Not familiar with two strokes, what does an oil fouled spark plug and no start mean?

[R18Civic]

Went to cut my parents grass and the mower wouldn't start. Pulled the spark plug and the electrodes had oil between them. Looked like new clean oil too. Checked oil level and its half full. I know with an automotive engine this is death. I'm hoping with this little craftsman it's as simple as a new plug.

Fire away.

 

[Rand]

That isnt a 2 stroke?

Thats a new(er) autochoke model brigg standard 4 stroke OPE.
Either carb problem or autochoke not working.

other possibilities. the fuel tank has drained into the oil through the carb and its way overfull.
its hard to tell because the fuel will be clear on the dipstick.. and invisible.
Are you sure its oil on the plug and not fuel+carbon.

Every person I've seen with the autochoke well it usually is terrible eventually.

Neighbors wife bought him an AWD husqvarna push mower for father's day.. the autochoke was acting up after 1 year.
he went back to some 50$ ratty push mower the next year.

 

[R18Civic]

That isnt a 2 stroke?

In not sure. I just know oil leaking into combustion chamber means bad rings or valve guides. Seems to point to long oil change intervals if any at all. We just started mowing 3 months ago after my stepdad had a triple bypass. Trying to figure out how to break the news without him flipping out. He really likes his appliances and toys.

 

[R18Civic]

Air filter is dirty, can't get to the fuel filter. May just purchase a new spark plug and try my luck.

 

[blufeb95]

Air filter is dirty, can't get to the fuel filter. May just purchase a new spark plug and try my luck.

If it's been ran a long time with a dirty air filter that's essentially like running it with full choke on all the time so it would foul the plug from running excessively rich

 

[Nukeman7]

If OP thinks the Briggs 4 cycle is a 2 cycle, did he or his parents put oil/gas mixture in the fuel tank instead of straight gas? That could foul up the spark plug with oil + carbon.

If using straight gas, is it fresh fuel or a year old?

 

[R18Civic]

If OP thinks the Briggs 4 cycle is a 2 cycle, did he or his parents put oil/gas mixture in the fuel tank instead of straight gas? That could foul up the spark plug with oil + carbon.

If using straight gas, is it fresh fuel or a year old?

I have no idea, like I said no knowledge of small engines. I believe it's straight gas. It started back in June no issues. I noticed today it's covered in mud (wheels) so sometime had it since the last time I did.

 

[Rand]

How sure are you its oil on the spark plug and not gas.

check oil level very carefully. Dry dipstick off.
check for gas in oil is the dipstick shiny(invisibly wet) above where the oil level is?
might be gas in crankcase.. from leaky carb.

Maybe last person to use it knocked off an autochoke spring.. or blew it up.. who knows.

First place to start.. dump out gas. Use fresh gas that you purchase.
remove air filter.
try starting if no
have someone pull while you fiddle with autochoke.. after watching youtube vids.

my 2 cents is on the autochoke acting up or old gas.. but hard to diagnose over internet with minimal info.. could be many things.

 

[Nukeman7]

How sure are you its oil on the spark plug and not gas.

First place to start.. dump out gas. Use fresh gas that you purchase.
remove air filter.
try starting if no
have someone pull while you fiddle with autochoke.. after watching youtube vids.

When I enlarge the close-up photo of the spark plug, the sheen from the liquid coating DOES look more like gas than oil. If so, it is possible the engine is flooded or the engine is not getting spark from the coil.

3800, can you get some else to pull the starter cord while you ground the spark plug threads against the cylinder head fins (with the ignition wire attached to top of plug)? If so, look for sparks across the electrodes to verify the magneto coil is OK. Be sure to hold the plug with insulated pliers so you won't get zapped!

If you see a good spark, reinstall the plug and follow Rand's directions above. If necessary, get some ether based starter fluid to prime the carburetor with the air filter removed.

 

[97prizm]

If it's been ran a long time with a dirty air filter that's essentially like running it with full choke on all the time so it would foul the plug from running excessively rich

Also check the carb bowl. If it has a white crusty build-up it's from gas sitting too long. The guy down the street showed me a cool trick on how to clean out the pick up tube from the float bowl. He uses a welder tip cleaner tool.

 

[blufeb95]

Also check the carb bowl. If it has a white crusty build-up it's from gas sitting too long. The guy down the street showed me a cool trick on how to clean out the pick up tube from the float bowl. He uses a welder tip cleaner tool.

On these carbs I just drop the plastic float bowl, and pop the jet cartridge out and blow it out with carb spray.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

There is no gas filter on these engines, only a screen over the outlet in the bottom of the gas tank. If the mower was tipped over on its side, say to wash grass out of the underside, the carb will spill fuel, especially if it is tipped carb side down. Dry off the plug, remove the air filter and try to get it started without the filter.

 

[R18Civic]

Sorry, I just spent the last hour running around looking for parts. Here's what happened. Put a new filter on it, cleaned up the old spark plug with carb cleaner. Tired to fire it up and the engine sounded like she wanted to fire up. I heard 3 "chug chug chug" like sounds whenever I pulled the line. The front wheels also began to turn on their own for about a half turn. It seems she's getting no spark.

Only reason I didn't get a new spark is because it was $10. I'm not that well of financially.

 

[blufeb95]

Did you spray some carb spray into the carb to see if it would fire up?

 

[R18Civic]

Sure didn't. I'll leave that up to my uncles. They know small engines much better than me.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Or take out the plug, pour some gas in the spark plug hole and install a brand new plug and then see if it tries to start. If not see if it has spark and if it does it's more than likely a carb problem. Buy a new carb online or at your local stores.

 

[97prizm]

On these carbs I just drop the plastic float bowl, and pop the jet cartridge out and blow it out with carb spray.

I did this but my yard machines with the 6.75 hp still wouldn't run. On some models the pick -up tube is known to clog.

 

[R18Civic]

My step dad sprayed the carb cleaner into the air filter opening and it does fired up and died down again. No fuel.

 

[blufeb95]

My step dad sprayed the carb cleaner into the air filter opening and it does fired up and died down again. No fuel.

It's either not getting fuel or has bad fuel in it, use a 7mm socket and remove the two bowl screws, use a screwdriver to help pry the bowl down and drain all the remaining fuel out of the system then use a screw driver to pull the jet cartridge out and blow it out with the carb spray and pop it back in, then you can spray some carb spray in the tank or pour in some b12 chemtool and let it run down and make sure the fuel line is clean and free of water.

 

[R18Civic]

It's got a full tank. It was half full and then I added more to dilute whatever was on the tank. Next time I'm over there I'll try and siphon some out and crack open the line from the fuel tank to the carb and run a wire or pipe cleaner through it.