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Hello,
I have a 1999 6.5 Dura-Force 2-Cycle. I love this mower, now it will not start for the life of me. I am not new to small engines and motorcycles. I have removed and cleaned everything, all carb jets, replaced float, pin, & seat. Pulled exhaust tube, muffler is clear, replaced the coil. I have tried starting fluid, I do not even get a "pop" like it wants to run. So is it at the point I no longer have proper compression and need a rebuild? My wife wants to buy a new mower, arragh.

I'm a newbie at all of this, but I've learned a little working on my 10247 this year, so can offer up this, have you checked for spark? Even though you've replaced the coil it's possible that it's defective or the small ground wire is grounding out when it shouldn't be or even that the plug is defective. The other thing I can offer up is that you need to have fuel, spark, air and compression for a engine to start. Good luck.

bmanz said:

Hello,
I have a 1999 6.5 Dura-Force 2-Cycle. I love this mower, now it will not start for the life of me. I am not new to small engines and motorcycles. I have removed and cleaned everything, all carb jets, replaced float, pin, & seat. Pulled exhaust tube, muffler is clear, replaced the coil. I have tried starting fluid, I do not even get a "pop" like it wants to run. So is it at the point I no longer have proper compression and need a rebuild? My wife wants to buy a new mower, arragh.

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Have you checked the compression? Is there on/off switch and is it good? Are you getting fuel? Maybe you could post the model # and serial #

gfp55 said:

Have you checked the compression? Is there on/off switch and is it good? Are you getting fuel? Maybe you could post the model # and serial #

Click to expand...

Sure, it is a 1999 model 10323 Serial 9917474
There is not an on/off switch. I have confirmed there is spark, new plug, yes there is fuel in combustion chamber. I need to get a compression checker, maybe Harbor Freight? Once I do, how much compression is good?

Try starting with the switch in the off position.

bmanz said:

Sure, it is a 1999 model 10323 Serial 9917474
There is not an on/off switch. I have confirmed there is spark, new plug, yes there is fuel in combustion chamber. I need to get a compression checker, maybe Harbor Freight? Once I do, how much compression is good?

Click to expand...

You can download a Service Manual for your mower from the Lawn-Boy Support Center. I've got the same manual here for my mower and according to it the compression should be:


I don't have a clue how to use that information, but I'm assuming you do.

Now that I downloaded the service manual, it says not to clean the reed valves with compressed air. Too late, I already did that.
So... I am going to split the case, replace the crank oil seals, and the reed valves.

Yeah, those reeds (actually one reed with 2 vanes) are very delicate and have to "almost" seal when not under any pressure. Just the smallest of gaps. Be sure and use blue locktite or other thread sealer when installing the 2 screws that hold the reeds onto the crankcase half. Lawnboy pretty much used the same reed since at least the late 1950's up thru the last 2-cycle engine, so there are no mistakes to be made in part numbers. All the reeds are the same. You are right to replace the seals, particularly if you split the crankcase to get to the reed. The seals are cheap (from 3rd party vendor), and are vital to the engine getting enough suction to pull fuel from carb.