[lfcevans]

Hello again.
                 I am trying to help a friend out with his mower problem. The story goes...He had a mower and the engine broke, but he was given a Tecumseh engine that supposedly worked to replace it. He decided to check the engine was ok before fitting it but it wouldnt start. He brought it round to me early last year to look at and I have now got the time to look at it.

So, what I did was put fresh oil and fuel in...cleaned the carb out, cleaned the plug, all the usual stuff. It did burst into life for about 5 seconds before I shut it off (I was in the garage with all the doors shut  ), it was running a bit "lumpy" though. I thought I had fixed it, but it now will not start at all
I have got a good spark, good compression, and fuel...thats all thats needed isnt it

I dont know much about the engine apart from what it says on the sticker, which is "Tecumseh 50" with what I think is a Dellorto carb.

Anyone got any ideas please

[Gwiz]

Reading the first part of your post, it seems that the engine was started without it being attached to the mower. Is that right? If so that could be the problem as the engine relies on the blade to help the flywheel to even out the running.

[lfcevans]

Hi.. thanks for the reply
Do you think the blade will make that much difference to it not starting at all
I would have thought the engine would have started up and then maybe have trouble running due to the balancing/weight effect of the blade.
Thanks for the help

[smud6ie]

Hi.. thanks for the reply
Do you think the blade will make that much difference to it not starting at all
I would have thought the engine would have started up and then maybe have trouble running due to the balancing/weight effect of the blade.
Thanks for the help

Rightly or wrongly I felt quite annoyed at reading this post,The question was asked and the most likely cause was suggested by a most  experienced member. Yes,there are other causes but I would suggest acting on the advice and if it does not work suggestions can be made knowing that one of  the obvious causes has been eliminated .
Just to add, the weightl effect with the blade on helps the engine spin faster,some ignition systems do not provide enough umph!unless the engine turns over over a certain RPM


Rant over

smud6ie

[grendel]

did you empty the carb after that first time, and have you tried fresh fuel, if you left fuel in there it may well have turned to a horrible gritty rust coloured muck that will block the jets, and modern fuel doesnt last too well so if it has been sitting over winter it may well not be good enough to fire up with. (I just cleaned the carb on my tecumseh (aspera) rotovator engine the other week and had both these problems).
Grendel

[Gwiz]

In my experience engines should always be attached to whatever they bare supposed to be driving to avoid damage. I have started engines up in the past just bolted to a bench just to see if they work or not prior to scrapping them. They have always run rough, and some promptly sheared the flywheel key in the process.
I would suggest fitting the engine to the mower, fitting the blade and then seeing what happens. With any luck it may run as it should, if not, sing out again and one of us should be able to point you in the right direction.

[lfcevans]

Thanks for the replies

 Grendel:- Yes I checked the fuel and cleaned the carb...you could eat your dinner of it when i finished  but after it started for 5 seconds and wouldnt start again I stripped it and cleaned it again:D. I also put fresh fuel in

Gwiz:- I`ll do as suggested and see if it works thanks

Smud6le: I`m sorry you got annoyed, but I just wanted clarification of whether going to the trouble of bringing the mower body round to my place and bolting the engine on to try it, would have been worth it. I just needed a sign from it that it was a good motor before going to all that trouble.

[grendel]

it is worth ckecking that the flywheel key hasnt sheared, I had one that did just that, and though it sparked the spark isnt happening at the right time, I know its a pain to have to take the flywheel off again, but it might be worth checking - I have seen flywheel keys on ebay from time to time (I had some hardened steel so ground one up to size myself)
Grendel

[lfcevans]

It was a difficult job, but engine now running.

we assembled it to the base, but couldnt attach the blade as the bolt was lost 

anyway, eventually got a bolt and got it started. It was a problem with carb set up.

thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Gwiz]

Glad it's going.