on the other side. What do you see?

https://imgur.com/a/KZwTnBj

 

[Fish]

I would say that the piston looks worse.

But it is hard to tell without looking at it. The video makes it hard to tell.

 

[Fish]

Up and down streaks are not good.

 

[StarTech]

That engine has scoring on the intake side of the cylinder which is caused by running to the unit without an air filter and dirt has inhaled. I am surprised that it even tries to run.

 

[slomo]

What do you think the electrical tape did or messing around with the wire hooked up to the spark?

We've been working on this thing for weeks now with no luck up until this point.

Your spark was arcing where it didn't belong, at the plug gap. You can take a simple 12 volt test light and check for spark leakage. Ground the tester to the cooling fins on the block. Then probe around the plug wire, coil and plug. If you see a spark jump onto the tester probe, you have spark leakage. Again going where it doesn't belong. Start the engine and probe around.

I would de-carbon that cylinder. Might have to soak it and scrub later. Carb cleaner works pretty good. Make sure your allow any liquid/carbon/dirt to drain out of the cylinder while cleaning/spraying carb cleaner. Seafoam and B-12 are good too. Might soak with WD-40 (mainly a solvent) and scrub away. Clean is clean. Think hospital clean.

slomo

 

[PTmowerMech]

Your spark was arcing where it didn't belong, at the plug gap. You can take a simple 12 volt test light and check for spark leakage. Ground the tester to the cooling fins on the block. Then probe around the plug wire, coil and plug. If you see a spark jump onto the tester probe, you have spark leakage. Again going where it doesn't belong. Start the engine and probe around.

I would de-carbon that cylinder. Might have to soak it and scrub later. Carb cleaner works pretty good. Make sure your allow any liquid/carbon/dirt to drain out of the cylinder while cleaning/spraying carb cleaner. Seafoam and B-12 are good too. Might soak with WD-40 (mainly a solvent) and scrub away. Clean is clean. Think hospital clean.

slomo

I've never heard of spark leakage before.

 

[StarTech]

I've never heard of spark leakage before.

You must be youngin then. When I worked on the family cars back in the 70's and 80's it wasnt uncommon to raise the hood at night and see bad plug wires arcing all over the place.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

You must be youngin then. When I worked on the family cars back in the 70's and 80's it wasnt uncommon to raise the hood at night and see bad plug wires arcing all over the place.

It was not uncommon for cars from the 60s and early 70s to run rough on humid summer days and open the hood at night and watch the light show when the plug wires needed replaced. Old time mechanics would use a spray bottle of water and wet down the plug wires at idle and if it started missing it needed new plug wires. Modern automotive plug wires are far superior to the old stuff.
Rubber is pliable because of the oily compounds in it. When those dissapate out of the rubber it becomes stiff and brittle and looses much of its dielectric strength and prone to arc leakage. Rubber boots do the same.

 

[PTmowerMech]

You must be youngin then. When I worked on the family cars back in the 70's and 80's it wasnt uncommon to raise the hood at night and see bad plug wires arcing all over the place.

Yeah, was born in 70. My first pick up at 16, was a 65 Ford. I changed plugs and wires pretty often in my late teens, because I didn't know any better.
But from the 55, 65, 68, 69, 71, 75, 82, 84, 88 & 95 Ford's I've ever owned, I've never seen sparks coming from the plugs (installed) or the wires.