This is on our older (92) garden tractor. I had the tractor out in the field chugging away on a moderate horsepower task (disking), when the engine cut out. Usually when it just stops out in the field, it's out of gas, but this time it had a third of a tank. I went back to get more and filled it, but then it wouldn't start.
It's been a bit hard to start when warm for a while, so I let it sit for ten minutes and then came back to it. Nothing. The starter chugs away, but the engine never caught. I let it sit for a half hour and again, nothing.
The oil was fine, the pistons and valves were fine (took off the cylinder heads later), I tried spraying starter fluid down the carburetor, but that didn't help.
I wasn't getting great spark when I tried the plugs, so I replaced the plugs, but still not great spark and no ignition. So I replaced the magnetron, but still, not great spark and no ignition. I was expecting to see a sharp blue spark across the plug every turn of the flywheel, but it looked to me like good sparking with my screwdriver in the boot and against the block, but only occasional spark with the plug in the boot and grounded to the block.
Any guesses what I missed? I gave up and took it to the shop, but I'm thinking maybe the flywheel key was sheared? I didn't hit anything, but maybe the key was partially sheared already and finally went.
It's been a bit hard to start when warm for a while, so I let it sit for ten minutes and then came back to it. Nothing. The starter chugs away, but the engine never caught. I let it sit for a half hour and again, nothing.
The oil was fine, the pistons and valves were fine (took off the cylinder heads later), I tried spraying starter fluid down the carburetor, but that didn't help.
I wasn't getting great spark when I tried the plugs, so I replaced the plugs, but still not great spark and no ignition. So I replaced the magnetron, but still, not great spark and no ignition. I was expecting to see a sharp blue spark across the plug every turn of the flywheel, but it looked to me like good sparking with my screwdriver in the boot and against the block, but only occasional spark with the plug in the boot and grounded to the block.
Any guesses what I missed? I gave up and took it to the shop, but I'm thinking maybe the flywheel key was sheared? I didn't hit anything, but maybe the key was partially sheared already and finally went.
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