An inductive pickup won't trigger consistently on a really weak spark. You're right it doesn't actually prove the spark is strong enough, but it's usually right and easier to use than pulling and ground the plug. At least if you have a 12V battery handy to power it.Visibly that will check for spark. But is it enough to fire across the gap under compression? No way of telling with a timing light.
Either gap a plug to 1/4" or 6mm or get a real tester like the one below.
I can't justify the investment of that Oppama PET-4000 or the Echo equivalent. So you're suggesting that I open up a good spark plug to 1/4" or 6mm and try to fire the motor again without holding the spark plug boot. That's difficult as there is not really anywhere to rest or wedge the spark plug and cable on. I'll see what I can do. By widening that spark plug gap will determine if my ignition coil is providing enough giddy-up to the spark plug?Visibly that will check for spark. But is it enough to fire across the gap under compression? No way of telling with a timing light.
Either gap a plug to 1/4" or 6mm or get a real tester like the one below.
I checked the oil dipstick and did not smell fuel on it. The oil appears okay to me.Check the oil dipstick and smell for fuel.
Yes, I agree. I had a hard time finding the SAE30 at the time and the manual said that this 5w-30 synthetic would work just fine. I did check it though before every mow. A little more than every other time it would need to have some oil added to become within tolerance. It also blackened up quite a bit faster than the SAE30. I think it came factory filled with B&S SAE30 and that's proven to be good oil over the years. That's what I'll be using in the future from now on.I would stick with the ol' tried and true SAE30 oil. Briggs says 5w-30 will consume more oil and to check the level more often. Don't have to do that with SAE30 oil.
I can't justify the investment of that Oppama PET-4000 or the Echo equivalent. So you're suggesting that I open up a good spark plug to 1/4" or 6mm and try to fire the motor again without holding the spark plug boot. That's difficult as there is not really anywhere to rest or wedge the spark plug and cable on. I'll see what I can do. By widening that spark plug gap will determine if my ignition coil is providing enough giddy-up to the spark plug?
I checked the oil
Yes, I agree. I had a hard time finding the SAE30 at the time and the manual said that this 5w-30 synthetic would work just fine. I did check it though before every mow. A little more than every other time it would need to have some oil added to become with in tolerance. It also blackened up quite a bit faster than the SAE30. I think it came factory filled with B&S SAE30 and that's proven to be good oil over the years. That's what I'll be using in the future from now on.
dip stick and I can not smell any fuel. The oil appears okay to me.
The plug wire insulation appears fine to me. The only wear/abuse I can see is from me taking the spark plug out several times. The boot now has some small cracks in it. That's it other than some light dirt/dust on it.Slomo is right about the plug wire insulation. If it's weak in some spot, it might be partially shorting out to adjacent metal but if you move the wire to test the removed plug, it might no longer be adjacent to metal there. It's also possible (but very unlikely unless it's old and abused) that the conductor in the plug wire has a break.
How large was the gap between electrode and nut when you saw spark? If it was 1/4" and you saw a bright spark, that's great. If it was 1/10" and just a flicker, not so great. It's a pain to ground the plug body and I don't know if I'd reuse a plug after gapping it to 1/4" (!) but Slomo's test is a definitive one. With the possible exception of a position-dependent flaw in the plug wire.
Walmart has it at 10 bucks a gallon. It's also SG rated and full of ZDDP zinc anti-wear gooo.One thing you could try is putting the plug in the jaw of a jumper cable and clamping the other end of the cable to whatever metal you can find on the block.
I dunno why SAE 30 is so hard to find now but it's a pain. I've been using 10w30.
The PET-4000 is expensive but the best tool for this purpose.I can't justify the investment of that Oppama PET-4000 or the Echo equivalent. So you're suggesting that I open up a good spark plug to 1/4" or 6mm and try to fire the motor again without holding the spark plug boot. That's difficult as there is not really anywhere to rest or wedge the spark plug and cable on. I'll see what I can do. By widening that spark plug gap will determine if my ignition coil is providing enough giddy-up to the spark plug?
Just a tiny imperfection in the wire insulation can get you nailed. Summertime sweaty hands are no good too LOL.Safety devices work by cutting the ignition (or sometimes starter current) so that ain't it.
You can't reliably judge plug wire insulation visually (unless it has been plumb rotted off by oil). If you don't have a pacemaker you can try grabbing it while the motor cranks.