# Toro 721 Power Clear Won't Start



## ToroB (Jan 16, 2021)

Hello All,

I'm new to the forum and looking for some help. I have a Toro 721 Power clear (4 years old), and up until last month, it has been fantastic. Always starts on the first pull regardless of the weather, and never any trouble whatsoever. That changed last month when I went to start it for the first time this winter, and it simply won't run.

I always use fresh non-reformulated gas with added stabilizer, and every spring fire up the unit and let it run till it's completely out of gas, so no fuel in the tank, lines, or carb while it's not being used. Winter comes and I pour in some fresh fuel and it fires right up. As stated above, this year, that didn't work. So I did some research and found that most issues with these small engines are carburetor related. So I proceeded to drain the fresh fuel and start investigating. I removed the carburetor and after watching a few YouTube videos proceeded to disassemble and clean it out. I sprayed carb cleaner through all of the passages, and blew them out with compressed air. I also checked to ensure that the float and the needle and seat were operating properly. All good there. Reinstalled the carb without any change. Despite the carburetor looking brand new before the cleaning, and finding no smoking guns during the cleaning process, I nonetheless decided to try a new carburetor since they're relatively inexpensive. In the process of replacing the carburetor, I also replaced the fuel line and filter, along with the primer bulb and line since this all came with the new carb kit. Fresh gaskets as well, of course. Still no change. I tried a little starting fluid as well, but this didn't help at all. 

So I turned my attention to the ignition system. I purchased a simple ignition tester that plugs between the spark plug and the plug wire and shows a visible spark when you pull the cord. I also replaced the spark plug since I was there. Spark was visible, so I assume that the coil/ignition system is all good. Like everything else, it "looks" like brand new.

I'm not sure where else to go from here. Anyone have a similar experience, or advice on what to do next? I'm a handy guy, and like to do my own work whenever possible, but at this point, a trip to the local snow blower repair shop appears to be in my future unless I can find a solution soon. 

Sorry for the long-winded post. I'd appreciate any assistance you can offer. Thanks in advance.

-Ben 
Milwaukee, WI


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

welcome to the SBF

i would make sure some critter didn't chew up the grounding wire for shut off from the coil and key. double check myself on the gas shut off


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Seems like you have spark, must be no fuel. Will she fire on some starting fluid?


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## Kevinj (Nov 11, 2020)

gibbs296 said:


> Seems like you have spark, must be no fuel. Will she fire on some starting fluid?


pull the spark plug, pour a little fuel in the spark plug hole. If doesn't fire up it's getting no fuel. If that's the case,start by checking fuel shutoff.


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## ToroB (Jan 16, 2021)

Thanks All for the responses.

Captchas: I have checked the wiring, and it looks perfect. This unit doesn't have a fuel shutoff.
Gibbs296: I've tried starting fluid, and it made no difference.
Kevinj: Can you define "a little fuel"? I'd be concerned about using too much fuel and washing down the cylinder wall.

Thanks again.

-Ben


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

i use a shot of either brake or carb clean into the carb, works as well as starting fluid yet doesn't wash the bores as much,
spark plug did you replace with another torch labeled plug from toro or use a real NGK. torch wise i saw a lot of them go bad and we as a site have had many a member have issues that turned better when that brand was replaced with a better name brand.
motor wise it's my understanding from another of our sites OPE mechanics who had one apart that , the loncin on that machine uses a plastic camshaft . i hope you don't have one of the very few that have failed


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## Kevinj (Nov 11, 2020)

ToroB said:


> Thanks All for the responses.
> 
> Captchas: I have checked the wiring, and it looks perfect. This unit doesn't have a fuel shutoff.
> Gibbs296: I've tried starting fluid, and it made no difference.
> ...


tea spoon full, if you are getting spark it should fire up.


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## ToroB (Jan 16, 2021)

Kevinj said:


> tea spoon full, if you are getting spark it should fire up.


OK. I tried a shot of fuel in the spark plug hole.Still no go.

Captchas: The new spark plug is an NGK. Original one was a Bosch. 

Interestingly, while trying the shot of fuel in the spark plug hole, I inspected the new plug and it looks odd, but I don't know what to think of it. Please see the attached photo for what I'm seeing. Remember that this plug is new, and the engine has never run with it in.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

toro with a bosch? take a real good look at the steel part of the plug, my odds are you will see the torch label stamped into it, just as i had in my toro

plug wise it looks like you may have a tank of water from that much rust,


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## Jesse11B (Jan 27, 2020)

captchas said:


> toro with a bosch? take a real good look at the steel part of the plug, my odds are you will see the torch label stamped into it, just as i had in my toro
> 
> plug wise it looks like you may have a tank of water from that much rust,


Do you think that rust/debris is coming from the cylinder wall?


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## Kevinj (Nov 11, 2020)

Jesse11B said:


> Do you think that rust/debris is coming from the cylinder wall?


Ya, hmmmm, that doesn't look good. Can you tell if it's rust? Have you drained the fuel tank?


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## Jesse11B (Jan 27, 2020)

I wonder too if we’re looking at nesting material on the new spark plug. Maybe mice packed crap around the carburetors intake, and junk got pulled into the engine.


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## LouC (Dec 5, 2016)

Perhaps carbon buildup on an intake or exhaust valve holding a valve open and resulting in no compression. That looks like carbon bits but it’s hard to tell. When you pull the recoil starter does it sound/feel normal? I might want to put a compression tester on it and see if the cyl builds compression when you pull the recoil. To run you need spark, fuel and compression.


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