Jon,
I'd try replacing the spark plug, checking the fuel lines, and taking the
flywheel off and cleaning the points with a feeler gauge.
Gap the new plug at .035, and you should be good. The thing with small
engines is that they're pretty near bulletproof, as long as you keep good
gas and enough oil in them.
Hope this helps.
-(The other) Jon
<jon@dakota-truck.net> wrote in message
news:eas007$ccr$1@bent.twistedbits.net...
>
>
> Just wanted to run this one past y'all to see if there is something
> I am missing. :-)
>
> I'm trying to get a roto-tiller running which has been
> sitting unused for probably 10-15 years. It is powered by a Tecumseh
> motor, I'm not sure what the model number or HP is because I can't find
> any identifying marks, but I'd guess its somewhere between 5-8hp.
>
> I drained the fuel tank and poured fresh gas into it, along
> with a little B12. I pulled the spark plug out and it looked OK,
> checked the crankcase oil. Initially, I didn't bother to pull the
> carb off, thought I'd just give it a try as-is, just inspected the
> air cleaner. It has an electric start, but the battery is all
> dried up, so I just used the pull starter. The engine was frozen
> when I tried to use the pull starter, so I pulled the spark plug
> and sprayed some PB Blaster in there. I removed the pull starter
> to turn the crankshaft with a breaker bar, but as it turns out,
> just grabbing the snout and twisting it by hand was enough to break
> it free. Re-installed the pull starter and turned the engine over
> a bunch of times to try and empty the PB blaster out the spark
> plug hole. Re-installed the spark plug, and gave it a try. It
> didn't want to start, so I checked for spark which was fine. So,
> I removed the air cleaner and sprinkled a little gas into the carb,
> and it caught. It didn't want to stay running though. I pulled the
> carb, and there was some varnish in there, so I cleaned it and
> re-installed. I then fiddled with the two adjustments on the carb
> to try and keep it running. At one point I had it to where it
> would stay running for maybe 20 seconds at a time, at most. Sometimes
> it would take a high throttle setting to keep it running, other times
> it would only run at idle. I pulled the carb off several times
> and played with the float level, etc. to no avail.
>
> Basically what it comes down to is the engine will stay running
> as long as I keep pouring gas or starter fluid down the carb. I
> am assuming this means the engine just isn't getting enough fuel
> for some reason. I've checked for air leaks downstream of the
> carb and there don't seem to be any, so I was basically working
> off the assumption that the carb wasn't providing enough fuel.
> I've taken the carb apart several times and cleaned it really
> well; it seems to be a very simple design, none of the fuel
> passages or orifices seem to be blocked.
>
> Is there anything that I'm missing? I'm basically thinking
> that the carb isn't providing enough fuel, but is there any
> other reason why a motor wouldn't stay running unless it was
> being provided extra gas or fed with starter fluid? I'm basically
> looking for other culprits at the moment as it seems like the carb
> must be working as designed and yet isn't providing enough fuel (or
> the right ratio anyway) to keep the motor running.
>
> I have confirmed that there is spark, but would a weak spark
> or incorrect gap cause this? What about incorrect timing? Low
> compression?
>
> Thanks! :-)
>
> --
> -Jon-
>
> .- Jon Steiger --- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
> | 67 Dodge Coronet, 70 Plymouth Barracuda, 76 Peugeot TSA |
> | 78 Dodge B100, 90 Dodge Dakota Convertible, 92 Dodge Ram 4x4 |
> | 96 Dodge Dakota, 96 Suzuki Intruder 1400, 96 Kolb FireFly |
> | 99 Jeep Cherokee 4x4, 01 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD |
> `--------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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