I'm going to do some googling and figure out what I'm looking at as far as how the flywheel and points work. The part I'm pretty sure is the flywheel is tight on the crankshaft so I don't think the key is broken. Like I said before I don't really know what I'm looking at on that side of the engine. I'd really like to ride it this weekend.
1. as Frank Davis said, remove and clean that plug, (I like using one of those mini wire tooth brushes), even if it looks pretty good. A light coat of shiny black fouling over the plug end is all it takes to not go. It will do these pathetic little "pops" but never really fire. Also, try a Champion J-19LM plug instead of whatever you have, they are a bit hotter and harder to foul. Also, spark plug gap should be .30?
2. How are you "checking for spark"? I have seen engines that sparked using the ole' touch the wire or plug to block trick but didn't have enough spark to run right. You need an actual spark testing tool that forces the spark to jump the gap to REALLY test to see if the spark is strong enough.
Also, unless you have a franken engine (made from a variety of parts) from the looks of it the engine in the picture is late model enough to have the Magnetron ignition (i.e. no points).
3. You will need some patience with this engine as it was pretty abused-sitting out in the rain without a plug is not a very good thing to do with any engine.
Good luck! :thumbsup:
2. How are you "checking for spark"? I have seen engines that sparked using the ole' touch the wire or plug to block trick but didn't have enough spark to run right. You need an actual spark testing tool that forces the spark to jump the gap to REALLY test to see if the spark is strong enough.
Also, unless you have a franken engine (made from a variety of parts) from the looks of it the engine in the picture is late model enough to have the Magnetron ignition (i.e. no points).
3. You will need some patience with this engine as it was pretty abused-sitting out in the rain without a plug is not a very good thing to do with any engine.
Good luck! :thumbsup:
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I'm going down to the hardware store tomorrow and I'll grab a new spark plug. I cleaned the RJ19LM it has in it until it was like new but if it's a bad spark plug that I've been fighting all this time I'd feel pretty sheepish. Again. I'll regap the plug I have now to .30 just cause I can and try it. It doesn't have points, after looking into it/figuring out what I have. I don't have a spark tester, I've just been arcing it to the block, but I though B&S's were not so finicky as to require perfect spark to get it to fire. I'll definitely get one of those too. Part of the reason I want this engine to run is because it was so abused. It was literally in the back of a truck on it's way to the recycler when I convinced the guy I was working with at the time to sell it to me. So as frustrated as I get with it I will not give up on it. Thanks to all of you for your patience and knowledge. I'm hoping this will be a success story real soon.
Do you have a Briggs service manual? Just wondering as that is where I got the .30 figure from, it's used pretty much for any of the flatheads. If you don't have it, let me know and I can upload the .pdf I have and share it with you.
You are right though, Briggs usually can still run even with several things kinda out of whack. A spark tester is still a nice thing to have around and they are cheap enough, it isn't a huge investment. A leak down tester would do a quick tell on the state of the valves, head gasket, and rings sealing but without that the Briggs manual tells you to just kinda hand spin the flywheel and check how much it "bounces" against the compression (i.e. it should easily spin by hand).
Another thing, as another poster noted, a partially shorn key can drive you nuts with everything else being good and the engine still not running.
OH, one more thing I thought of, make sure the spark plug wire isn't grounding out anywhere on the tin or block. A lot of times, the wire can rub where it comes out of the tin and short there. Some electrical tape or a piece of that corrugated wire loom stuff prevents that. There also is the shut off switch wire that comes off the coil-it should go to a switch but if not, make sure the bare end isn't touching metal anywhere.
Also, here is the link to a troubleshooting chart I uploaded-it's kinda simple but handy as a checklist to go over:
Troubleshooting Non-Starting or Poor Running Briggs & Stratton Engines FORM MS-6605-2/01
I applaud your stick-to-it-iveness to get that old iron back alive! :thumbsup:
You are right though, Briggs usually can still run even with several things kinda out of whack. A spark tester is still a nice thing to have around and they are cheap enough, it isn't a huge investment. A leak down tester would do a quick tell on the state of the valves, head gasket, and rings sealing but without that the Briggs manual tells you to just kinda hand spin the flywheel and check how much it "bounces" against the compression (i.e. it should easily spin by hand).
Another thing, as another poster noted, a partially shorn key can drive you nuts with everything else being good and the engine still not running.
OH, one more thing I thought of, make sure the spark plug wire isn't grounding out anywhere on the tin or block. A lot of times, the wire can rub where it comes out of the tin and short there. Some electrical tape or a piece of that corrugated wire loom stuff prevents that. There also is the shut off switch wire that comes off the coil-it should go to a switch but if not, make sure the bare end isn't touching metal anywhere.
Also, here is the link to a troubleshooting chart I uploaded-it's kinda simple but handy as a checklist to go over:
Troubleshooting Non-Starting or Poor Running Briggs & Stratton Engines FORM MS-6605-2/01
I applaud your stick-to-it-iveness to get that old iron back alive! :thumbsup:
I don't have a manual, that PDF would be great! I think I got the .25 off of the b&s website but there are probably a few different gaps on different applications, I may have been looking at the wrong one.
So I pulled the plugged and wire brushed it a little more and decided to see if it was still getting spark. I only pulled it a few times before the wife called me in for dinner but there was nothing. Which feels like a victory. At least there's a problem to fix.
So I pulled the plugged and wire brushed it a little more and decided to see if it was still getting spark. I only pulled it a few times before the wife called me in for dinner but there was nothing. Which feels like a victory. At least there's a problem to fix.
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/faqs/ignition-system-theory-and-testing The B&S website is surprisingly good
Thank you! I seem to be going backward now, I pulled the shroud and the perforated steel mesh covering the flywheel and ball bearing went everywhere. I found five of the six, put it back together and the recoil doesn't work so I'll be looking for the sixth and checking the local hardware stores' bin for a matching bearing. Still no spark so I may be looking at a new ignition coil (is it called a coil?). Going to do a lot of reading tonight.
Do you have the parts list for your engine yet? Briggs used to give them to you after you entered in the numbers but it seems now with the last few engines I tried to get them it said "contact them" and I gave up, lol.
If you need the parts list, give me the model / serial number off of your fan shroud as I am sure I have it in my archives. (I have a ton of actual parts books now) :thumbsup:
Wish I had a good used coil for you but I only have a bunch of points coils right now, no extra Magnetron coils. I do have some extra ball bearings, if you can't locate it at the hardware store. Replace any of those balls if they are rusty, cracked, or discolored-clutch rebuild is covered in that service manual. :smile:
If you need the parts list, give me the model / serial number off of your fan shroud as I am sure I have it in my archives. (I have a ton of actual parts books now) :thumbsup:
Wish I had a good used coil for you but I only have a bunch of points coils right now, no extra Magnetron coils. I do have some extra ball bearings, if you can't locate it at the hardware store. Replace any of those balls if they are rusty, cracked, or discolored-clutch rebuild is covered in that service manual. :smile:
I put a new max torque on it so the clutch should be all ready to go. I really didn't think it would be this hard to start. The engine has the stamped model number 130202 but the type and code look to have been ground off and it has a serial sticker over it "8631653". Is this usual?
I have 4 different parts lists under the 13200 series and can send you all of them to compare to your engine and decide which one is the closest. They likely will all be near identical anyways, look for my latest PM......
:thumbsup:
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the coil likely isn't bad just rusty, it happens all the time to these briggs engines. clean all the rust off the coil and the magnet and re assemble. use a business card to get the right gap between them and it shoold spark just fine. a trick i like to do to keep them from re rusting is to clean the the coil and magnet then paint them. they can still re rust but not for a very long time.
ut:
Yup. I've done that in a pinch. A sharpie, transfer punches, jeweler's saw & a dremel with a sanding drum are your best friend.
It helps if you anneal the sheet (that you've made from the can) with a torch (or on the stove) first. That way it'll seal a little better.
As said, it's not a PERMANENT fix, but I had a coke-can head gasket on a lawnmower for almost a year before the rest of it finally just went (hey, it was at the dump, and more importantly it was free).
I wouldn't trust the fix on anything you intend on running hard for any length of time.
It helps if you anneal the sheet (that you've made from the can) with a torch (or on the stove) first. That way it'll seal a little better.
As said, it's not a PERMANENT fix, but I had a coke-can head gasket on a lawnmower for almost a year before the rest of it finally just went (hey, it was at the dump, and more importantly it was free).
I wouldn't trust the fix on anything you intend on running hard for any length of time.