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Hi guys, my first post here.
I always done my own maintenance on my Craftsman rider.
I just cant get her up and running this season.

Fresh gas, new plug, has spark, adjusted the valves, cleaned carb, jets, and jet channels, and still nothing.
the float isnt stuck, the float valve is closing.

When you pull the spark plug and turn the key the motor turns over great.
When you put the plug back in, it just does a small 1/4 turn and stops.

I thought that meant the valves were out of spec so i adjusted them to .004" intake and .008" exhaust.
still same result....
oh and the battery is good, and is connected to another battery to help while working on it.

Im stumped. :frown:

it sounds like you adjusted the valves on something other than the compression peak........whats the year/model of the rider? and engine?

Are you sure your starter is still good and capable of producing the needed torque?
If it has a cracked or loose magnet it will not... also worn brushes or bushings will drag it down...
Check it and a double check of the valves like reddragon, suggested... :smile:KennyV

BTW... Welcome to this, usually fun and interesting site... You could let the grass grow a bit taller down your way in Oklahoma, it may slow down the heavy breeze we are getting up here in Kansas....

its a 17.5HP OHV Briggs.
its not a really old one, but its not a new one.
its one of the green ones. LOL

I adjusted the valves like this.
turn the motor until both rocker arms are loose.
use a screw driver in the spark plug hole to ensure that piston is at top dead center.
I was trying to do this from memory.
.004" and .008" were also guesses from my memory LOL

On the starter, I have rebuilt that starter before, with new brushes.
I opened the starter up last night, and cleaned the brushes the point where they make contact,
they look like they are making good contact.

I'm not where I can easily check the valve specs now ... but there are a couple fellows at this site that are dead on with valve adjustment, one or the other should be along soon...

The starter magnets looked sound? ...I have had a cracked, but still glued in place magnet be a big problem in motor torque... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

I'm not where I can easily check the valve specs now ... but there are a couple fellows at this site that are dead on with valve adjustment, one or the other should be along soon...

The starter magnets looked sound? ...I have had a cracked, but still glued in place magnet be a big problem in motor torque... :smile:KennyV

Click to expand...

magnets were sound.

sounds like you got it right...when the valves are really loose you will need to pull up on the rockers so your getting a a correct measurement..sometimes they hang on the pushrod and give you an inaccurate gap ......if its not valves..definitley the starter....check to make sure its getting juice...you could have an intermittent power problem...does the solenoid click only once when you turn the key? or ?

reddragon said:

sounds like you got it right...when the valves are really loose you will need to pull up on the rockers so your getting a a correct measurement..sometimes they hang on the pushrod and give you an inaccurate gap ......if its not valves..definitley the starter....check to make sure its getting juice...you could have an intermittent power problem...does the solenoid click only once when you turn the key? or ?

Click to expand...

When you turn the key and hold it, there is one solenoid click

come to think of it, i was examining the copper wiring on the starter and there were 3-4 broken pieces.....( the copper wrapped around it, not the brush leads...)
but when i tested the starter on a battery it seemed pretty normal.

three other possible culprits [besides starter] are the solenoid and battery cable connection and starter cables...give a good look over..ive these solenoids pretty crudded up with old grass too

have you pulled the starter apart?..those frayed wires..were they part of the rotor windings?

reddragon said:

have you pulled the starter apart?..those frayed wires..were they part of the rotor windings?

Click to expand...

rotor windings, yes. i couldnt think what they were called. there are some that you can tell they broke.
so there are some broken windings....

thats definitely a problem...i think you should get a new or rebuilt one...i dont think its cost effective to get the windings repaired:frown:....hopefully thats your starting problem too!

Having open armature windings is not as bad as having shorted windings... but loosing any is really going to hurt the torque of the motor...
You can use an ohm meter to check on the commutator every pair of segments opposite from each other should show continuity... and should not be making electrical contact to their adjoining segments...

Like reddragon said, it is not practical to have a small armature rewound, unless you have an electric motor re builder in your area.... :smile:KennyV