wrote in message
ps.com...
i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,
every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

You are touching the spark plug threads to the engine block when you look
for spark, aren't you?

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly

Without knowing what engine you have we can only guess.

Where is the sensor for the ignition at? Is it possible that you've got the
timing way off now?