Export thread

let me start by saying that I am way out of my league on this subject but I'm excited to learn.
I have a 900 series Briggs and Stratton 9.0 engine that has sat out in the weather.
I have changed the spark plug, Cleaned the carb and drained the gas tank.
I still can't get it to start and would appreciate if anyone has a list of things I could check from here.
Any help will be wonderful!!
Thanks
Phogan

Do you have a spark?

I checked. I don't believe I do.
Thanks for helping.
Phogan
P.S
I saw your John Deere signature. I also have an 1986 John Deere 318 that I want to get going next.:smile:

Phogan said:

I checked. I don't believe I do.
Thanks for helping.
Phogan
P.S
I saw your John Deere signature. I also have an 1986 John Deere 318 that I want to get going next.:smile:

Click to expand...

You can try a new or known good spark plug if you don't have a spark tester (recommended) but I'm guessing it isn't the plug. You should have two wires to the magneto/coil. One to the spark plug and one grounding wire to a kill/stop switch. Before you buy a new coil, disconnect that stop switch connector from the magneto/coil and check for spark again. If you have spark then the problem is in the wiring or stop switch. If you still don't have spark then it's probably time for a new coil/module.
Heres a couple of good videos on that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a8Y3l5piBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFykwhf9YBs

Great!
Thanks! I will tackle this right after work!
Phogan

Phogan said:

let me start by saying that I am way out of my league on this subject but I'm excited to learn.
I have a 900 series Briggs and Stratton 9.0 engine that has sat out in the weather.
I have changed the spark plug, Cleaned the carb and drained the gas tank.
I still can't get it to start and would appreciate if anyone has a list of things I could check from here.
Any help will be wonderful!!
Thanks
Phogan

Click to expand...

There are four things you need and it will run. I don't care what engine you have. Just take your time, don't repeat work, and try to think what it needs to run when the fuel go's to the piston and go's bang.
Spark
Fuel
Compression
Timing
When you trouble shoot, start with the small free things first. Dose it have spark, fuel to the carburetor. You might want to buy new filters, fuel and air, spark plug, all a small cheap and a good investment. Compression, dose it just free wheel when you spin it over, Timing would be one of the last thing I would check.

Sorry took a while to get back to everyone. I don't think I have a spark and this is what my flywheel looks like.
I'm ready for direction and suggestions.
Thanks a bunch
PHogan

Test for spark. Easy test pull the plug and lay it on a rust free part of the engine and with the plug wire on the spark plug spin the engine and see if it sparks. You might want to clean the rust off the flywheel and coil because it will help. If no spark have the coil tested someplace. You are going to install a new plug right?

Yes I just put a new plug in.
I will try to test it again.
Thanks

Take off the air filter and spray some carb cleaner in the carb directly, or dribble fuel, and crank as if you were going to mow, like sitting on the seat, handles pulled back etc......

If it starts then dies, then you have a fuel related problem.

No spark.
Now what?
Phogan

Also no action when I put some starter in the carb.
Phogan

Pull that wire off of the bottom of the coil in pic one, and try again, and pour a bunch of fuel down the carb, see what happens.

What is this on, from the one pic, it looks like it has electric start, put up all of the engine's and the mower's model numbers..

Phogan said:

No spark.
Now what?
Phogan

Click to expand...

After cleaning up all the rust and still no spark. You should have two wires to the coil, large spark plug wire called secondary wire and a small wire called primary wire. disconnect the small or primary wire and then see if you get spark. If yes you have chassis wiring or switch problems and if no get the coil tested because you may have a bad coil. Once you get spark and if it still doesn't run then work on the fuel. Do only one thing at a time so you don't get over your head.

It's a Briggs & Stratton 900 intek series 9.0 horizontal on a DR leaf vac.

Hot dang! I un-hooked the little wire with the white connector and I have a spark!
Next??
Thanks so much!
Phogan

Fish said:

Pull that wire off of the bottom of the coil in pic one, and try again, and pour a bunch of fuel down the carb, see what happens.

What is this on, from the one pic, it looks like it has electric start, put up all of the engine's and the mower's model numbers..

Click to expand...

Wow!! Try to get it to start then!!!! You may have to yank the plug wire to shut it off, but you will have narrowed your problem
down to fixing it!!!!

Give it a shot of carb cleaner or gas!!!!

It started!!!!
Thank you so much!
Remind me again what wire I un-hooked?
Phogan

The "kill" wire, we need more info to help you more...

Phogan said:

It started!!!!
Thank you so much!
Remind me again what wire I un-hooked?
Phogan

Click to expand...

Ok you got spark after disconnecting the primary wire to the coil. They nick name it kill wire because when negative power is applied to the wire it kills the power to the coil. So now you will have to find the problem with the chassis wiring or a switch. You will need a wiring diagram for that. Just remember negative power not positive or you can burn up the coil if you mix the two.

reynoldston said:

Ok you got spark after disconnecting the primary wire to the coil. They nick name it kill wire because when negative power is applied to the wire it kills the power to the coil. So now you will have to find the problem with the chassis wiring or a switch. You will need a wiring diagram for that. Just remember negative power not positive or you can burn up the coil if you mix the two.

Click to expand...

Run Forest!! Run!!!!

Fish said:

Run Forest!! Run!!!!

Click to expand...

I got a good chuckle out of this :laughing:

naw, just joshing about!!!

Okay I figure I can track down a wiring diagram on the Internet. Are there any likely culprits I should start with though?
Thanks

It is a DR leaf vac, do you have a model/model number?

It is likely a sensor on a chute or something, but if you let us know what you have, we could be more specific...

Sorry took me a while to get back to everyone. It's running great!
the insulator on the arm from the stop run switch to the carburetor had broken off and I think that was shorting out the ground somehow but I may be wrong. Anyway it's running now so I'm not asking questions and I'm super happy!!
thanks again for everything everyone!!
Now onto my John Deere 318.
Thanks
Phogan

You're welcome

Phogan said:

Sorry took me a while to get back to everyone. It's running great!
the insulator on the arm from the stop run switch to the carburetor had broken off and I think that was shorting out the ground somehow but I may be wrong. Anyway it's running now so I'm not asking questions and I'm super happy!!
thanks again for everything everyone!!
Now onto my John Deere 318.
Thanks
Phogan

Click to expand...

Mike88se said:

You're welcome

Click to expand...

lol..................................

Fish said:

lol..................................

Click to expand...

That's what I did when I read your advice Go back and read my reply and then read your replies.
Oh hell I'll make it easy on you.

Mike88se said:

You can try a new or known good spark plug if you don't have a spark tester (recommended) but I'm guessing it isn't the plug. You should have two wires to the magneto/coil. One to the spark plug and one grounding wire to a kill/stop switch. Before you buy a new coil, disconnect that stop switch connector from the magneto/coil and check for spark again. If you have spark then the problem is in the wiring or stop switch. If you still don't have spark then it's probably time for a new coil/module.
Heres a couple of good videos on that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a8Y3l5piBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFykwhf9YBs

Click to expand...

And your guesses were "fuel related" and "some sort of sensor." Can you still lol?