Ariens Briggs & Stratton won't start.

[slomo]

It definitely was not 'like wow' I would say. Seemed more like a small trickle I guess. Several drops/small spray amongst a mist of fuel every time the engine had a revolution.

Try pinching off the fuel line while cranking. Wondering if the cylinders are flooding as in carb needle sticking open?? Remove the plugs to clear and dry out the cylinders while cranking.

 

[Tom Lynch]

You may be overcomplicating a simple problem. (1) Only use gas without ethanol additives (small engines don't like it), (2) find a screw on the bottom of the carburetor to drain what fuel is in the bowl, (3) retighten the screw, and (4) start the mower.

 

[Richard Milhous]

Walmart has it at 10 bucks a gallon. It's also SG rated and full of ZDDP zinc anti-wear gooo.

Robot or human?

Frozen will hell be before ever anything from walmart I buy.

 

[Richard Milhous]

You may be overcomplicating a simple problem. (1) Only use gas without ethanol additives (small engines don't like it), (2) find a screw on the bottom of the carburetor to drain what fuel is in the bowl, (3) retighten the screw, and (4) start the mower.

Best never to use ethanol gas in anything. Ethanol absorbs water, and the underground gas tanks at stations often have leaks. With straight gas, the water settles to the sump at the bottom and is unlikely to get pumped out. Ethanol diffuses the water all through the underground tank. I have a suspicion this is why so many people report lousy gas mileage with gasahol - the difference in energy content between gasahol and straight gas is only 4%, but add a little water and you've got a problem.

 

[SHB]

Two hypothesis:
Carburetor isn’t metering fuel. Disconnect the fuel line, drain the carburetor bowl, crank it over and see if it will fire on starter fluid
No compression. Remove spark plug, put thumb over plug hole, crank engine. Should feel strong suction / pressure. If you don’t, stick a pencil / piece of wire down the plug hole and bar the engine over, pencil / wire should move with piston, if it doesn’t think connecting rod / crank. If it does move remove the valve cover and observe the valve movement, may have something stuck (or in my case a stud holding the rocker arm had worked loose, causing the exhaust valve to remain open).

 

[biggertv]

You may be overcomplicating a simple problem. (1) Only use gas without ethanol additives (small engines don't like it), (2) find a screw on the bottom of the carburetor to drain what fuel is in the bowl, (3) retighten the screw, and (4) start the mower.

I predict this is the Solution. Always keep the tank Full. In hot ,Humid weather a near empty tank causes Condensation. Your Gas is Bad. You have Spark and Compression. Remove plug and blow out all bad gas and let it sit with plug out for 15-30 minutes. pour a glurp of gas in carb throat and Start engine.

 

[robsfun62]

The engine will turn over just fine but not fire. It's almost like there is some type of safety switch disabling it. I just don't know what that could be though.

If it was a safety switch you would have no spark

 

[robsfun62]

I think you need to check for a bent push rod on an intake valve, so take a compression test or if you dont have a tester take the valve covers off and check for operating valves. this has to be the problem

 

[ccheatha]

The engine will turn over just fine but not fire. It's almost like there is some type of safety switch disabling it. I just don't know what that could be though.

I haven't read through all of the posts in this thread, but you might very well be right about it being a simple switch. I was working on an old MTD mower with a Briggs and Stratton that had an issue with the interlock switch not making contact because the bracket for the blade engagement had worn. As a matter of fact, I just found the old posting I'd put out here a few years ago. It's here: https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/threads/mtd-interlock-switch.49622/page-2

After seeing that it won't even fire after a couple shots of starter fluid, I'm guessing that you're right in that's it's some sort of switch problem. Good luck.

 

[biggertv]

Bad Gas. The gas in the carb bowl was ok and started the engine, got it just down the drive. When the bad gas from the Tank hit the carb it was Game Over.