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Engine suddenly will not start

#1

H

haggecha

I was mowing my lawn and stopped the engine to answer my sons question. when it stop it backfired, which happens on occasion 5 or 6 time a year. when I went to start it, it would turn over and not start...

It has started fine every since I had it (9 years) and had started fine the 3 times I have use it this year...

tried to some fuel in the carb, changed the spark plug, and oil is fine .. nothing has helped... it does seem to do a small backfire every once in a while when I try to start it..

any thoughts on next steps..


#2

reynoldston

reynoldston

You say it will not turn over. That just leaves a electrical problem. battery, bad connections, switches, fuses??? Unless the engine is set up?


#3

H

haggecha

it does turn over, sprayed some carb cleaner and even tried a little gas into carb when it was turning over..


#4

J

Jrleddy

Does it have spark?


#5

H

haggecha

yes there is a spark from the wire when I turn it over...


#6

P

Phil G

I was mowing my lawn and stopped the engine to answer my sons question. when it stop it backfired, which happens on occasion 5 or 6 time a year. when I went to start it, it would turn over and not start...

It has started fine every since I had it (9 years) and had started fine the 3 times I have use it this year...

tried to some fuel in the carb, changed the spark plug, and oil is fine .. nothing has helped... it does seem to do a small backfire every once in a while when I try to start it..

any thoughts on next steps..


Can you give a model number and type or just the details on the blower housing. Could be several things, from low compression to partially sheard flywheel key, carb flooding. Poor voltage on coil.

Phil


#7

M

Mikel1

Try to start a few times then take spark plug out. Is it wet, dry, etc.?


#8

H

haggecha

when it first happened, I tool the spark plug out and it was dry, after trying the gas in the carb it was wet...

it was strange that everything was working fine, I turn it off and now it will not start...

there is a spark from the wire when I turn it over, and replace the spark plug.

Briggs and Stratton

Model and type

31C707 015E1


#9

M

Mikel1

Ok so it was dry, you added some fuel and still didn't try to start. What's the compression at?


#10

xeribis2014

xeribis2014

Sounds fuel related. Can you make it run for several seconds by spraying the starting fluid in spurts, directly into the carb, and then it dies when you stop spraying?


#11

H

haggecha

Compression, was online to see how to test it... one site suggestion was to spin it backwards by hand It should bounce back again at the point of compression. If it does, compression is not the starting problem. With larger engines which are difficult to spin, try to turn it as fast as possible and feel for a definite springy compressed air resistance. I tried that and it turns fairly freely by hand in either direction, it that a bad sign for this engine? I can hear a sound of air exiting in both directions

thanks for everyone help.


Briggs and Stratton

Model and type

31C707 015E1


#12

M

Mikel1

A compression tester would be ideal.


#13

sduncan000

sduncan000

Sounds fuel related. Can you make it run for several seconds by spraying the starting fluid in spurts, directly into the carb, and then it dies when you stop spraying?

Hey, this is my issue exactly on my pressure washer! I have already completely removed the carb and cleaned it, made sure all holes were open by poking wires through.
When I re-attach everything, I can get it to fire up after spraying starter fluid in, but after a second or two, it dies.

Lets see - what else have I done...
- I also have fresh fuel in the tank
- cleaned the air filter
- inspected the fuel line - needs to be replaced, but is serviceable for the moment

The engine is a B&S Quantum 6.0 hp

Any suggestions would be welcomed!


#14

H

haggecha

got a tester and no compression.. looks like bad news... the flywheel moves fairly freely in both directions by hand. just strange that it would fail so bad by just turning off the mower with a small backfire.. it was working fine until then...

any other ideas other than a toasted engine...


#15

Fish

Fish

Remove the valve cover and describe what you see or put up a pic....


#16

N

nfk

I was mowing my lawn and stopped the engine to answer my sons question. when it stop it backfired, which happens on occasion 5 or 6 time a year. when I went to start it, it would turn over and not start...

It has started fine every since I had it (9 years) and had started fine the 3 times I have use it this year...

tried to some fuel in the carb, changed the spark plug, and oil is fine .. nothing has helped... it does seem to do a small backfire every once in a while when I try to start it..

any thoughts on next steps..

maybe flywheel key


#17

H

haggecha



#18

H

haggecha

Remove the valve cover and describe what you see or put up a pic....

picture posted


#19

sduncan000

sduncan000

Hey, this is my issue exactly on my pressure washer! I have already completely removed the carb and cleaned it, made sure all holes were open by poking wires through.
When I re-attach everything, I can get it to fire up after spraying starter fluid in, but after a second or two, it dies.

Lets see - what else have I done...
- I also have fresh fuel in the tank
- cleaned the air filter
- inspected the fuel line - needs to be replaced, but is serviceable for the moment

The engine is a B&S Quantum 6.0 hp

Any suggestions would be welcomed!

Got mine figured out!
I replaced the rubber gasket that the needle fits into
I replaced the fuel line
Then when these did not resolve the issue, I kept poking and prodding and ended up going back to the screw in the reservoir... I found a slender needle and poked it through the hole in the top of the screw and finally(!) My engine roars to life and stays alive!


#20

Fish

Fish

With the valve cover off, turn the flywheel by hand and watch the valves, tell us what you see.

then take out the plug and put a pencil in the plug hole
and rotate easy and see if the piston goes up and down.


#21

N

nograsstomow

I had the same problem once. Engine approximately ten years old and would backfire, but not start. Turned out to be worn-out camshaft. Good luck.


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