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First post and hoping this forum can help point me in the right direction.

Form: Troy Bilt pressure washer with a Honda GC160 engine

I hadn't started this unit in a couple years and haven't been able to get it to start. Here's what I've done so far.

1. New plug, properly gapped which produces a spark at the gap and to the engine when held about a 1/4" away.
2. New carb with new fuel pump/filter
3. Fresh oil
4. Fresh MoGas
5. Tried to start with starting fluid sprayed into carb

It doesn't even try to fire up. What else should I try before trashing it?

Many thanks!

Something doesn't sound right. All you need is spark, fuel, and compression to get it to lick off. Squirt a little fuel in the spark plug hole and put the plug back and try to turn it over. Make sure you don't have a kill switch on.

Kill switch is set to "on".

While I think there is compression, I don't have a gauge. I did just discover a stuck valve, but was able to free it. Then I tried used starter fluid again and it turned over roughly and ran for a few seconds. I couldn't get it to run on it's own fuel supply.

have you hit anything with the mower recently? was it running fine and now won't start? or has it been running worse and worse?

It's a pressure washer that hasn't been run in 2+ years.

Alrighty,
It would appear you have everything you need to run it, (Fuel, air, spark, compression) with the exception of one thing and that is spark at the right time.
I would remove the flywheel and make sure the flywheel key has not sheared. if it is, your ignition timing will be off and it will not start.
this video is on a vertical shaft, (GCV) but the process is the same

pperham17 said:

Kill switch is set to "on".

While I think there is compression, I don't have a gauge. I did just discover a stuck valve, but was able to free it. Then I tried used starter fluid again and it turned over roughly and ran for a few seconds. I couldn't get it to run on it's own fuel supply.

Click to expand...

If you can "bottle feed" it with the starter fluid by slowly squirting some in the carb and keep it running for a bit then it is isolated down to fuel supply. Did you slap a cheap amazon carb on it? I think the OEM Honda carbs are less than $30 online. With fresh fuel in the tank remove the bowl of the carb and see if you are getting fuel in it. The flow should stop when you push the float up. Remember to open the fuel valve while testing.

Thank you shurguywutt. By fuel valve, do you mean the fuel shut off valve? If so, this model does not have one.

I did put an Amazon carb on. Perhaps that was pennywise and pound foolish.

With the bowl removed should fuel flow to the carb when the starting cord is pulled? I opened the drain valve at the bottom of the bowl (rather than remove the bowl) and pulled the starting cord and no fuel was produced.

pperham17 said:

Thank you shurguywutt. By fuel valve, do you mean the fuel shut off valve? If so, this model does not have one.

I did put an Amazon carb on. Perhaps that was pennywise and pound foolish.

With the bowl removed should fuel flow to the carb when the starting cord is pulled? I opened the drain valve at the bottom of the bowl (rather than remove the bowl) and pulled the starting cord and no fuel was produced.

Click to expand...

you should have fuel coming out when removed that drain screw. Fuel should flow 24/7 to the carburetor.
Fuel flow is controlled by a Float and needle valve. As the bowl fills with fuel, the float, floats, and closes the needle, which stops fuel flow, as the fuel lowers, the needle opens and more fuel comes into the bowl.

The correct carb for your engine has a fuel tap on the right side with a sediment bowl under it
Cheap copies do not have the water / sediment bowl under the tap
carbs without a tap are for mowers .

Take the fuel line off at the carb and see if you have a flow of gas, if not
Some gas tanks have fuel filters in the bottom where the line connects and also if it has a fuel shutoff check that out for debris