Champion mower stopped & now unable to start

[ipbr21054]

Head gasket & spark plug arrived & now fitted.
Ive done the bolts up a little in a cirss cross pattern until i thought that just about ok before i would strip a thread etc.
Pulled it over a few times but still no joy.
Plug out & still dry ?????

Did a compression test & now i have say 20 /25 psi

Didnt bother putting oil in bore & doing it.,

 

[Burnerman]

Is this the old version, with the primer button and a carburettor on top of the fuel tank, or does it have the more conventional carb with a float chamber?
Either way, try some raw fuel down the plug hole to see if it fires.
John

 

[lostinthelight]

How far from the old Severn Bridge are you, Ive got a few old mowers with good engines your welcome to

 

[ipbr21054]

I’m in W-S-M

That would be great.
Would I need to bring this one to compare engine etc.
I can swap them over no problem was just thinking about any modifications as I’m not sure if you have the same.

By the way I tried carb cleaner in plug hole then through air filter housing but nothing.

Strange this is plug is still dry.
There is no primer button.
There is a float bowl with the 2 x 10mm bolts.

 

[Burnerman]

That's very kind of you, LITL
Wondering if the flywheel key has sheared on this one......
John

 

[ipbr21054]

I will go see if when I turn the blade the recoil spins.

Be back soon.

 

[ipbr21054]

When I turn the blade by hand I see the white fins on the flywheel turn when looking through the recoil cover.

Whilst there I have given it a hard quick spin.
It rotates then due to the compression it kind of stops then goes into reverse.

 

[Burnerman]

That's perfectly fine - they all do that!
The symptoms of a sheared flywheel key are:
The engine may fire but never run....this is usually due to raw fuel collecting in the exhaust
It may never fire at all.
The flywheel never comes slack......when the key shears the flywheel just jumps around a few degrees but grips the crankshaft again.
I'm not saying this is the cause, but when you've checked everything else.......!
John

 

[ipbr21054]

I was saying that going by what I did shows the flywheel key must be ok


Do you agree.

 

[ipbr21054]

Just watched a video with the same engine & that click on the exhaust valve where it hardly opens is a called a compression release or that’s what he called it & is for easy starting.
He also advises that the compression on these engines are much lower than conventional engines which don’t have compression release

Still scratching my head why plug is wet.
More to the point why doesn’t it start with carb cleaner squirted in there.

 

[lostinthelight]

Heres a few pics, perhaps you could do a little research to see if either will fit or you could just take the mowers away and gave a play...the drive is gone in the Rover so beyond economic repair which is why the customer didn't collect.

 

[ipbr21054]

Hi,
Drive gone as in self propell ?

I think as long as the engine drops in the holes in the deck we should be ok, unless the boss for the blade is different.

The carb cable etc should be able to be got sorted I think.

 

[lostinthelight]

Yes,self propelled. not sure if the boss is on the shaft as it has a disc with swinging blade so youd have to use your boss id guess. ..I am exactly 12 miles from the bridge so you can work out if its worth your while.

 

[Burnerman]

Post #54
No, that’s not correct......if the flywheel key has sheared all will seem to be normal.
Apart from the spark not appearing at the correct time, of course!
John

 

[ipbr21054]

So this flywheel key is the one under the recoil then remove that large nut & pop off that fin part.

Correct ?