That rust on the flywheel/coil has ZERO magnetic impact on the coil. Don't waste your time sanding and polishing.Rivets - thanks for the response.
The model # is 917 38851.
I replaced the needle valve seat but not the needle itself, and as far as adjusting the float level - I never knew that these were adjustable.
I did blow into the fuel inlet when the carb is upside down to make sure the needle closes the flow of gas against the seat.
Am thinking - maybe the fly wheel needs to be gently sanded (as well as the coil contact points) as maybe the mower was stored outside and it's only when the engine is running does it achieve enough speed to fire the coil.
Mower is hard to start:
I rebuilt the carb, new air filter, new spark plug, the coil checks out fine with a spark tester and with my multi meter.
I have cleaned out the gas tank and the fuel line.
After it does start and runs for a while, it re starts without issue.
The primer bulb looks fine and I smell gas when priming.
I also made sure the kill switch from the coil to the engine brake is fine.
It starts on one pull when I squirt in starting fluid
What could be the cause of the hard start?
Thanks.
I went through all these exertions with a Briggs Quantum engine. It too would start if fuel was squirted in the carburetor and quit after that was consumed.
I eventually found that the plastic fuel manifold was cracked, which prevented the fuel/air mixture from being sucked in from the carburetor. Just air was sucked in from the crack.
This defect was AFTER the carburetor.
It looks like you have a similar Quantum engine. When you pull off the carburetor, an O ring is visible on the plastic manifold that was cracked. You might want to examine that carefully for defects. I had to take off the coil to be able to view the manifold crack and replace the broken manifold.
I took it all apart last night. The plastic manifold was not cracked - tested it with air pressure. Put it back together and used gasket cement to seal it to the engine (just in case). Reset the coil using a business card as a spacer. Examined the spark plug - it was a CJ-8. Went to the computer and saw that the manual calls for a RJ19LM. Found an old one in my tool box, cleaned it, reset the gap, installed it and today tried to start it. It took several pulls, but it did start and then started easily throughout the day.I went through all these exertions with a Briggs Quantum engine. It too would start if fuel was squirted in the carburetor and quit after that was consumed.
I eventually found that the plastic fuel manifold was cracked, which prevented the fuel/air mixture from being sucked in from the carburetor. Just air was sucked in from the crack.
This defect was AFTER the carburetor.
It looks like you have a similar Quantum engine. When you pull off the carburetor, an O ring is visible on the plastic manifold that was cracked. You might want to examine that carefully for defects. I had to take off the coil to be able to view the manifold crack and replace the broken manifold.
Congratulations!I took it all apart last night. The plastic manifold was not cracked - tested it with air pressure. Put it back together and used gasket cement to seal it to the engine (just in case). Reset the coil using a business card as a spacer. Examined the spark plug - it was a CJ-8. Went to the computer and saw that the manual calls for a RJ19LM. Found an old one in my tool box, cleaned it, reset the gap, installed it and today tried to start it. It took several pulls, but it did start and then started easily throughout the day.
Lesson: - always check the basics when you get a mower from someone else......
Thanks for all the help.
You mean it was the spark plug this whole time? That is the #1 thing people change first. Then the air filter and totally forget about the cylinder block cooling fin cleaning ritual. Glad to hear it is running.I took it all apart last night. The plastic manifold was not cracked - tested it with air pressure. Put it back together and used gasket cement to seal it to the engine (just in case). Reset the coil using a business card as a spacer. Examined the spark plug - it was a CJ-8. Went to the computer and saw that the manual calls for a RJ19LM. Found an old one in my tool box, cleaned it, reset the gap, installed it and today tried to start it. It took several pulls, but it did start and then started easily throughout the day.
Lesson: - always check the basics when you get a mower from someone else......
Thanks for all the help.