I have a Scott SP walk-behind mower with a 6.5 HP Tecumseh motor. The
last time I used it (about 2 months ago) it seemed to run fine. Now it
apparently makes no attempt to start (after priming it and after many
pulls). In addition to this problem, while trying to start it the
engine sometimes jerks the starting rope out of my hand (backfires?).
Can anyone suggest what might be causing this and what to do about it?
Thanks for any help.
Art
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I have had similar occurrences, though I can't recall the specific cure.
Here are some basic troubleshooting steps I usually take:

1) Since the mower does not want to run even when primed, I doubt that the
carb is the main issue. If it was the carb, you would at least be able to
run the mower by constantly pressing the prime button when it starts. This
is good when the carb bowl has no gas in it.

2) Check the spark plug. What color is it? If it is black, then you have
a fouling issue. Is it wet? If so, then it means that you are getting
fuel, but no ignition. Clean the plug (or replace it). Make sure the plug
is dry when replaced.

3) Check the air filter. Make sure that it is clean. A dirty filter will
cause your mower to run rich and foul the plug. In extreme circumstances, a
clean plug can foul in five or ten minutes.

4) If you are still not having any luck, remove the spark plug and
reconnect it to the plug wire. Have the metal part of the plug touch the
engine and pull the start cord. Do you see a spark? If yes, then you have
a fuel delivery issue. If not, it could be the plug or the coil. Keep
working with the above steps to see if it will run. If you still can't get
it going, take it to a small-engine mechanic.




"Art Renkes" wrote in message
...
I have a Scott SP walk-behind mower with a 6.5 HP Tecumseh motor. The
last time I used it (about 2 months ago) it seemed to run fine. Now it
apparently makes no attempt to start (after priming it and after many
pulls). In addition to this problem, while trying to start it the
engine sometimes jerks the starting rope out of my hand (backfires?).
Can anyone suggest what might be causing this and what to do about it?
Thanks for any help.
Art
Replace deadspam with yahoo to reply.

Andrew,

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. When time permits, I will
try to check out a few of those things. Meanwhile, do you (or does
anyone else) have any opinions regarding the "backfiring" problem
(where it jerks the rope out of my hand)? To me this suggests that the
timing is off and that the spark is occurring too soon. Is this
possibly correct -- and is there any cure for it? TIA again.
Art

On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 16:23:29 -0400, "Andrew Neilson"
wrote:

I have had similar occurrences, though I can't recall the specific cure.
Here are some basic troubleshooting steps I usually take:

1) Since the mower does not want to run even when primed, I doubt that the
carb is the main issue. If it was the carb, you would at least be able to
run the mower by constantly pressing the prime button when it starts. This
is good when the carb bowl has no gas in it.

2) Check the spark plug. What color is it? If it is black, then you have
a fouling issue. Is it wet? If so, then it means that you are getting
fuel, but no ignition. Clean the plug (or replace it). Make sure the plug
is dry when replaced.

3) Check the air filter. Make sure that it is clean. A dirty filter will
cause your mower to run rich and foul the plug. In extreme circumstances, a
clean plug can foul in five or ten minutes.

4) If you are still not having any luck, remove the spark plug and
reconnect it to the plug wire. Have the metal part of the plug touch the
engine and pull the start cord. Do you see a spark? If yes, then you have
a fuel delivery issue. If not, it could be the plug or the coil. Keep
working with the above steps to see if it will run. If you still can't get
it going, take it to a small-engine mechanic.




"Art Renkes" wrote in message
.. .
I have a Scott SP walk-behind mower with a 6.5 HP Tecumseh motor. The
last time I used it (about 2 months ago) it seemed to run fine. Now it
apparently makes no attempt to start (after priming it and after many
pulls). In addition to this problem, while trying to start it the
engine sometimes jerks the starting rope out of my hand (backfires?).
Can anyone suggest what might be causing this and what to do about it?
Thanks for any help.
Art
Replace deadspam with yahoo to reply.


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Likely no spark or no fuel. You dont know if you are getting any fuel,
remove air filter and squirt gas or starting fluid in. If nothing
happens remove plug and ground it with the wire attached. If you get
spark backfiring indicates a timing problem and a sheared flywheel key.
If no spark you have to trace it back but start with a new plug. You
need 3 things to run air, fuel and spark. No spark is plug, plug wire,
coil -points-condensor, or coil ignition module. Or broken wire or
stator. Backfire is timing , flywheel key. Maybe no compression also.

HI Art,

My first suspicion would be a broken flywheel key. I have the same
engine in a Craftsman lawnmower and the damn thing breaks about two keys
per season.

The key is an aluminum/pot metal sorry excuse, all you need to do is hit
a rock, tree root etc, and it will partially shear, ergo engine timing
is out.

There is no easy way to check short of pulling the top sheet metal,
remove the recoil mechanism, remove flywheel nut and check alignment of
flywheel to crankshaft. If not dead on, this may be your problem.
WARNING, do not attempt to pry flywheel off, it will break, replacement
worth more than mower! Use puller, apply heat to flywheel at crankshaft
and the apply pressure. Fly wheel is mounted on taper.

Dave

Art Renkes wrote:
I have a Scott SP walk-behind mower with a 6.5 HP Tecumseh motor. The
last time I used it (about 2 months ago) it seemed to run fine. Now it
apparently makes no attempt to start (after priming it and after many
pulls). In addition to this problem, while trying to start it the
engine sometimes jerks the starting rope out of my hand (backfires?).
Can anyone suggest what might be causing this and what to do about it?
Thanks for any help.
Art
Replace deadspam with yahoo to reply.