chiba

Ethanol and methanol obsorb water and mix with fuel. But with such a small volume i would not bother, just get rid of that fuel and then flush the tank, fuel lines and carby with fresh fuel. Lesson learned, don't wash your fuel tank with anything other than fuel.

I don't think you have explained if you are seeing a spark yet? are you? also i see you wrote "replaced oil", i'm assuming it's a 4 stroke, right? while your plug is out put you thumb over the plug hole and spin the mower. is there a lot, very little or heaps of compression?

Roboticinfo

If there is a spark then it is not the magneto but if there is no spark then it is for sure.

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chiba

Umm, if there is no spark it could be a lot of things, we will get to them when he answers the question, also i can see mechie gave an excellent responce and if it was followed properly he would not have put water in his gas tank.

zachtheterrible

He didn't say there isn't a spark!

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mstechca

I put my thumb over the spark plug hole, and tried starting it. I couldn't pull the cord due to my awkward position. But I can feel a little suction until the pull cord retracts.

I don't know exactly how to test for a spark, but I replaced the spark plug yesterday, so the spark plug should be no problem.

The funny thing is that sometimes, the lawnmower works for 1/2 a second then shuts off.

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D.J.

"I don't know exactly how to test for a spark"

Unscrew the spark plug, reconnect it to the wire. Then leave it lay where you can see it and pull the string. You should see a blue spark in the gap.

D.J.

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zachtheterrible

You have to make sure that the metal body of the spark plug (where it screws in the hole) is touching the body of the lawnmower as well. This will complete the circuit.

OR

If the spark plug is in an easy to reach place, take a screwdriver and stick it in the wire that connects to the spark plug, and then take the other metal end of the screwdriver and get it close to the place where the wire usually connects. You should see a spark jump from the screwdriver to the tip of the sparkplug.

I was bored so i made you a picture :lol: i hope you like it ops:

Attached Images

lawnmower.gif (4.7 KB, 46 views)

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mstechca

I saw sparks from the spark plug itself when I pulled the cord. I saw a brown spark, and I think I saw a blue one too.

But my lawnmower still doesn't work, and my grass is growing too tall.

I think I overloaded it with oil, and then I empty the oil tank because it worked before without oil.

I still can't figure out why it won't work

I need a simple solution.

I want to pull the cord and see it start!

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mstechca

I forgot to mention that when I pulled the cord with the spark plug out, the cord was ridiculously easy to pull.

When the spark plug is in, and I pulled the cord, the cord was somewhat harder to pull. Sometimes, when I tried starting it, it makes one loud putt sound and then shuts off.

does anyone know of any site with a comprehensive lawnmower troubleshooting, because it still doesn't work.

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zachtheterrible

Alright, you saw a spark, thats good.

Its probably hard to pull because remember how there is suction, well the spark plug is blocking that suction making it hard to pull.

DON'T RUN IT WITHOUT OIL! thats very very very very very bad. Oil is in there to lubricate things and keep the friction down. Too much friction and therefroe heat causes your engine to blow up, not literally but . . .

Im sure there is a lawnmower forum on the net. there are forums for everything. Just search google. If you can't find that, just go to an engine forum or something. forums are the best.

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mstechca

I had my neighbour come over and look at it, and he couldn't even fix it.

Yes, I did put oil in (again).

I did notice something which just might make it work.

When I lifted the engine cover off, I saw what appeared to be what is inside a typical hobby motor, but inversed.

It seems that the circular thing that turns (along with the blade) when I pull the cord seems to make part of a motor circuit. It seems the other part forms some weird magnet or transformer (its shaped like a magnet) and it is connected to the spark plug. This is before any modifications were made.

I find that if both the circular piece and the magnet/transformer are attached together, I would have a hard time pulling the cord.

I'm afraid if they are too far apart, the lawnmower won't start because the electricity cannot pass over.

Please help me. So far, this place has given me the most answers.

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zachtheterrible

I believe that is the part that makes the HV. I forget what you call it. As long as you are getting sparks though, I don't think I'd worry about that.

Well, im stumped, accept for the gas filter . . .

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Roboticinfo

That is the magneto but since it is sparking you could check that one of the list.

Get a business card and see if you could fit it in under tha magneto.

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MARINE1142

Try some WD-40 in the carb not too much but see if it starts then if it does then you have some sort of fuel problem such as carb filters cracked lines. Take the air filter off and spray some in the carb while you are tring to start it.

zachtheterrible

mstecha, have you checked the gas filter, and yes, check the fuel lines.

I think that it is:
1. gas fitler
2. fuel lines
3. carbeurator
4. air filter (possibly)

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