Tecumseh won't start

2fives · 04-26-2008, 01:58 PM

I have a ~10yr old craftsman mower with a Tec. engine. I changed the gas, coil, carb, and plug to no success. Dead, doesn't even sputter. I also messed with the grounding wire.

I also read the flywheel key maybe bent or sheared off which can knock out the timing, well my key looked perfect....to me.

I also read the flywheel magnets should be at about the 7'oclock position to the coil when the piston is at TDC.

Soooooo I (and here is the problem) stuck a screwdriver in the sparkplug hole to tell when the piston was at TDC, but when I turn the flywheel the piston does not seem to move, the screwdriver does not move in and out, I'm like

So what could it be. Is the piston rod busted or something. When I turn the flywheel the blade moves, so I'm sorta stumped.

**Midnight Tech** · 04-26-2008, 02:19 PM

Kinda sounds like it...try putting your finger over the plug hole and turning the flywheel. If it builds up compression and blows your finger off the hole, everything's fine with the rod and piston.
Turning the flywheel will turn the blade because it's hooked to the end of the crankshaft.

**K-B** · 04-27-2008, 06:04 PM

You probably can't touch the piston with a screw driver by poking it in the spark plug hole. You should be able to touch a valve though. Does it have a spark? Is it getting gas (is the spark plug wet after you've been pulling it)?

2fives · 04-28-2008, 10:32 AM

The plug is wet with gas and I took the plug out and held it to the engine while I pulled on the starter rope and did see a spark so that's O.K. too.

I didn't know you may not be able to touch the piston by sticking a screwdriver through the spark plug hole.

I dunno. I think at this point unless I went mid-evil on the engine and tore it apart I'm not gonna figure out whats wrong with it.

2fives · 04-29-2008, 03:41 PM

I called my local repair shop since the problem is over my head, and they said they would look at it for free for about 10 min. After that it's $74/hr.

Well unless he is an expert he's unlikely to know what went wrong in 10 min. Most likely he'd have to tear into the engine, at any rate the labour and parts would kill me. At that point I'm now dealing with a 15yr old mower with a couple hundred dollars worth of new parts and labour which now means I have to keep the mower for another 5 yrs just to get decent use out of it.

Ta-hek with it I just bought a new mower which will hopefully last me another 15 years.

I bought a Toro

**K-B** · 04-29-2008, 06:55 PM

$74 an hour, wow. The labor rate at our shop is $42/hour, but we would have charged you $20 for a diagnosis & repair estimate. Those Personal Pace Toro's are pretty neat, we had a couple in for tune ups a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was just a gimmick, but it actually worked quite well. The electric start is nice, too.

RIGHTE0US · 04-29-2008, 10:53 PM

If I'm not mistaken, there's a little crank trigger under the flywheel on this one. They go bad after starting to rust due to hot cold sweats. Have a peek and get back to me. We can get it running for sure

**K-B** · 04-30-2008, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIGHTE0US

If I'm not mistaken, there's a little crank trigger under the flywheel on this one. They go bad after starting to rust due to hot cold sweats. Have a peek and get back to me. We can get it running for sure

Do you mean points? He said it has a spark, so the points & condenser, if present, are functioning.

RIGHTE0US · 04-30-2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-B

Do you mean points? He said it has a spark, so the points & condenser, if present, are functioning.

no I dont mean points. On some models they actually placed a small trigger inside the flywheel, as well as the coil pick-up on the outside. Why I have no idea. Would give spark but intermitent once this trigger started to rust. Its in plastic

2fives · 04-30-2008, 10:37 PM

Can't really say I remember any trigger on the flywheel or coil, but....

I'd have to look again.

You ever felt like you've spent more time trying to get your lawnmower or what ever working than any sain man should...at that point like me you throw it under the sun deck and go buy a new one.

strate8 · 06-01-2008, 08:16 PM

Wow ! You guys blow my mind ! I thought I was out ta lunch !

04-26-2008, 01:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
2fives Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP Sp2	Tecumseh won't start I have a ~10yr old craftsman mower with a Tec. engine. I changed the gas, coil, carb, and plug to no success. Dead, doesn't even sputter. I also messed with the grounding wire. I also read the flywheel key maybe bent or sheared off which can knock out the timing, well my key looked perfect....to me. I also read the flywheel magnets should be at about the 7'oclock position to the coil when the piston is at TDC. Soooooo I (and here is the problem) stuck a screwdriver in the sparkplug hole to tell when the piston was at TDC, but when I turn the flywheel the piston does not seem to move, the screwdriver does not move in and out, I'm like So what could it be. Is the piston rod busted or something. When I turn the flywheel the blade moves, so I'm sorta stumped.

04-26-2008, 02:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Midnight Tech Admin/Head GreaseMonkey/Igor's alter ego/Grand Exalted PoohBah Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: SC Posts: 2,552 OS: Windows XP SP2/Windows 98SE/Fedora Core 6/RH 7.2 with Autopoint	Re: Tecumseh won't start Kinda sounds like it...try putting your finger over the plug hole and turning the flywheel. If it builds up compression and blows your finger off the hole, everything's fine with the rod and piston. Turning the flywheel will turn the blade because it's hooked to the end of the crankshaft. __________________ MT Sharing my life...with my Imzadi! Interested in Trek gaming? Check out the Dynaverse! Proud supporter of the Carolinas Aviation Museum. If we have helped you in any way, please donate to keep TSF up and running!

04-27-2008, 06:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
K-B Moderator/Gearhead Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,629 OS: PCLinuxOS 2007 My System	Re: Tecumseh won't start You probably can't touch the piston with a screw driver by poking it in the spark plug hole. You should be able to touch a valve though. Does it have a spark? Is it getting gas (is the spark plug wet after you've been pulling it)? __________________ Registered Linux User #435503 You can help keep TSF running by donating Free Partition Tool:: GParted -- LiveCD Best Linux Distro: PCLinuxOS Last edited by K-B : 04-27-2008 at 06:06 PM.

04-28-2008, 10:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
2fives Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP Sp2	Re: Tecumseh won't start The plug is wet with gas and I took the plug out and held it to the engine while I pulled on the starter rope and did see a spark so that's O.K. too. I didn't know you may not be able to touch the piston by sticking a screwdriver through the spark plug hole. I dunno. I think at this point unless I went mid-evil on the engine and tore it apart I'm not gonna figure out whats wrong with it.

04-29-2008, 03:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
2fives Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP Sp2	Re: Tecumseh won't start I called my local repair shop since the problem is over my head, and they said they would look at it for free for about 10 min. After that it's $74/hr. Well unless he is an expert he's unlikely to know what went wrong in 10 min. Most likely he'd have to tear into the engine, at any rate the labour and parts would kill me. At that point I'm now dealing with a 15yr old mower with a couple hundred dollars worth of new parts and labour which now means I have to keep the mower for another 5 yrs just to get decent use out of it. Ta-hek with it I just bought a new mower which will hopefully last me another 15 years. I bought a Toro

04-29-2008, 06:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
K-B Moderator/Gearhead Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,629 OS: PCLinuxOS 2007 My System	Re: Tecumseh won't start $74 an hour, wow. The labor rate at our shop is $42/hour, but we would have charged you $20 for a diagnosis & repair estimate. Those Personal Pace Toro's are pretty neat, we had a couple in for tune ups a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was just a gimmick, but it actually worked quite well. The electric start is nice, too. __________________ Registered Linux User #435503 You can help keep TSF running by donating Free Partition Tool:: GParted -- LiveCD Best Linux Distro: PCLinuxOS

04-29-2008, 10:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
RIGHTE0US Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Central NY Posts: 348 OS: VISTA/XP PRO SP2/HOME/ME/LINUX	Re: Tecumseh won't start If I'm not mistaken, there's a little crank trigger under the flywheel on this one. They go bad after starting to rust due to hot cold sweats. Have a peek and get back to me. We can get it running for sure Last edited by RIGHTE0US : 04-29-2008 at 10:54 PM. Reason: mispell

04-30-2008, 10:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
2fives Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP Sp2	Re: Tecumseh won't start Can't really say I remember any trigger on the flywheel or coil, but.... I'd have to look again. You ever felt like you've spent more time trying to get your lawnmower or what ever working than any sain man should...at that point like me you throw it under the sun deck and go buy a new one.

06-01-2008, 08:16 PM	#11 (permalink)
strate8 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Napa,Ca. Posts: 7 OS: win98	Re: Tecumseh won't start Wow ! You guys blow my mind ! I thought I was out ta lunch !