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Older briggs 16 hp has spark but will not start

#1

O

okfine

Here are the details I have a Montgomery Ward (Gilson) garden tractor. Here are the numbers. Tractor model number GIL 3355C It has a 16 hp Briggs engine 326437-0135-03-74012. The problem is I have spark, engine turns over very good, I have rebuilt the carb but It still does not start. I have clear premium gas in the tank. I am at a stand still and don't know where to go from here. If anyone has some suggestions that would be great. Thanks


#2

EngineMan

EngineMan

okfine said:
Here are the details I have a Montgomery Ward (Gilson) garden tractor. Here are the numbers. Tractor model number GIL 3355C It has a 16 hp Briggs engine 326437-0135-03-74012. The problem is I have spark, engine turns over very good, I have rebuilt the carb but It still does not start. I have clear premium gas in the tank. I am at a stand still and don't know where to go from here. If anyone has some suggestions that would be great. Thanks
Click to expand...

You have good spark, but do you have good compression, do you have fuel in the carb, and do you know if there is fuel going into the cylinder, is the plug wet. did you rebuilt the carb because of this problem, or did the engine just stop and then rebuilt the carb.


#3

O

okfine

I rebuilt carb because the fuel was overflowing. I will check to see if the spark plug is wet, It appears to have good compression, I know there is fuel in carb bowl as I took out the main jet and fuel came out. Could this be an adjustment issue?


#4

EngineMan

EngineMan

Did you do a per adjustment of the carb, if not do this, I believe the carb that you have is a two piece flo-jet. Screw in needle valve and idle valve until they just seat, back off needle valve 1-1/2 turns, ( do not tighten packing nut at this point) back off idle valve 3/4 turn, these settings are approximately correct, final adjustment will be made when engine is running.


#5

Fish

Fish

Looks like you have a real old 16 h.p. horizontal cast iron briggs, which most here have never seen. You need to tell the full history as best you can, did it have battery ignition, or magneto, why you are posting about it now, you bought it from whom, and it never ran, etc.................

All of the carbs leaked, so how did you decide that this was your problem area? Can you get it to even "hit" or "chug"???????

You have a lot of info to fill in.


#6

O

okfine

Yes it is old I guess, It is a Montgomery ward garden tractor with 16 hp briggs model numbers in my original post. I am going to guess 1974 or so. I got this machine for free. It had been sitting around for 12 or so years in a barn. The person I got it from it was his dad's, it turned over by hand so engine was not froze up. I got it home and replaced the fuel line because I wanted to put a fuel filter and shut off on. I put gas in tank and it leaked out of carb. Thus the carb rebuild then worked on getting to turn over with starter. Purched new starter locally and turns over great, also new battery. I now have spark when I tested with a spark plug tester but the engine will not fire does not even want to just turns over fine. That's about the extent of it I will do the carb adjustment as per above. Any other help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks


#7

EngineMan

EngineMan

Make sure you have good compression after all them years...! are the valves going up and down, and are they seating good.


#8

reynoldston

reynoldston

You have spark, you need fuel and compression. Also don't forget timing. Them older engines had ignition points and condensers and the timing was set by the point gap.


#9

Fish

Fish

okfine said:
Yes it is old I guess, It is a Montgomery ward garden tractor with 16 hp briggs model numbers in my original post. I am going to guess 1974 or so. I got this machine for free. It had been sitting around for 12 or so years in a barn. The person I got it from it was his dad's, it turned over by hand so engine was not froze up. I got it home and replaced the fuel line because I wanted to put a fuel filter and shut off on. I put gas in tank and it leaked out of carb. Thus the carb rebuild then worked on getting to turn over with starter. Purched new starter locally and turns over great, also new battery. I now have spark when I tested with a spark plug tester but the engine will not fire does not even want to just turns over fine. That's about the extent of it I will do the carb adjustment as per above. Any other help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

Can you remove the engine cover and take a pic of the flywheel/coil??? Also take a pic of the area around the points, and if someone rigged on
a battery ignition coil? Most of those engine I worked on didn't run because they had an uncle work on them first......Pics, or a good description.


#10

O

okfine

I will try to work on some pics, I think I will check the point gap first. It looks like to remove the engine cover may require some disconnecting of components to the tractor itself I will have to investigate this further. Thanks for all your help if anyone has more suggestions I welcome them.


#11

D

DaveTN

Before you tear it apart, go ahead and run a compression test and see what turns up. Even if the valves are moving, they may not be seating. If it was running before it was stored in the barn, it should still run. I'm amazed that it gets fire after that long. It could be that it's still flooding out from the original cause. Pinch the fuel line off and drain the carb bowl and see what it looks like. Could be sediments all down in the bowl coming from the tank. Who knows what's in that tank! I've seen bugs and spiders, grass and all kinds of crap, dirt, etc in the fuel tank. Do some diagnosis before you go into disassembly. Let us know what you find out and do first. Good Luck..:thumbsup:


#12

Fish

Fish

Just take a few pics of each side of the whole engine first, that would probably tell me what I need to know, thanks


#13

O

okfine

Thanks for all the help. I have the engine running with the help of a local mower shop who happens to be restoring one on these himself. The points were the issue the plunger that opens the points did not work a possible cam shaft issue I am not sure. The mower mechanic suggested a universal ignition module. Installed it and fired right up. Just need to do adjustments on the carb. Thanks again


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