If the engine will not start, or runs very poorly, try this.

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Tornadoman

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  • / If the engine will not start, or runs very poorly, try this.
I see questions about starting all the time. Here is a mystery that had me baffled. The B&S engine on our rider was not starting. It had fuel, spark, compression. Everything an engine is supposed to have to run. I was dumbfounded. I removed the cover from the top just to have a look. As I was closely examining it I noticed the cutouts for the flywheel key and crankshaft did not line up. So I pulled the flywheel off, and surprise! The flywheel key had sheared. New key, and the trusty old B&S is still running ten years later.
 
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platefire

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  • / If the engine will not start, or runs very poorly, try this.
You must have smacked something pretty hard o_O
 
Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

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  • / If the engine will not start, or runs very poorly, try this.
Tornadoman said:
I see questions about starting all the time. Here is a mystery that had me baffled. The B&S engine on our rider was not starting. It had fuel, spark, compression. Everything an engine is supposed to have to run. I was dumbfounded. I removed the cover from the top just to have a look. As I was closely examining it I noticed the cutouts for the flywheel key and crankshaft did not line up. So I pulled the flywheel off, and surprise! The flywheel key had sheared. New key, and the trusty old B&S is still running ten years later.
Click to expand...
Rarely does the flywheel key shear. I mean almost never.
 
D

Diwali

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Aug 11, 2017
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  • / If the engine will not start, or runs very poorly, try this.
A few years back I had a similar issue with my B & S on a lawn tractor. The key was distorted (not sheared) in the keyway causing backfiring. It baffled me for a while until I read a post on here. A quick check and a YouTube video soon had it resolved. It’s amazing how much these forums help an ordinary bloke like me!
 
T

Tornadoman

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May 6, 2023
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  • / If the engine will not start, or runs very poorly, try this.
Diwali said:
A few years back I had a similar issue with my B & S on a lawn tractor. The key was distorted (not sheared) in the keyway causing backfiring. It baffled me for a while until I read a post on here. A quick check and a YouTube video soon had it resolved. It’s amazing how much these forums help an ordinary bloke like me!
Click to expand...
Yes, strange malfunctions can cause a lot of consternation! Are you Australian?
 
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