Start SIMPLE!!!!!
What I mean to say is that a large majority of issues with a small engine are simple issues, so there is no need tearing into the engine if it is not required.
Common problems and solutions
1.No oil or gas- Fill all Fluids
2.Fowled spark plug- clean spark plug or simply replace
3.Old gas ( yes gas loses potency over time)-drain and replace with new gas
4.carb. is gunked up- You could try spraying carb cleaner into the air intake side. I suggest removing carb. carefully and doing a full clean out being sure to get the jets cleaned out.when You put it back onto the motor be sure any necessary gaskets are replaced.
Now with the simplest problems and solutions out of the way, it should be said that every motor is unique and needs to be treated as such. I will now give scenarios and describe how I would diagnose and fix the problem.
Motor won't turn or is seized up.
First thing I would do is pull the plug out and saturate the piston with a lubricant ie. oil,transmission fluid or wd-40.also I would lubricate the bearing around the shaft the best that I could. I would let the motor sit for an hour or more then I would try to turn the motor over again.If this frees the motor I would flush the piston with gas to remove lubricant then try to fire up.If it doesn't then I would remove the cover from the piston and look for any obvious problems.I would also (if this is a motor I don't depend on or can live with out I will take a rubber mallet and attempt to free the piston by wacking it.Every couple of wacks I will try to turn the shaft.If this still doesn't work I will remove the crank cover from around the shaft to see if there are any broken pieces of metal stopping the crank from turning.While in there I would try to free the piston by wacking it again like before and attempt to rotate the crank.At this point it will have been freed not to say the motor doesn't have serious damage from what ever caused it to seize but it will turn over if you notice that the inside of the motor has broken metal or shavings, for your own safety please don't attempt to use like it is.
Motor turns but won't crank.
This is an area that we have all run into atleast once in our lives.first thing I do is check the spark plug and clean it if it needs to be.then I check to see if the plug is receiving an arc from the magneto and coil.To do this I will sit the plug on top of the engine in a spot that has good bare metal.And with the spark plug wire attached I will turn the motor over (either pull the chord or turn the key) If I see a spark Then I will put the spark plug back in and try to crank again.If this doesn't fix it I move on to seeing if fuel is reaching the cylinder.If I don't see a spark I will check the condition of the coil and look for any broken wires.if you see an issue address it and ensure that that gap is properly set between your coil and the magnet on your fly wheel.This can easily be done with a business card slipped into the gap and the two bolts loosened on the coil allowing it to drop on to the card then tightening the bolts back.You should then attempt to crank it or see if it is getting a spark.On most engines there is a type of "points" distrubution deal in the engine behind a plate that is located behind the fly wheel you should check the contacts and condition of these points as well as the condition of the wire that attaches.once cleaned and put back together check for a spark if this does not yield one then you should replace your coil.Now if it is sparking but not cranking you need to trouble shoot the fuel intake. I suggest cleaning the carb. in detail and checking all gas lines.you should remember the layout of the do dads on the carb. or better yet take a picture.reassemble the carb.and attach it to the motor prime it with starting fluid and let it rip.This will diagnose the majority of small engine trouble.
If you have any special situations you can feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to help in any way I can.
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