[countryboy]

started and ran fine last year, tried to start and nothing. Checked flywheel key, good. checked compression and about 80. getting spark and gas. I did put preservative in gas. Will not even fire on either, small shot. any Ideas. maybe valves?

 

[tabora]

Checked flywheel key, good. checked compression and about 80.

getting spark and gas.

Will not even fire on either

Those statements would appear to be in conflict with each other. If you have compression, there is spark and it's firing at the correct time, ether will ALWAYS fire.

maybe valves?

But the compression appears to be OK???

 

[countryboy]

cleaned the carb, it was clean. drained all gas and added fresh gas. still nothing. I am 82 but I do not give up easy. I will keep trying. Maybe next see if muffler is clogged. doubt that tho.

 

[Grunt]

Did you check spark with a tester or the spark plug laying on the engine block.? It is possible to have a loss of spark under compression. I would try a new plug since you have the needed elements of a running engine. Clogged mufflers are usually a two cycle engine problem, not four cycle.

 

[countryboy]

New plug I installed yesterday. Spark tester shows spark but I will hold the plug next to block to see how good the spark is. Thanks

 

[Chevy88]

This isn’t going to help… Few mo this ago I sold a snowblower that I had previously got running for the same reason. Ran good with a few new parts. Went to start it one day just to let it run so the gas didn’t just sit. Wouldn’t fire. Had spark, although seemed weak. Had compression just wouldn’t run. Only thing I didn’t try changing was the coil, but I was told those older coils are rarely the problem.

 

[countryboy]

Well weather broke today and I rechecked and have no spark. disconnected the kill wire just to check, still nothing, not sure what it could be. maybe the coil. I have checked everything else. When I removed the flywheel there was a box with 2 screws which looks like points and condenser but I opened it and nothing inside. so I am still looking for advice . Can I convert this to electric spark or is it already?

 

[countryboy]

just looked up the engine GVX140K says it has a transistorized magneto

 

[countryboy]

removed the coil and tested. it is open. new one ordered

 

[tabora]

removed the coil and tested. it is open. new one ordered

But you said you had spark?

 

[countryboy]

I finally installed the new coil and it started on second pull and runs like a Honda