[SEL] RE: Briggs Y

[Andy Glines]

I'm not familiar with the Briggs Y but I have been monkeying with small 
engines a bit lately.  I went through much of the same trouble with a Briggs 
A that you are.  Help from the SEL palyed a big part in getting it to run 
properly again.  You have already done one of my favorite tricks which is to 
belt it to an electric motor.  With the electric motor you can monkey with 
the fuel and other settings while it turning.  You seem to have dealt with 
any compression issues already.  Your probably right about spark being you 
problem.  When cranking, does the plug get wet with gas?  If it doesn't you 
probably aren't getting enough gas.  If the plug does get wet then its 
flooded and we have to figure out why.  Check the plug wire for cuts, 
breaks, and cracks.  If the wire is damaged the spark will jump to ground 
before it reaches the plug.  Also start out with a known good or new plug.  
It is wise to check the plug on a good running engine.  Even new plugs are 
bad sometimes.  Never trust on old plug because it looks good.  You can't 
see the tiny cracks in the porcelin that will make one fail.  Have you 
visually tested the spark?  Take the plug out and groud it with the wire 
connected.  You can usually do this by laying it on the cylinder head with 
the wire attached.  Crank the engine and make sure that it is jumping a 
strong spark between the electrodes.  If it does make spark make sure it is 
a strong blue spark and not weak or erratic.  If you have good spark go back 
to look at the fuel system.  If you don't have spark reexamine the plug, 
wire, points, & condensor/capacitor.  I had to repalce two capacitors on the 
briggs A before I got a good one.  I found that when the capacitor went bad 
it would jump a very small gap .005"-.010" but not the .030"-.035" needed to 
fire a plug.  As others mentioned, it could be weak magnets in the flywheel 
but I lean toward a bad capacitor.  Check these things and write back to us.

BTW I'm not sure of how much much experience that you have with engines so I 
apologize if I overexplained things.
>
>Hi Guys,
>Today - I went into the mag part of the Briggs "Y".
>Cleaned & Reset the points - Disconnected the Run / Stop switch -
>Installed a new Capacitor - - - Still the same thing.  I get spark - but
>apparantly not enought to make her fire.
>
>As a last resort, I belted the FBriggs up to an electric motor and tried
>to adjust the carb while it was trying to run - But it seemed hopeless.
>
>Finally I gave up and feel that I just aint getting enought spark to make
>it run.
>
>I have another Briggs "Y" and I might see if I can make one good one out
>of the two.
>
>Darn !!!
>

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