Wood splitter

[Chris Cilley]

Hi. I have a mighty merc wood splitter with a 5hp tecumseh enduro engine that won't start. Spark is good. Cleaned carb would fire but not run, won't run when fuel is put in spark plug hole, would fire off either once or twice real quick. Plug seemed dry. Replaced carb and same results. Carb does prime. Checked valve movement and it is good. Checked flywheel key way it is good. Fuel is clean and fresh. Kind of stumped at this point any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JeffHK454]

Hi. I have a mighty merc wood splitter with a 5hp tecumseh enduro engine that won't start. Spark is good. Cleaned carb would fire but not run, won't run when fuel is put in spark plug hole, would fire off either once or twice real quick. Plug seemed dry. Replaced carb and same results. Carb does prime. Checked valve movement and it is good. Checked flywheel key way it is good. Fuel is clean and fresh. Kind of stumped at this point any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Time for a compression check...

 

[Chris Cilley]

Yes just have to get my gague from work. Any idea what it should be? 70psi ish??

 

[4seasons]

From my work in a small engine shop I can guess it is fuel related as it is 85% of the time. Pour some gas directly into the carb and see if it starts. Once it starts if you can keep it running by spraying carb cleaner down the carb, you have found the problem.
Next check if fuel is getting to the carb, sometimes it is as simple as fuel filter. My bet is that even if you just cleaned the carb there is still some varnish in one or more of the tiny passages. You can try ultrasonic cleaning, but many times it is cheaper and easier to just buy a new carb. We found that some engines carb could be bought for under $30 while a rebuild kit was $50.
If it won't start using the first test, replace the spark plug. Sometimes a plug will spark out of the cylinder but not under compression.

 

[Chris Cilley]

I have a brand new carb on it now. Pleanty of fuel from tank to carb. Primed carb till fuel leaked out still no start. I have also tried 2 new spark plugs. Still can't get this dang thing to fire!

 

[muddstopper]

I will say this about sparkplugs and small engines. New plugs dont mean diddly squat. I have replaced plugs with brand new and jerked my arm off trying to get the engine to crank. Replace the new plug with one out of the trash pile and the engine run like new. I would take a plug out of something I knew was running and try it in the engine. Also, if the new carb isnt adjusted properly that could be the problem. Try adjusting the carb to what should be a good starting point. If the engine is getting fuel and spark and is in time, it should run. You claim fuel and spark and good flywheel key. That sort of leaves the coil. Are the flywheel magnets and coil pickups clean. Is the airgap correct.. Does the coil wire have a skint place letting fire arc off. What about a kill switch that could be shorting out. Does the engine have a low oil level sensor and proper oil level. I had a little honda trash pump engine with that dang sensor and if the motor wasnt setting exactly level, you couldnt get the engine to run no matter what you did. I finally just disconnected the sensor and cured the cranking problem.

 

[Chris Cilley]

If the kill switch was grounded would there be spark? I cleaned flywheel and coil pick up with sandpaper. Not sure what the gap would be? I'll need to check the low oil sensor not sure it has one? Any info on basic carb serting I think I have it close to the original carb I took off. If it was fuel shouldn't it start or at least fire when I put a small bit of fuel in the cyl of spray carb cleaner in the carb it should fire correct??