[qwyn]

Hi. Picked up an old Yardman Snowbird snowblower with a Briggs & Stratton motor. It is old is all I can say. I believe it is an 8hp. So the old fella said. He could no longer manhandle it and I got it free. Machine started up and ran well but it was winters end and only got an hours use. Now trying to start it and having no luck. Opened it up cleaned points. Started ran about a min & quit. Repeat steps same results.

Any ideas why the fouling? Steps we should take? Just points or should we get other parts.

That's the problem with having just enough experience and know how to get in trouble. Thanks in advance for any help given!

[hkstroud]

Sounds more like a fuel problem.

[qwyn]

Thanks for quick reply. Parden my lack of know how, how would fuel supply foul the points? Every time it quit and not restart we went back to points, cleaned and it restarted. After 4th time we gave up.

[hkstroud]

Not saying fuel fouls points. Saying you have a fuel problem. If restarts after waiting awhile, you are probably flooding engine with fuel. Or engine is fuel starved. Electrical problems are usually pretty consistent. It either runs or it doesn't. Small engines usually have magneto, with condenser and points. Not much that can go wrong. Do you mean plug?

If fuel adjustments are flooding cylinder, fouls plug or restarts after fuel has evaporated.

[qwyn]

No sir. I mean the points. New plug didn't foul up at all. My neighbor did the work. Opened it up, had to clean up the points again. Once back together started right up. Idled a min or so and just died.

I put a new fuel line on it. Prev owner had an inline filter for a car. I replaced it with a spare motorcycle one and made sure there was no point lower than carb inlet. Neither of us had magneto type bikes so we're lost.

Thanks again.

[hkstroud]

So what is the condition of points? Burned, pitted or dirty? No real expert on magnetos but magnet on flywheel comes around passes coil, induces voltage in coil, condenser stores charge. Points close and plug fires. If points are dirty you must have oil leaking around flywheel.
Forgive my asking point or plugs. Very unusual to have problem with mags or points.

[qwyn]

I will have to quiz Terry when he gets home Friday. Far as I recall from my chair over my beer, dirty. But he did use a file to clean them. So maybe pitted a bit.

If the rain stops maybe I'll open it myself.

[Stratmando]

Actually I believe the Points close, charge the capacitor, and when the points open, capacitor discharges, firing the coil?
Did you ever put in Fresh Gas?

[qwyn]

Yup. Took the tank off, fixed the petcock. Full tank of high test. That's back when I ran it to spread snowbanks for melting. Refillef with Stabil.

[Stratmando]

Do you feel it was fuel, ignition or a little of both?