Courage 20 SV600 starting problem

[k2c1959]

i Have a sv600 on my toro lx465 which by now is about 10 years old. no problems until this weekend. I was mowing lawn and tractor went to a low idle and died. im at a loss. checked for spark.ok. getting fuel.
pulled spark plug and put some fuel in cylinder and still no start. any ideas where to start? not really wanting to tear engine down. has to be something simple (i hope). just cant figure out if its getting spark and i put fuel directly
into cylinder, why not at least fire off. but nothing... help..LOL.. ive seen so many problems with these engines online yet i have had none in about 10 years til now.

 

[bertsmobile1]

:welcome:

Well we all have to do things we don't want to do.
The usual initial test on a non starting mower is to pop an in line spark tester on it and crank the engine while giving it a squirt of starter fluid ( cleaner & easier than tossing gas down the carb ).

If it has fuel & spark but don't go then it is off with the rocker cover and out with the plug to watch the sequence of valve movements Vs piston movements.
That OK then off with the engine cover & flywheel retainer to check the flywheel key

After that is a compression test with a leak down tester.

Life is a bitch, then you die.

 

[k2c1959]

well the tinkerer i am i popped valve cover off and low and behold rocker on left side had backed off and was off its rocker (lol). now to readjust valves.

 

[bertsmobile1]

There you go.
Do yourself a favour and fit a new gasket , don't glob silicone there.
Some axle grease on the head and your favourite gasket sealer on the cover.
it will then strip clean when you take it off every 3 - 4 seasons to check /adjust the valve lash.