Number on the engine is 120602 0131 E1 990709FA
Mower is a MTD Yard Man model 12A-559K401
I thought it had a carburetor issue but it ended up being a blown head gasket. I put a new head gasket on and it fired right up. I shut it off and tried to start it back up a minute later and it won't start up. I've pulled it like 50 times, won't even sputter. With the carburetor off and my hand over the intake it has suction. When I pull the plug and put my finger over the socket it has compression. It sparks, when I pull the starter cord with the plug removed and against the engine it sparks. The valves are opening and closing fine. Sniffing the spark plug and the socket when pulling the cord I smell gasoline. The gas is good. Any thoughts?
Have you double checked the valve clearances. That is where I would start. More than once they will change if not set correctly when reinstalling the head.
Thanks for your response. I just picked up a feeler gauge and the valve clearance was a tiny bit too tight so I brought them both to .004. It still won't run or give any indication that it's even trying to start.
Have you double checked the valve clearances. That is where I would start. More than once they will change if not set correctly when reinstalling the head.
We are missing something here. If you have spark, fuel and compression it should fire up. Time to go back to the beginning and check everything again. Yes, this means pulling the head and checking the head gasket and starting from scratch. You said it did run, so something changed. If you are careful you should be able to reuse the head gasket, if it is not damaged. One thing that comes to mind is, are you sure you torqued the head bolts in the correct sequence and to the correct torque? Start over, go slow, double check every step and I'm sure you'll find the answer.
Try a new plug or get the old one hot amd put it in.
modern gas can short out a plug at cyliner compression.
Tyr a squirt of strarter fluid . If it runs till the fluid runs out you have a problem with the carburettor.
If you got the linkages in the wrong position the govenor wil shut down the engine.
