16hp Vanguard, horisontal shaft, on a pressure washer, unknown hours.
I've had this for maybe 5 years and I've never had an issue. It starts on the second pull almost always. The last couple days I've been trying to start it and it refuses to run.
I pulled the plugs and tthey look good and have spark, but it looked kind of weak so I put new plugs in it. Still wouldn't start.
Pulled the coils and tested them. They seemed to be within the specs that were in a couple videos I watched.
When I pull the plugs they have fuel on them, but I pulled the carb anyway, drained it, sprayed it with carb cleaner and blew it all out with air. Put it back together and it still won't start.
I thought I'd check the compression and was checking online for the specs. I've seen one post that said it should be 150, another post that said it's impossible to get accurate numbers because of a compression release so anything from 40 to 150 is good, and a third post that said the 16hp Vanguard doesn't have a compression release. My numbers were 150 in one cylinder and 100 in the other. Both numbers were reached after pulling the cord 8-10 times.
I'm at a loss. If I spray some brake cleaner or stating fluid in the carb it'll start and run for a couple seconds. If I keep spraying, it'll keep running. I feel like I'm missing something obvious, but can't think of what. As I said, 5 years and I've had zero issues with this.
Any thoughts appreciated.
#2
sgkent
well, your last statement is that it is a fuel problem. How old is your fuel?
Not very, but I drained it anyway.
Not sure how this happened, but I'm in the PNW so it rains here at random times. All I can figure is I must have left the gas can sitting out one day, it rained, and I dumped it into the pressure washer. Drained the tank, drained the carb, put fresh fuel in and it started on the second pull.
I knew I was overlooking something obvious. Thanks for the suggestion.
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#4
sgkent
The alcohol in modern fuels is hygroscopic - meaning it pulls moisture from the air. We only use non-ethanol fuel for our garden gear because I got tired of problems from it. And if I won't be using something for half a year or so, I drain the carb and tank, and swab it out if possible.
I am seeing lots of water in fuel this year. It happens all the time, and one of the first things to check.
#7
StarTech
It doesn't help when your fuel supplier has leaky tanks. I got one customer that a load of water laden fuel and it what are as pure gasoline, ie none ethanol. I check fuel every so often when I buying it especially from a small supplier.
And they do mix up fuels too. I have got Kerosene for diesel and diesel for gasoline a couple times. Matter of fact one customer fuel had to cleaned because he got 5 gallons container of diesel fuel mixed up with his gasoline container. But he had in the same color containers. I suggested he get a different color container for one of the fuels since he had both type of engines.
Just had a customer purchase a new Husqvarna from Rural King Monday and got the call Monday evening that they had driven it 50 feet and it died and wouldn't restart. Water in fuel tank
