Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

my simplicity pro was running great last week, and now won't start. i cannot pull the starter rope unless i remove the spark plug. i took apart the carb bowl, removed the float and needle and sprayed with carb cleaner, re-assembled, no better. i squirted some gas in the cylinder, replaced the plug, no difference. it has electric start, i have popped the GFCI several times at the outlet. not sure what to do next!

got ya. i have already called the local shop, they need my exact model number, so after work i will get home and call them. i am planning to just use new. $5 list! hahaha. it this works i will have saved $$ edit: wow i re-read this and i sure sound like a greedy little miser! maybe the wife is right.

i can't figure out where the new push rod seats in the head. i could see a little hole or socket in there, but when i put push rod in there it didn't move.
it seems if i just leave it laying loose it works the valve, but that doesn't seem right at all. the other push rod seems nice and snug. Also, the pushrod came with a tappet - no idea where that goes! 

so that last pic is kinda misleading.. it's the other end i can't figure out. can barely see in there with a flashlight, and there is a puddle of oil on the bottom, approx where the intake pushrod is sitting on the other side.

The centre bolt on the rocker arm (it says 8.8 on it) remove it then you will be able to see in there better.. it is very important that u get the push rod seated properly.. here's a web site of guys that's has some really good videos on adjusting valves.. www.smalleng.com

yes, i did take the center bolt out, i also loosened the rocker enough to swivel it out of the way. i couldn't see down where the push rod probably needs to connect because there is oil in there. I'll drain it tonite and see if that helps. thanks for the videos, but i watched about 20 last night, and can't find any one that shows where the rod connects.

i've seen some pics that look like the tappet goes on the bottom of the push rod, towards the crank. Is that my problem, i didn't use it?

From what I recall on my Tecumseh, the pushrods seated onto little recesses or something, and were kept in-place by being trapped under the spring-loaded rocker arms. They didn't screw in or anything like that, I just dropped them onto their locations. If the tappet is still in there, I'd imagine you wouldn't have to do anything with it?

thank you. I did see 2 indentations and seated the push rod in one, and pulled the engine over slowly. the rod didn't move. when i place the rod lower, sitting in the oil puddle, it DOES move. I attempted to lock it down by using the adjusting torx screw and nut, but then had too much resistance when i tried to turn it over again. does no one know where the tappet goes? i sure didn't find any tappet when i originally opened the value cover, maybe it dropped down into the oil pan?

Merely speculating, that's deeper inside the engine than I went.

But I'd expect the tappet to sit on the camshaft, and to have the little recess on it. When you look down inside the engine, does what you see look like the included tappet that came with the pushrod?

Does the other pushrod move when you slowly turn the engine? If not, perhaps something went wrong with the camshaft?

ah, here's a new ominous clue. the exhaust valve is question, i can only depress about 1/2 inch and it hits deadstop. the other valve will go at least twice as far. turning the motor over doesn't seem to affect this.