Briggs & Stranton engine won't start on splitter

[Whitespider]

I would just buy a new plug and try it.

L-O-L
I can’t begin to count the number of small engines I’ve “fixed” with a new spark plug… and I can’t begin to count the number arguments heard claiming, “It can’t be the plug because…”. My dad, brother, friends and whoever… they bring ‘em to me time-and-time-again stating, “it won’t start” or, “it starts hard” or, “it won’t start after it gets hot” or, “it quits after it gets hot” or, “it don’t run right” or…
I always ask the same question, “Have you tried a new plug and fresh fuel?”
I always get the same answers/arguments, “It can’t be the plug because it has spark” or “I put a new one in it a month ago” or, “it ran fine last time I used it” or… And the same answers/arguments about the fuel, “It can’t be the fuel because it smells OK” or “I just bought it last week (yeah right)” or “my other engine runs fine” or…

The first thing I do is open the fuel tank (you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve found it empty) and smell the fuel, check/clean the air filter, pull the plug and open my spark plug drawer (I live out in the sticks, I keep two or three spares for all my small engines so I usually have the right plug, or one close enough for test purposes). Eight out of ten times the new plug “fixes” it, but if it doesn’t I dump the fuel and pour in fresh, 9.5 times out of 10 that will fix it. I always get that “puzzled” look from them… like I’ve used some sort of magic or something.

Spark plugs are like light bulbs… you just never know when they’ll “go bad”. Often if the engine has flooded the plug has either been compromised, or even more likely is the root cause of the flooding… a flooded small engine automatically gets a new plug in my book (I’ve fought that too damn many times). I don’t clean small engine spark plugs anymore (fought too many times also)… for 2 or 3 bucks it ain’t worth the headache. I’ve learned, just because they throw spark in open atmosphere don’t mean cold squat…

 

[aleman]

Looks like he fixed it on page one..

 

[Walt41]

That is what we just did. I bought a new plug, pulled out the old plug and blew air in cyl. as we rotated engine. Put in new plug and it fired on first pull. Must have been the plug along. Thanks everyone for the info.

I fix a fair amount of small engines and every time I get a no-start, after verifying fuel I install a new plug. The new plug remedy works so well that I have gotten in the habit of using a small length of gorilla tape and sending them back out with an extra new plug taped to a handle or other location on the machine. The last thing I want to see is a guy that makes his living with a machine, lose time and money over a $1.59 part.

 

[lone wolf]

Looks like he fixed it on page one..

Good thing you told us or it could of went on a long time. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[saxman]

I got a lesson on this with my splitter last fall. I have a Brave 26 ton that is 6 years old with a 8HP Briggs Intek engine. This thing has always started on the first or second pull and runs great. It started and idled great on the day last fall but when you started to put a load on the engine while splitting it would stumble and cut out. It sounded like water in the fuel to me so I took the bottom of the carb off (float bowl) but it looked good. I was stumped and thought of the plug so I took it out and it looked good for a 6 year old plug but I went ahead and put a new one in and it solved the problem, back to running like it always did in the past. I guess the plug was almost burned up internally and would not handle a load. So lesson learned, keep a spare plug handy and change them every so often.

Steve

 

[rider93hawg]

YO! Did you try a new plug? :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[CTYank]

That is what we just did. I bought a new plug, pulled out the old plug and blew air in cyl. as we rotated engine. Put in new plug and it fired on first pull. Must have been the plug along. Thanks everyone for the info.

My bet's still on [thoroughly, deeply flooded with fuel] which you could have detected simply by sniffing exhaust after cranking engine. All along, you've not told us anything about CHOKE setting, either. Yer basic Briggs is stone-simple compared to most any 2-stroke. Just gotta keep it vertical.

Careful next time yer gonna set her on her beam-ends for service!

 

[Whitespider]

Yer basic Briggs is stone-simple compared to most any 2-stroke.

What makes you say that? I ain’t never seen a 2-stroke with a cam, cam gears, valves, valve seats, valve guides, crankcase vents, lube oil reservoirs, and whatnot. By far the one-lung 2-stroke has to be the simplest internal combustion engine ever devised by mankind… basically only three moving internal parts… crank, rod and piston. Man, it just don’t get any simpler than that.

I’ve tipped the Briggs on its side… heck, I’ve tipped ‘em upside-down to service ‘em. I’ve had oil running out the air filter and raw fuel running out the muffler, they still start… might smoke some at first, but they still start.

 

[mking7]

I fix a fair amount of small engines and every time I get a no-start, after verifying fuel I install a new plug. The new plug remedy works so well that I have gotten in the habit of using a small length of gorilla tape and sending them back out with an extra new plug taped to a handle or other location on the machine. The last thing I want to see is a guy that makes his living with a machine, lose time and money over a $1.59 part.

The best advice I've EVER gotten on small engine repair was ALWAYS replace the plug. I've had things I swore couldn't be a plug and boom, new plug and it's fixed. It's so cheap and I always kick myself if I don't try it first...

 

[Suz]

I noticed the drain plug on the hydraulic tank was dripping so I jacked up on side to shift the hyd fluid to one side so I could remove the plug without draining the system. After doing that I could not get the engine to start. I have spark and the plug was wet from fuel after checking it.

Just too many plugs!!!

 

[atlarge54]

Why is it I always seem to be a contrarian? Of all the engines that have given me problems in the past decade I'd estimate only 5-10% could be healed by a new plug. Wet flooding was frequently a problem but rarely did the plug need replaced. Seems like dirt in carb or other ignition issues were FAR more common than a bad spark plug.

 

[Whitespider]

Why is it I always seem to be a contrarian?

Because you ain't livin' right
Actually, a spark plug that has developed high resistance (or even low resistance) can cause other ignition components to fail prematurely.

 

[newcountrygirl]

No you shouldn't have 'screwed' anything up. Pull the plug like you did and dry it off. While it is out pull over the engine a bunch of times to clear out any fuel that has leaked into the motor from the carb while it was on its side. Confirm that you have spark by attaching the plug to the plug wire and touching it to somewhere on the cylinder head while pulling over. Once you have confirmed that you have spark, reinsert spark plug. Now try pulling the motor over a few times. It should fire. If not try a little bit, I mean a LITTLE bit, of either in through the carb. Try pulling over again. It should atleast pop over a few times. Let us know how that goes.

I’m having a similar problem. Mine REFUSES to start. After tearing it down, cleaning everything, replacing the things needing replacing, and put back together, all it will do is “pop”. I have no idea what else to do to get this thing running! Any help?

 

[sundance]

I’m having a similar problem. Mine REFUSES to start. After tearing it down, cleaning everything, replacing the things needing replacing, and put back together, all it will do is “pop”. I have no idea what else to do to get this thing running! Any help?

First, welcome to the site.
A little background will help.When was it last running and how was it running?
Some more details of what all you've actually done will help. "tearing it down, cleaning everything, replacing the things needing replacing, and put back together" really doesn't offer much insight.

 

[newcountrygirl]

First, welcome to the site.
A little background will help.When was it last running and how was it running?
Some more details of what all you've actually done will help. "tearing it down, cleaning everything, replacing the things needing replacing, and put back together" really doesn't offer much insight.

Fair enough. It was running up until this past spring. Then it would start and then stall. Couldn’t get it to run. So I checked and cleaned the carb, checked the fuel line, air filter, checked gas tank for gunk (cleaned that as well), changed the oil, changed the spark plug. Wasn’t getting enough compression, so I checked the piston, rings, cylinder, valves and push rods, rocker arms. Checked armature & coil, timing and oil slinger, replaced all gaskets. Everything else looked good. First pull the flywheel broke. Bought and installed a new one.
Theoretically, it should start. Tried starting fluid, and the most I could get was one backfire. Any suggestions on what to check next?

 

[sundance]

I am far from an expert. Sounds like you've tried most of what I can think of. Any starts and runs while you were going through the work on it? You've done a lot and any intermittent points where it worked might help pinpoint a specific area.
Any chance there's a low oil shutoff that might be damaged? That would prevent starting.

You might want to try starting a new thread with all the information you've offered. A lot of folks don't wade through pages of a 10 year old thread to discover you've got a current issue. Would probably get you some thoughts and ideas.

 

[Okie]

AND
post the make, model, type and code of the engine.

 

[sundance]

AND
post the make, model, type and code of the engine.

@Okie see: https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/not-running-huskee-22-ton-logsplitter-help.362384/

Most of the info is in there, from the OP of the current issue.

 

[Okie]

@Okie see: https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/not-running-huskee-22-ton-logsplitter-help.362384/

Most of the info is in there, from the OP of the current issue.

Thanks:

 

[Oletrapper]

I’m having a similar problem. Mine REFUSES to start. After tearing it down, cleaning everything, replacing the things needing replacing, and put back together, all it will do is “pop”. I have no idea what else to do to get this thing running! Any help?

Newcountrygirl, I replied to your other post on your no start problem. If you completely tore the engine down, at this point I believe you might have the crankshaft and the cam shaft out of time by 1 tooth. That could be determined by removing the spark plug and turn the engine slowly until the piston reaches top dead center. All the way UP. You may have to do that several times as both valves will open and close just before TDC happens. On compression stroke, both valves should be fully closed just before TDC. A simple compression gauge test will tell you if your 1 tooth out. You will have no compression as valves are opening and closing at the wrong time. That would also cause the POP or backfire you eluded to in your other thread. Starting fluid is highly volatile and takes just a spark to ignite it. No compression necessary. Good luck. jmho OT