Driving along and it died, won't restart. Engine turns over, fire is getting to the spark plug, but won't kick in. Anybody know how to troubleshoot this problem. I hate to take it to the shop, feel like it is a simple problem. It has gas, the plug is new, and has oil.
Susan:confused:

Does it have bowl looking thing somewhere on the carb.
Have you tried spraying starting fluid in the carb.
Maybe you need to clean air filter.
If it does have that bowl under carb remove bolt and see if it is plugged up or your float is sticking.
It will be something simple

The air filter was filthy. Cleaned it... but called husband at work to ask him to pick up another, as well as a fuel filter. Gas is coming through fuel filter, cleaned out the bowl, didn't see any trash.. but got gas all over. Filth in there... have cleaned it up... still won't start. Husband says spark plug is not hitting, though fire is getting through the wire, cause it shocked the fire out of me.
Any other clues? And thanks for answering so quickly.
Susan::(

You should not have tried to start it while holding the spark plug wire.
It sounds like you have it figured out now I bet it will run like new.

You could have flooded it but I doubt it.
Pull the sparkplug completely out and hook wire up to it and see if it still sparks

Yes, it's getting spark with it out of the mower. But still won't start. Got the filter off, and it has a auto choke. My old mower has manual. Anyway, with speed thing is on slow, choke is wide open. When on fast... the choke closed and fire spitting when trying to start. Flooded it of course, but after waiting a bit, it turns over again, still won't start though. Husband probably won't be home until 6, with the new parts, and will try again, but somehow, I don't think that's going to work. He is dumber than me on fixing something, he has no patience. I have patience, but no know-how. Am trying though. Thanks for your patience with me.

If you had trash in the fuel bowl... good chance the main jet is clogged with trash, that hole up where the fuel bowl nut goes up into, spray it out good with carb cleaner, or compressed air might be better.

If you are getting good spark and fuel it should run, did you check the compression maybe you have a stuck valve or dirt in the valve and no compression if so it will not run, you could use a compression gage to check this

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Originally Posted by sbarlowholmes

Driving along and it died, won't restart. Engine turns over, fire is getting to the spark plug, but won't kick in. Anybody know how to troubleshoot this problem. I hate to take it to the shop, feel like it is a simple problem. It has gas, the plug is new, and has oil.
Susan:confused:

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I have the same thing going on with my murray riding mower.

Try a carb rebuild kit after cleaning out your bowl. Check the float inside that bowl to see if it happens to have a pin hole leak in it. If so replace.

remove the carb from the whole engine then look at the valves. Are they dirty? I would spray with carb cleaner anyway just to make sure.Also you might have a bad safety switch somewhere but since it sparks I doubt that.take apart entire carb assembly clean it and then put it all back together hope it helps =P

When you take out the plug is it wet or dry ? If its wet then your getting fuel and it may be flooded in wich case turn off the supply and turn it over until it fires. If the plug is dry then you aren't getting fuel and you should check the supply. Could be the fuel pump, could be a fuel filter is pluged. Try pouring a small amount of fuel in the spark plug hole , replace the plug and turn it over. If it fires up then you have a supply problem.

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Originally Posted by vertical

When you take out the plug is it wet or dry ? If its wet then your getting fuel and it may be flooded in wich case turn off the supply and turn it over until it fires. If the plug is dry then you arent getting fuel and you should check the supply. could be the fuel pump, could be a fuel filter is pluged. try pouring a small amount of fuel in the spark plug hole , replace the plug and turn it over. If it fires up then you have a supply problem.

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Yah just make sure u don't dump gas in

Blown head gasket or dropped valve or retainer spring on valve check compression