our engine won't start

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

we bought a brand new engine from harbor freight (greyhound 6.5 hp) about a month ago, only have used it about 20 times and for some reason it decided that it wont start anymore

it used to start first pull, but now it wont start even after we cleaned the spark plug. we checked the air filter and its perfectly clean.

it keeps fouling out the spark plug and its really hard to start........

we called the engine company and they said to clean the deposit cup and that our gas probably had too much water in it

we cleaned that out and it started easily, but now we cant get it started again

mojo · Posted: Jun 12, 2009 11:26 am Post subject:

check the jet and see if it's clogged

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

mojo, whats a jet and how do you do that?

mojo · Posted: Jun 12, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject:

im not that great at this b/c i've only done it once, but there's a little nut you unscrew and the jet comes out and u can just hold up to light and see if it's clogged. my honda wouldnt start and after making sure i had a spark and checking some other stuff after i cleaned the jet it started right up. im sure someone else on here can explain. or google it or call a small engine shop. i think it's in the carb.

Cyclone268 · Posted: Jun 12, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject:

how old is the gas?

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

pretty new

we have 87 octane gas in it and the book says to put in 89 so my brothers going to get the right gas and drain the other stuff

mojo · Posted: Jun 12, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject:

definitely always go for premium, like 93. the gas degrades when it sits so with high octane you'll be left with 89 after a while and evntually lesser octane.

kccoxon · Faceplant Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 35 City: Everett

If your getting water in your gas, chances are your is probably wet. If that doesn't work, you can check to make sure you are getting spark by taking out your plug, touching it to a part of the engine that is grounded, and turn the engine over a few times.

ride5 · Frontside 180 Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 325 City: san jo

If you do have a clogged jet or bad gas, after you fix it, install a fuel filter it will save you some trouble...

PoopSkater · Posted: Jun 12, 2009 7:12 pm Post subject:

im pretty sure i just fixed it kinda
there wasnt anything wrong with it we were just using the throttle the wrong way its kinda hard to explain Very Happy

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

haha man we're stupid Laughing

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

ok it's not starting again............

??????????

we talked to the lady at the tech support and she didnt know pretty much anything, but i guess she's sending us a new carborator assembly?

we checked to see if we're getting spark, and everything else seems to be working........

i dont understand how a pretty much brand new engine would stop working Confused

mojo · Posted: Jun 16, 2009 12:16 pm Post subject:

my brand new honda 6.5 was broken in and used by the builder b/c he added a mod kit. when i get it however it would not turn over no matter what. after trouble shooting everything the jet was clogged and we blew it out, and it started first pull. just go to any small engine repair shop and ask them to check the jet. i could do it if i was there, but i suck at giving directions on things im not too familiar with to start.

POPTART · 360 flip Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 7621

Gnarly Dancer 42, Try This, maybe add your city in there

Fryguy · Posted: Jun 16, 2009 2:45 pm Post subject:

If you remove the plug and pour a little gas into the hole put the plug back in and it fires you have a carb problem, but by the sounds of it you already figured that out.

JeffKnox · Posted: Jun 16, 2009 3:07 pm Post subject:

check to make sure you have enough oil... if you dont have enough the motor will not turn over... it has a safety float in it so retards dont try to turn over an engine with no lube (not calling you a retard or anything Smile

that statement was in general)

also you can take apart the carb and clean in ... make sure you let everything soak otherwise you didnt really do anything... sometimes if you look in the jet the float gets stuck one way or the other... this tends to happen with old or crappy gas but seeing as you have new gas and a new motor i dont think its this...

im puttin my money on the oil lol... if you have spark, your getting air, and the carb is clean, and it wont even sputter you probably dont have enough oil

Fryguy · Posted: Jun 17, 2009 7:32 am Post subject:

I think Knox has it.

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

JeffKnox, yeah that makes a lot of sense, but i checked the oil 2 seconds ago and its full

Fryguy, i just tried that and it didnt fire

jeff · Posted: Jun 17, 2009 6:11 pm Post subject:

take it to a lawnmower shop.. they will have it going in no time, and i cant imagine it would cost much..

Gnarly Dancer 42 · 360 flip Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo

jeff, thats a good idea

do you think that because we thought the choke was the gas for the first month and 1/2 had anything to do with why it got hard to start/won't start?