Judy and Dave:

You said it won't start but you said nothing at all about testing the coil
and spark plug to see if they are working.

Before you remove and readjust anything you must do a standard set of tests
in the proper order.. First off I would make sure the control levers where
in run position and not the stop position which usally grounds out the coil.
Next I would remove the spark plug and hold the plug wire about an 1/8inch
from the motor block and have some one crank the engine over. If you have
spark the next thing to do is put the coil wire on the spark plug and ground
the metal part of the plug body on the frame and again crank the engine over
looking for a nice blue spark at the plug. Next leave the plug out and
have someone crank over the engibne while you hold you finger tightly over
the spark plug hole and if it blowes your finger out you probably have
enough compression for the engine to run. You next step is the fuel supply
system and it is almost certainly plugged with varnish deposits that can
oinly be removed by disassembly and cleaning no short cut here.

Just last week a mechanic friend of mine couldn't get an industrial mower
going but finally traced it down to a broken found wire under the machine
that was ground out to the frame. He found it by removing all the wires
running out of the engine and it started immediately, as soon as he hooked
them up again it wouldn't.


Lots real good mowers to be had a garage sales because people don't know how
to trouble shoot simple problems.

Good luck

Zack


"Bob M." wrote in message
news
The engine is most likely a Tecumseh engine. They specify an air gap for
the
solid-state ignition module of 0.0125 inches between the core and the
flywheel. The timing is NOT adjustable.

The 143. engine number is not listed in the info I have, but many numbers
around it are.

Hope this helps.
Bob M.
======
"Judy and Dave G" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the help and hints that you don't know you have given us!

Here's our question(s). We have a Craftsman power propelled lawn mower.
Bought in 1995. Only been run for maybe 3 hours tops. So everything
still
even looks new. Took it out, cleaned it up, drained it, tightened it,
etc.
But it won't start. Ordered a solid state ignition and put it in. Dave
thinks the problem may be a clearance problem but there are no
specifications in the owner's manual. This mower was from back when
everything Sears sold, had only Sears' name on it. So we don't know the
engine manufacturer. The mower is Sears model #: 917.376340 and the
engine
Sears model #: 143.966500. This is 6.5 hp engine takes plug RJ19LM.

Dave is trying to find out the specification for clearance between the
magnet mounted on the flywheel and the solid state ignition. When the
clearance is set at 2 - 3 thousandths, the mower would not start. When
the
clearance is set at 17 - 18 thousandths, it starts, runs rough and fouls
the
plug. Of course, at this time, he isn't really sure this is the
problem.
So if anyone has any other ideas, please?

Hope there is someone out there who can help with this. Even if just to
help us identify the engine, or if there is a standard for clearance
that
might work?

Thanks again for all your help. We really appreciate the time it takes
to
give it.

Judy