Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

[davev]

People,

This is a 1988 25HP elect start. Started and ran fine yesterday. Today it wont start. The gas tank is not empty and the gas line at the point it connects to the engine spits gas when you squeeze the priming bulb. The motor turns over with any problems. Starting fluid does not help. Have pulled the plugs but can not see any spark (the plugs do not have raised electrodes rather they are flat concentric rings). The plug wires come from two black cubes mounted to the rear of the fly wheel. Each cube has two wires connected - all seem intact.

Can anyone suggest where to start and what to look for??

Dave

 

[rightcoastrob]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

check to see if u have spark pull out each plug and let them lay on the power head and turn it over.Do Not Touch the spark plug when u turn it over.You say u have gas if u have spark.you need to test the compression.im not sure what area yours is supposed to be in a quick google search will tell you that.If u need a compression tester your local auto part store will rent u one im sure.U need to have those 3 things for a motor to run.thats where u need to start.

 

[rightcoastrob]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

opps sorry bout that i see you have no spark now.id be looking around the coils to see if there arching out.electrical is out of my ballpark unless is basic sorry i cant help.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

put the kill switch in the operating position.

 

[davev]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

That might explain it - where is the kill switch located? I start the motor via a key which is turned clockwise in the single lever (double if you count the idle throttle control) control housing. I thought that if the key was in, then the kill switch was disabled. But if the kill switch has failed in the kill position ...

I am happy to disable the kill switch - how do I do it ?

Dave

 

[j_martin]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

That might explain it - where is the kill switch located? I start the motor via a key which is turned clockwise in the single lever (double if you count the idle throttle control) control housing. I thought that if the key was in, then the kill switch was disabled. But if the kill switch has failed in the kill position ...

I am happy to disable the kill switch - how do I do it ?

Dave

It depends on your control set. On most it is a guarded toggle switch right on the controls that a lanyard loop will trip off if pulled. It can be put to the on position without the lanyard.

On others, there is a seperate switch for a lanyard, of various configurations.

The ignition switch actuates kill switch (shorting) contacts in the off position. It could be defective.

To check out the theory, disconnect the kill wire from the switchbox(s) and start it. Do it with water provided, you'll have to disconnect the fuel and starve it to stop it.

If it starts, it's the kill circuit that's the problem.

It would help immensely if you got a maintainance manual for the engine.

hope it helps
John

 

[davev]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

John,

Many thanks - it was the integrated kill switch on the controls. A simple reset was all that was required.

Any suggestion whether I should be thinking about replacing the switch? This is the first time it has happened.

Dave

 

[j_martin]

Re: Motor will not start - ran fine yesterday

John,

Many thanks - it was the integrated kill switch on the controls. A simple reset was all that was required.

Any suggestion whether I should be thinking about replacing the switch? This is the first time it has happened.

Dave

You should have a lanyard, attached to the driver that will flip that switch off if the driver goes overboard. That's the purpose of the switch.

If the switch was fully in the on position, and the motor wouldn't start. Then you flipped it off and back on, and the motor started. It's time to get the switch replaced. If it was just off, it was moved to the off position, maybe accidentally.

hope it helps
John