# Craftsman not starting



## jhendy (21 d ago)

Hi all, 
I appreciate any help anyone can give me.
I have an older craftsman 5 HP blower with a Tecumseh engine. 
The start of this season it was running pretty poor. Kept bogging down under load, dying under load. I cleaned the carb, changed the spark. Then it wouldn't start at all any more. It was my first time pulling apart a carb, so I thought maybe I screwed something up, so I ended up just installing a new carb. It's still giving me issues.

I'll spray some start fluid and it will start up but at best will only run for about 30 seconds or so before bogging down. Sometimes will backfire. 

I feel like I've reached the limit of what I feel capable of fixing myself. 
I live in north idaho and we've been getting pounded with snow, so now I'm at the point of just buying a new blower.

Please help!


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*Well if you are getting pounded with snow that little 5HP is not enough anyway. Since It being Christmas now. Throw caution to the wind and get yourself a shiny brand new one. That way you can ease your troubled mind. ALOHA!!!!!!







*


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## Hec In Omaha (Jan 10, 2021)

Post a pic of the engine if you can. 
try this:

• run it with the gas cap on loosely. If it runs better that way then your fuel cap isn’t venting properly. You will need to ensure the fuel cap vent is clear.

• see if it runs better with the choke partially on. If it does, and the engine is warmed up, then you have a lean condition. This may be due to a carb gasket not sealing right Or plugged jet in the carb. To confirm a leaky gasket, spray carb cleaner at the carb gasket while it’s running. If the engine smoothes out then replace gasket or tighten up carb mounting bolts. 

• make sure all passage ways and orifices are clear inside carb. There is a small hole between the threads that the bowl nut threads into . Make sure it’s clear.
•. Make sure all your head bolts are tight. If you find one loose torque them down.

Good luck and Merry Christmas


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

Hec In Omaha said:


> Post a pic of the engine if you can.
> try this:
> 
> • run it with the gas cap on loosely. If it runs better that way then your fuel cap isn’t venting properly. You will need to ensure the fuel cap vent is clear.
> ...











I have installed a new carb, so I don't think that it is the carbs. 
I will try the gas cap idea. 
If the engine is turning over and running a for 10 seconds or so that means I have spark correct? I changed the spark plug just in case. 
Not sure what else this could be.


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## Hec In Omaha (Jan 10, 2021)

Disconnect fuel line from carb and take note of fuel flow. Should have a nice steady stream of fuel. If not check fuel line for kinks. If the fuel line is old I’d replace it. Ethanol can cause fuel lines to swell up causing the inside diameter of the fuel line to get smaller thus restricted. If you have a fuel filter remove it.

Hec


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

Hec In Omaha said:


> Disconnect fuel line from carb and take note of fuel flow. Should have a nice steady stream of fuel. If not check fuel line for kinks. If the fuel line is old I’d replace it. Ethanol can cause fuel lines to swell up causing the inside diameter of the fuel line to get smaller thus restricted. If you have a fuel filter remove it.
> 
> Hec


When I replaced the carb, I disconnected the fuel line. It had good flow. Drained the fuel. Put new fuel in after I put the new carb on.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*Your Points Are Toast!!!!!!!*


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## evh (Jun 22, 2015)

I have the same engine you do. Mine is on a 2005ish MTD. Very similar to yours. You mention it backfires. I wonder if your flywheel key is sheared and the flywheel has shifted and out of time???



Mine bogs down as well. Mine has a 24” opening. My feeling is these 5hp engines are just not big enough to go through heavy snow with such a large opening without bogging down or having to go quite slow.



Mine used to stall out and I would have to restart (I could not figure out why, it was not bogging at the time of stall). I broke some things (I won’t go into all the details) and had to replace the exhaust valve, camshaft, flywheel key and carburetor. After all of that, the engine feels like it has much greater compression and runs great. It no longer stalls. But it does bog down in heavier deeper snow.



I have had a few other of these 5hp 2 stage blowers. My other one hardly felt like it had compression, but it would run. I think the valves get out of tolerance and they leak and the engine loses power. My compression greatly increased on my current one after the valve replacement/adjustment.

(Note, this engine does not have points)


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## vangasman (Oct 21, 2021)

Sounds like a carb problem, did you get one with a adjustable main jet. It would have a screw on the bottom of the float bowl. If so start at about 1 1/2 turns out and go from there.


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## Hec In Omaha (Jan 10, 2021)

Remove the auger belt. If it runs without stalling, then you have a problem with the Auger Bushing, or gearbox causing a binding situation.

Hec


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

vangasman said:


> Sounds like a carb problem, did you get one with a adjustable main jet. It would have a screw on the bottom of the float bowl. If so start at about 1 1/2 turns out and go from there.


I got the same one that came on it which doesn't have an adjustable jet.


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

Hec In Omaha said:


> Remove the auger belt. If it runs without stalling, then you have a problem with the Auger Bushing, or gearbox causing a binding situation.
> 
> Hec


If it's not even able to idle at this point, do you still think that it has anything to do with the auger?


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

evh said:


> I have the same engine you do. Mine is on a 2005ish MTD. Very similar to yours. You mention it backfires. I wonder if your flywheel key is sheared and the flywheel has shifted and out of time???
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you think that after all that work it is worth it? I'm trying to decide if it's even worth the hassle to try and get this one running again or if I should just buy a new one that performs better.


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## Hec In Omaha (Jan 10, 2021)

It could be that someone has installed an auger belt that's too small and therefore too tight. This would cause the impeller to want to engage. In addition, if there is a problem with impeller or gear box not spinning freely this could cause the engine to stall.

Hec


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## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

jhendy said:


> Do you think that after all that work it is worth it? I'm trying to decide if it's even worth the hassle to try and get this one running again or if I should just buy a new one that performs better.


I've seen lots of tecumsehs, especially well used ones that exhibit "worn out", hard to start and lack of power issues due to a couple of reasons.
First, fuel. Do you have the correct carb for the engine? Is the fuel fresh and clean?
Next, compression. Actually a relatively easy fix if you are mechanically inclined. Cause, the valves are not closing fully, usually due to "incorrect" valve lash. 
So, is it worth the work, that is a question you need to answer for yourself, however if the rest of the machine is in good condition, and you are mechanically inclined it is an inexpensive fix.
Check out this video. 




If they are out of adjustment, the repair process is relatively simple (again, lots of videos), requires only a couple of gaskets, no "special tools", although a valve spring compressor and an inch pound torque wrench are helpful, and can be completed in a few hours (less time each time you do it).


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

He must have edited the video a lot.
For a new guy watching, at least how to get the valve out should have been shown?


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

Big Ed said:


> For a new guy watching, at least how to get the valve out should have been shown?


It's not a big deal, on youtube seach on "tecumseh valve adjustment" or "Briggs & Stratton flathead valve adjustment" and there will be plenty of video. One of them (but of course I can't find it now) shows how to do it without a valve spring compression tool.


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

3vanman said:


> I've seen lots of tecumsehs, especially well used ones that exhibit "worn out", hard to start and lack of power issues due to a couple of reasons.
> First, fuel. Do you have the correct carb for the engine? Is the fuel fresh and clean?
> Next, compression. Actually a relatively easy fix if you are mechanically inclined. Cause, the valves are not closing fully, usually due to "incorrect" valve lash.
> So, is it worth the work, that is a question you need to answer for yourself, however if the rest of the machine is in good condition, and you are mechanically inclined it is an inexpensive fix.
> ...


How much more involved is it to fix the valves. I replaced the carb and felt like that was about the extent of my ability to service the engine.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Checking the lash and if needed doing a valve job is pretty straight forward.
Check out some videos on You Tube and see if you think you want to attempt it yourself. 
You will need feeler gauges, basic tools, lapping compound and tool, torque wrench, possibly a new head gasket etc.

Some folks have taken a little off the bottom of the valve stem with a file without removing the head or valves.


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

Ziggy65 said:


> Checking the lash and if needed doing a valve job is pretty straight forward.
> Check out some videos on You Tube and see if you think you want to attempt it yourself.
> You will need feeler gauges, basic tools, lapping compound and tool, torque wrench, possibly a new head gasket etc.
> 
> Some folks have taken a little off the bottom of the valve stem with a file without removing the head or valves.



OK. I had a day off today and started working on it. I started pulling stuff apart and now I am stuck here. How do I expose the top of the motor to get to the top of the valve as well as the this plate to get to bottom of the valves. I didn't see it in the video, but I can go and watch it again. 
Sorry for the blurred picture. My phone got all foggy outside.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

You have to remove the cylinder head by removing the 8 bolts on top of the engine.
That piece holding the filter material and the reed valve mechanism on the side cover should just pull out, giving you access to the valve stems and springs.
Take lots of photos with your phone, as you go, so you know how everything goes back together.
Make sure you don't mix up the intake and exhaust valves when you remove and reinstall them.

Have a gander at the Tecumseh L head manual, the above steps are shown starting around page 86-91


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## jhendy (21 d ago)

Ziggy65 said:


> You have to remove the cylinder head by removing the 8 bolts on top of the engine.
> That piece holding the filter material and the reed valve mechanism on the side cover should just pull out, giving you access to the valve stems and springs.
> Take lots of photos with your phone, as you go, so you know how everything goes back together.
> Make sure you don't mix up the intake and exhaust valves when you remove and reinstall them.
> ...


I did pull the 8 bolts off the top but it seems like its still stuck on. 😑


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

There is a gasket between the head and the cylinder, gently pry off with a screw driver. 
The head gasket may be reused if it is not damaged, but it is usually best to replace it.


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