Skip to main content
Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Ready start won't

Enter a word or two to search the forum section and click the Search Forum button.

Hello, I am trying to get a Hayterette "Ready Start" to start, compression feels ok but I have not tested it yet. The plug was gapped massively, I have cleaned and gapped to .76 now and it is the correct plug, spark tester shows a decent flicker. I think its flooded so have left the plu out for now, I was wondering if a mild air lining through the plug would dry the bore a bit quicker? - daft idea even at lowish PSI?

I am guessing these have some sort of auto choke as the buuterfly does not move when I pull the control bar?

Anything else I should look for that might be the cause?

Forums

hortimech Tue, 17/09/2019

A better camera ;-)

Sorry, but that picture could be the dark side of the moon.

Are we talking about a B&S engine with a wind up starter ?

If so, the choke should probably be on when the engine isn't running and then, when it does start, the engine pulls the choke off.

A few decent pictures will help.

Chris G Tue, 17/09/2019

Haha  nothing wrong with the camera, perhaps the pratt on the end of it :-)

Hope these pictures are better.

Yes it is a B&S with pull start. 

The air filter and pre filter are totally soaked oil/fuel, not sure if someone has oiled them by mistake.

I have tried starting it with the filter off now also, but the plug comes out soaked in fuel after just a few pulls. The spark is excellent on the visual tester and I have tried another plug although not an R and that is coming out wet as well.

Thinking let it try to dry out overnight with the plu out and try starting by manually holding the choke shut?

Any other ideas much appreciated

 

 

wristpin Tue, 17/09/2019

Ready start has a bi- metallic thermostatic capsule sandwiched between the muffler and the block. It’s connected to the choke shaft via a linkage with an air vane. With a cold engine the choke butterfly should be fully shut but as soon as it fires up the air flow  from the flywheel fins should open the choke a little and then fully as the bi- metallic coil relaxes.  Any build up of debris under the blower housing that restricts the movement of the linkage may prevent the “ off choke” action. A new air filter element will help also!!

Earlier this year I had a ready start that gave me the runaround as it also had an ignition coil that was loosing most of its spark when hot.

Chris G Wed, 18/09/2019

Thanks Angus, I've not checked that yet as I still can't get it to start, left with the plug out and airfilter off for a day to dry out but still seems to be flooding, or at least not firing up even with the butterfly held open. Did a compression test and its barely reaching 50psi and I know that's not a proper test, so I did the leak down and its just not holding pressure so I reckon valves piston/rings or even head gasket. Think this is a poorly Hayter :-(

wristpin Wed, 18/09/2019

The leak down should point you in the right direction. Air from the carb, inlet valve ; from the muffler, exh valve; oil filler, rings; and anywhere else possibly the head gasket.

Do you have any history for this machine or is it someone else’s abandoned project?