Home |  Index |  Submit Request |  Share Photos |  Share Tips |  Active Topics |  New Feedback  |  Contact Us  |  Search
 User Login:  Username:    Password:      Forgot It?  | Join ThriftyFun!

 Popular Topics
 - Beauty
 - Budget and Finance
 - Christmas *
 - Cleaning
 - Consumer Advice
 - Craft Projects
 - Craft Tips
 - Food Tips
 - Garage Sales
 - Gardening
 - Gifts
 - Green Living
 - Home Improvement
 - Organizing
 - Parenting
 - Parties
 - Pest Control
 - Pets
 - Product Reviews
 - Recipes
 - Repair
 - Thanksgiving
 - Weddings for Less

More Topics

Google Search:

Web thriftyfun.com

About:
RSS Feed
About Us
Media
Advertising
Contact Us
Privacy Statement
Disclaimer

Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

1x1
Date: 03/11/2008 Topics: Readers Request > Repair | Repair > Machines > Lawn Mowers  
1x1
1x1
Post Feedback! | Email Friend | Print | Get Responses | Bookmark | del.icio.us | Link | Rate: Thumbs Up Thumbs Down
I'm working on a 12Hp Briggs which powers a ride on mower. It won't start and a compression test revealed it had only 7psi dry and 10psi wet. I've stripped the engine bare and can't find a single thing wrong with it. The engine has completed perhaps 100 hrs. Everything inside the engine is as it should be. It has electric start so I would have expected more than this small amount. Has anyone any idea what the compression pressure should be?

David from England UK
Jump to Feedback | Post feedback
Related Links:
Previous: Paint Peeling of Indoor Wood Doors ThriftyFun Next: Planning a Prom Dress Re-Sale Event
1x1
 Feedback
1x1
1x1
1x1
1x1
 Sponsors
1x1
1x1

Post by ThriftyFun (3746) | (06/16/2008)
Profile |Blog! |Contact
(sent in by email)
My briggs and stratton riding mower was working fine, then it wouldn't go anymore. any ideas?

milliegilmartin from Raleigh, NC

Report Spam or Abuse


Post By chris caldwell (Guest Post) (06/01/2008)
Should be around 60-80psi.

Report Spam or Abuse


Post By rmartin (Guest Post) (05/02/2008)
I turned key on rider, nothing. I checked battery, ok. Jumped the soloid, it turned over, but nothing from key starting. I changed plug. murry mower ""

Report Spam or Abuse


Post by studentbiggles (1) | (04/25/2008)
Contact
The Briggs with next to no compression, we found the fault in the end. Careful (very careful) inspection of the cylinder head revealed a burn mark where gas had been leaking past the gasket. Obviously very little was leaking past but on reassembly of the engine, cleaning the carb, changing the fuel and basically doing everything we could think of, she starts and runs fine.
Hopefully this info will help some of you other guys out there with similar problems.

Report Spam or Abuse


Post By Brittney (Guest Post) (04/24/2008)
After spending $200 and only using it twice last year, I'm a little aggrevated. It's a ready start, so you can't prime it, but that's what it sounds like it needs. Any help on how I can prime it? -it's acting like it's not getting gas.

Report Spam or Abuse


Post by Laurel_admin (393) | (03/11/2008)
Contact
My mower with a B&S (Briggs & Stratton) engine won't start. Per feedback from others concerning similar problems, I took plug out still attached to wire, there was no spark when I pulled cord. The plug snapped in so it had a good connection. The first time I pulled, my wife said it shocked her, but no spark. (Holding it in the wrong place?) After that, nothing. It was daylight and in the shade, would we see a spark? Also, a couple of weeks ago it started fine with the old gas still in it. Then I changed the plug, filter, oil and blade. I didn't change the gas, but I did add new gas. I also rinsed it off with a hose pretty thoroughly. Any of this give anyone any ideas? I'd appreciate any tips. Terry from Charleston, SC

Answers:

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

If you washed the motor, it sounds as if you have water in the gas. Take the bowl off at the carburetor, and see if there is any water in it. Pinch the fuel line off so you don't have a gas spill. If there is water in the gas, drain it out and try some new gas. (04/13/2006)

By Tom Mann.

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

I would also dry out the fuel tank and refuel with fresh gas. BUT... I just bought a new push mower with a Brigs and Stratton motor last year from Walmart. And once the fuel gets down to a quarter of a tank or less, it will not pick it up to start no matter how many times you push the bulb to prime it. You may need to simply add more gas. Hope this helps. Sherry (04/13/2006)

By Sherry Nelson

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

As others have mention I would clean gas out of the carburetor and fuel line. Onetime I added a stabilizer product to my gas in my mower and let it sit over the winter.In the spring the gas had turned to a jelly consistency.Had to clean fuel lines and carb.Started fine after that with new gas. (04/14/2006)

By Dean

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

Thanks for the feedback, but it still won't start. I've drained all the gas out as best as I know how. (Just took the bowl off the bottom of the carb.) I even went and got new gas, still no luck. By the way, I do have a spark, so it's not the plug. I put a little gas in the plug hole and it tried to start for a second or two, but that's all. Is it time to replace the carb? Is that something anybody can do? Is it time to take it to a repairman? Help! (04/14/2006)

By Terry

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

Mystery solved. It was a gasket. A gasket! All that trouble. Thanks for the help. (04/15/2006)

By Terry

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

It sounds like the ignition wire has a short in it. You may have to replace the magneto coil and wire. It is located under the engine's top shroud. (10/06/2007)

By Ernie

RE: Mower with a Briggs & Stratton Engine Won't Start

The Spark Plug needs to be grounded to the block. I use insulated pliers or gloves and hold the spark with wire attached, plug to the engine block. I would imagine it is getting a spark if there was a shock involved. It may have water condensation in the gas tank / line. If it has water in the gas line or tank, you can take it to a repair shop and they will do it in within 30 minutes time for typically 50-80 bucks, or do it yourself. I was told water in tank or gas line was not a covered warranty issue. I read on another site (do at your own risk) : 1. remove the gas line from the gas tank and have container to catch the gas coming out. You may need two containers. One to catch the gas thats coming out and another, larger container to dump the gas into. 2. Once tank and line is empty, locate the carburetor bell housing. On a Briggs and Stratton engine, it looks like a silver bell. There is a 1/2" size nut at the bottom. LOOSEN, but dont take apart, and let the gas leak out, mine only leaked out 3-4 tablespoons of liquid. Once it stops dripping ( 3 minutes or less) , tighten bolt and put all gas lines back on. 3. Clean up excess gas spillings, and add more known good gas in tank, and about 1/4 or less of dry gas or carb cleaner. Apparently Lowes sells a product that helps remove water out of gas mower tanks better than Isopropyl Alcohol. 4. If accessible, I removed the air filter and had a folded napkin ready to help block that hole . I had my son try starting the engine, and it started, and I used the napkin to block air flow. It helped suck out all air and water out of the mower. Just before it was ready to stall, I took napkin off hole. If mower stalls, start it again, use napkin as necessary, repeat again until it it runs normally. Only had to use napkin twice. Make sure your gas is good, it can be cheap unleaded, and it should work fine. if it doesn't it either has a Boatload of water in the machine, or thats not the probem. Hopefully this helps and makes sense. (11/07/2007)

By major tom

Report Spam or Abuse


1x1

Post Feedback:
Login using the form on the top of the page to post feedback if you have registered with ThriftyFun. If you have not yet registered, click here. It's FREE!. If you are not registered you can post feedback as a guest below. Please don't use your email address for your name because spam robots can dredge it from our site. Please do not post your feedback more than ONCE. We need to approve all guest feedback and it may take from minutes to hours for that to happen.
(1x1 graphic )
Your Name

Subject

Feedback

text tool text tool text tool text tool

Image Upload: Add an image to your post! Click the "Browse" button below and select an image from your hard drive. Please only select gifs or jpegs. If you have any problems, just email the image to images@thriftyfun.com

  

If you want to post your email address for responses from readers, obscure it in some way like put spaces between the name and @ sign and service address with (remove spaces) behind it or name (at) server (dot) com . This is for your protection from those creepy Robots.

(1x1 graphic )

© 1997-2008ThriftyFun.com - Design by Cumuli Design
Disclaimer: ThriftyFun.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site. Read the full disclaimer. If you find any information on ThriftyFun.com or in our newsletters that is either erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others, please Contact Us, immediately.