Kawasaki FJ180V wont start

[Daak]

Cant get my mower to start. Its been sitting for some years.
-I tried putting a new starter assembly on it because it didnt seem like it was getting spark (plug is good)
-Now, its definitely getting spark. I can see the spark and it smokes a bit when I try to start it.
-It doesnt run for any length of time even when I spray gas into the spark plug area
-I totally cleaned and re-cleaned the carb. took the entire thing apart and checked all the tubes
-Ive tried to start with new regular unleaded gas and new premium gas from a different station. Same result.

I checked youtube and they all say its likely a carb blockage but I know its not that. All I can think is its some kind of compression problem but I dont know anything about that. Other than that Im out of ideas.

 

[GrumpyCat]

Long ago I had a 3 year old Kawasaki which wouldn't start. Ran the week before. Spark, spark plug clearn, gas, air filter, compression, everything but no go.

For lack of a better solution I started changing parts. Spark plug cheapest so it went first. Started right up.

Ran great for 3 more years then wouldn't start. Replaced the NGK spark plug first thing, started right up.

And again 3 years later...

Just because the plug sparks outside of the engine doesn't mean it will spark under compression.

 

[Daak]

Thanks. Ive tried two different spark plugs. One was newish and the other is brand new. The engine has smoked when I tried to start it also so that tells me the fuel is igniting. Ive given up on the thing unless I get some new ideas.

It didnt quit all at once. It felt like it got harder to start for some time. Tipping the mower at different angles and leaving it out in the sun seemed to help its chances of starting. Then one day it simply wouldnt start.

 

[slomo]

Is the fuel ON?
Is this 2+ year old E-10?
Do you have good gas flow AT the carb inlet?
Carb emulsion tube spotless? Pilot circuit spotless? Main jet open?
Valve clearances ever looked at?
Does the choke work as normal? Guaranty the carb linkage is all messed up. Every used FJ180V I've had was scrambled carb linkage city.
Air filter blocked with grass and grit? I just had a Briggs single cyl 13hp engine. Paper air filter LOOKED ok and was clean. Engine was stumbling. Removed the air filter. Ran like a champ. Installed new OEM paper filter and foam pre air filter. Runs great.

 

[Daak]

Is the fuel ON?
-Its getting fuel but wont start. There is no on switch

Is this 2+ year old E-10?
-Not sure what E-10 is

Do you have good gas flow AT the carb inlet?
-Everything is clean

Carb emulsion tube spotless? Pilot circuit spotless? Main jet open?
-I dont know what any of that is. Everything about the carb was taken apart and cleaned.

Valve clearances ever looked at?
-Nope. Dont know what that is

Does the choke work as normal? Guaranty the carb linkage is all messed up. Every used FJ180V I've had was scrambled carb linkage city.
-Yeah I tried everything with the choke

Air filter blocked with grass and grit? I just had a Briggs single cyl 13hp engine. Paper air filter LOOKED ok and was clean. Engine was stumbling. Removed the air filter. Ran like a champ. Installed new OEM paper filter and foam pre air filter. Runs great.

I took the air filter out entirely while I try starting and theres nothing else blocking it.

Again, I sprayed gas directly into the spark plug chamber because that was suggested to me. All it did was smoke a bit and some gas came out of the muffler.

 

[slomo]

How do you know it's getting fuel? Have you pulled the fuel line where it connects to the carb? Do you have a solid stream of fuel there?

Look at the back of the engine. There is a gray fuel on/off valve on the bottom of the tank. Trace the fuel line from the tank to the carb. If that valve is off it won't start.

Are you using old gasoline trying to start it?

ME - Do you have good gas flow AT the carb inlet?
YOU -Everything is clean. WHAT????? Again take the fuel line off the carb inlet pipe. Should have gas flowing out with a purpose to feed the carb.

ME - Does the choke work as normal? Guaranty the carb linkage is all messed up. Every used FJ180V I've had was scrambled carb linkage city.
YOU - Yeah I tried everything with the choke. Please explain what you mean here. Choke has to work proper to fire the engine off.

Again, I sprayed gas directly into the spark plug chamber because that was suggested to me. All it did was smoke a bit and some gas came out of the muffler.

Pull the oil stick. SMELL for fuel. Report back.