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Could use some help with my rider

#1

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rjwolfe3

New member but could really use some help figuring out what is wrong with my riding lawn mower. It's a Yard Machine with a 13.5 hp Tecumseh engine. It will not start. I have checked the battery and it is good. It is getting fuel, you can smell it on the spark plug as well as see it in the intake. The starter pops up and spins the flywheel with no restrictions. It has spark (not a strong one but it is there), I tested the spark plug and also tried a new one. I also tried using starting fluid at both the intake and the spark plug hole. It does turn over but does not start. Any suggestions would be a big help as I am very frustrated with it. It ran fine about 2 weeks ago.


#2

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putterman46

rjwolfe3 said:
New member but could really use some help figuring out what is wrong with my riding lawn mower. It's a Yard Machine with a 13.5 hp Tecumseh engine. It will not start. I have checked the battery and it is good. It is getting fuel, you can smell it on the spark plug as well as see it in the intake. The starter pops up and spins the flywheel with no restrictions. It has spark (not a strong one but it is there), I tested the spark plug and also tried a new one. I also tried using starting fluid at both the intake and the spark plug hole. It does turn over but does not start. Any suggestions would be a big help as I am very frustrated with it. It ran fine about 2 weeks ago.
Click to expand...

It is a Tecumseh. LOL Their is a good chance that the shear pin on the crank shaft is partly sheared. This allows a spark but it is enough out of time to keep it from starting. Not too hard to pull the flywheel and check it.


#3

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rjwolfe3

This morning I checked and the flywheel key is okay. I also cleaned the carb as best I could. I also took video of what it is doing. Here are the links: IMG_1908 - YouTube and IMG_1907 - YouTube.


#4

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rjwolfe3

IMG_1904.jpg Here is what the flywheel key looks like.


#5

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putterman46

rjwolfe3 said:
View attachment 13936 Here is what the flywheel key looks like.
Click to expand...

It appears to be out of time. Tecumseh engines have a history of flywheel keys being slightly deformed which puts them out of time just enough so they won't start. It may appear ok but when you take it off you will see the problem if that is it. You can't tell until you remove the flywheel.


#6

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rjwolfe3

I finally got the flywheel off. 4 of the 6 magnets had broken off and were banging around in there. New flywheel runs $130 so I may not be fixing this one. Thanks for your help.:thumbsup:


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