LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up

Chris Smolinski

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  • / LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up
My LTX 1042 won't start, here's the saga...

I was mowing the lawn, and mowed too close to a low area, and got one of the tires stuck (tread's pretty old). Couldn't get out either going forwards or reverse, so I shut off the engine, and got off to push it. Realized the reason it wasn't moving was because I had forgotten to disengage the transmission, so I did that, pushed it a few feet, re-engaged the transmission, and went to start it again to finish mowing.

The starter worked fine, but all that happened is the engine cranked, never fired up, or sounded like it even tried to. So I fiddled with the parking brake, PTO, etc, figuring maybe there was an interlock blocking ignition. Nothing. Wiggled the transmission disengage out and in a few times in case there was an interlock there, nothing. (Later checking of what I think is a correct wiring diagram does not show one). Ended up disengaging the transmission again and moving the mower to the shed where my tools are so I could work on it.

As I said, the starter itself is fine, engine cranks, does not want to fire at all. I pulled the HV to the spark plug and verified I had a spark, at one point I even removed the spark plug itself, left the HV wire on, grounded the body and verified a spark in the gap. I've tried spraying starter fluid in the carb intake, nothing. Checked the gas, fine. Even added some fresh gas to the tank. Even pulled the gas line after the filter to make sure it was not blocked and gas flows, it does. When I put the keyswitch into run, I do hear the solenoid under the carb (which I understand controls fuel flow) click on. Tried putting some gas into the spark plug hole, still won't fire up. When the engine does crank, I can feel air moving in and out at the carb intake and exhaust. At this point I realized I was getting pretty far into probably unrelated things for what originally caused the problem.

Any chance I broke something when I tried to push the mower before disengaging the transmission? (I don't think the mower actually moved any, I'm not that strong) Anything else really obvious I may be overlooking? I think I've covered everything I tried although I may have forgotten something.
 

Mower King

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  • / LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up
Check compression of the engine.
 

PTmowerMech

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  • / LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up
My LTX 1042 won't start, here's the saga...

I was mowing the lawn, and mowed too close to a low area, and got one of the tires stuck (tread's pretty old). Couldn't get out either going forwards or reverse, so I shut off the engine, and got off to push it. Realized the reason it wasn't moving was because I had forgotten to disengage the transmission, so I did that, pushed it a few feet, re-engaged the transmission, and went to start it again to finish mowing.

The starter worked fine, but all that happened is the engine cranked, never fired up, or sounded like it even tried to. So I fiddled with the parking brake, PTO, etc, figuring maybe there was an interlock blocking ignition. Nothing. Wiggled the transmission disengage out and in a few times in case there was an interlock there, nothing. (Later checking of what I think is a correct wiring diagram does not show one). Ended up disengaging the transmission again and moving the mower to the shed where my tools are so I could work on it.

As I said, the starter itself is fine, engine cranks, does not want to fire at all. I pulled the HV to the spark plug and verified I had a spark, at one point I even removed the spark plug itself, left the HV wire on, grounded the body and verified a spark in the gap. I've tried spraying starter fluid in the carb intake, nothing. Checked the gas, fine. Even added some fresh gas to the tank. Even pulled the gas line after the filter to make sure it was not blocked and gas flows, it does. When I put the keyswitch into run, I do hear the solenoid under the carb (which I understand controls fuel flow) click on. Tried putting some gas into the spark plug hole, still won't fire up. When the engine does crank, I can feel air moving in and out at the carb intake and exhaust. At this point I realized I was getting pretty far into probably unrelated things for what originally caused the problem.

Any chance I broke something when I tried to push the mower before disengaging the transmission? (I don't think the mower actually moved any, I'm not that strong) Anything else really obvious I may be overlooking? I think I've covered everything I tried although I may have forgotten something.


Crank= running
Turns over = just turning over.

I'm guessing you never actually got it running. Timed spark, air, fuel and compression is what you need. Seems you've checked the easy things so far. Spark and fuel. As mower kind suggested, check the compression. Also check flywheel key. it should be in both sides of the center. 1/2 into the flywheel. And 1/2 into the crank.
 

Chris Smolinski

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  • / LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up
Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate them! I don't have a compression gauge, but I tried to do a simple compression test by sticking my thumb in the spark plug hole while trying to start. I could feel the air pressure, but there was not a lot, and it was easy to keep my thumb in the hole, apparently that means compression is low?
 

Hammermechanicman

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  • / LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up
Pull valve cover and check valve train. Check the valve lash.
 

Mower King

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  • / LTX 1042 Starting problems - engine cranks but won't fire up
Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate them! I don't have a compression gauge, but I tried to do a simple compression test by sticking my thumb in the spark plug hole while trying to start. I could feel the air pressure, but there was not a lot, and it was easy to keep my thumb in the hole, apparently that means compression is low?
Yes, doing it like that....it should blow your finger off easily, if you have it sealed up.
 
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