[tabora]

getting so desperate now I plan...

Stop ignoring the valves!!! See post #18. This is an easy diagnostic step to perform. Just 4 bolts to remove the valve cover.

 

[galoot]

OK will do & report back. Getting a whole whack of snow here today and first need to shovel the driveway to get the car out. Starting to think it may have been better to do all this in the summer...

 

[crazzywolfie]

If the plug is wet and gas is coming out the exhaust then I would say your carb is not ok. I would guess the machine will also likely need a oil change and the spark plug may have gone bad because of it.

 

[Tony-chicago]

And the valves.
Start over.
New plug needed.
Oil change definitely.
Check float and needle.
Use starting fluid with gas off?

Maybe, first check valves.

 

[galoot]

Gotcha on all the above. So far it has one use on a new oil change last year. Brand new spark plug 2 days ago and it works. Good spark. Float needle operation good.
TODO coffee first after just shoveling the driveway later today in my -17C unheated garage is:
#1 Valve check.
#2 Starting fluid & brand new gas. (old gas works ok in lawnmower so not holding out much hope there but desperation setting in. This thing may be picky)
#3 shop for a new shovel.

 

[galoot]

#1 complete; valve operation perfect. That really was easy...
Now on to #2

 

[crazzywolfie]

i would drain all the gas and try starting fluid with a new plug. i would not ad more gas till you can get it to fire on starting fluid. i still think there could possibly be a carb issue. it is very hard to get a engine started if the carb keeps flooding it

also may be worth smelling the oil. if gas is coming out the exhaust too much is likely ending up in the engine which seeps into the oil. that brand new plug you just installed could be bad. i know you say you see spark but that doesn't necessarily mean the plug is good.

 

[Basswelder]

I have the Compact 24 model that will not start. All the usual suspects have been cleared. It appears I have a sheared Woodruf key and need to remove the flywheel. Any tips? I may have access to a gear puller tomorrow. It seems like one whole unit. ie one piece including the gear? The thing will not budge and fear hitting it too hard. I'm thinking the puller will grip behind the gear and I can pull it off. Wondering if this makes sense..

Get some kroil or PB Blaster and a rubber mallet. Get a little penetrating oil on the shaft. Wait a while as it needs to creep in. Apply the puller. When you have some sack on it, whack the shaft hard with the mallet. Should pop off.

 

[galoot]

I was going to follow up on this sometime on the weekend. I followed advice re oil, bit of leverage from behind as all 3 borrowed pullers could not get a grip from behind. It took maybe 2 light whacks and it popped off easily. That's the good news. The pin (and timing) is ok - that seems to not be the problem. My starting problem remains though but I have not worked on it for the past few days. Was hoping the weekend will bring a bit warmer weather as it has not been fun for this geezer to work in an unheated garage at -18 temperatures! So next is a carb job even though gas does not seem to be a problem. See flooding above. And even though the mower runs fine drinking from the same gas can, I bought a new can and new gas too. Will update....

 

[crazzywolfie]

there is a good likelihood that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the gas but if the carb is not doing its job and allowing the engine to flood it will usually prevent the engine from starting. this is why i was recommending draining the system so it can't flood again and then testing to make sure it still runs.

 

[galoot]

Well, I (finally) got back on this today with my son and it now runs. To re-cap: when this disaster began, it would not fire once and flooded like crazy. Bad gas? Same stuff works in my 24-year-old lawnmower. Brand new plug, tested and confirmed spark, valves good, removed flywheel & pin not sheared so timing must be ok. Got to eliminate bad gas as the issue.
So OK today, let's drain the gas & carb bowl - clean it and put in new stuff. Started in seconds (after the carb bow filled, I guess). Started, but hit top RPM. (This thing can really rev!) Take it apart for the 56th time. Found that when re-assembling, we squished the governor spring. Apart again. Fixed that. Reassembled and finally success. Started and ran perfectly. Bring on the snow!
I guess I could have put new gas in the thing to begin with. But by being stubborn and not following the sage advice on this forum, at least I got to spend some quality time with my son and had an excuse to take it apart to see what was inside. That's a win!

 

[Ziggy65]

Glad you got it sorted and thanks for coming back to let us know that it was the bad fuel.

 

[KJSeller]

Some people treat snowblower maintenance like a marriage. Ignore it until a divorce is pending 😂😂😂😂.

Glad you got it going.

I've got treated gas in the jerry can and haven't used the first tank yet. No snow. I should just put it in the car and get some fresh stuff. 😂

 

[Craiger]

Glad to hear you got it running. As I was just reading through this thread, the thought occurred to me I would check the compression. Easy and quick to do. Pull it over 5-6 times and record the pressure in your maintenance logbook. I do this on all my small engines when new or when acquired used. Every few years I'll check again. I have a 1969 Sears 20" mower bought new which I plan to keep forever. It's got a magnesium deck which won't rust and is feather light to push through tall grass and up hills, etc. A couple years ago it wouldn't start. It would sputter a few revs with starting ether and stall. Carb was good, spark as well. I checked the compression which had been slowly declining over the years. This time it was only about 25psi. That turned out to be the reason it wouldn't start. Should be 75-100 to run decent. I had a replacement freebie engine so thus far I haven't bothered to teardown the orig. engine. I'd guess after 50+ years, rings and valves are worn quite a bit.