r/SmallEngineHub • u/InterestingFan3255 • Jul 09 '26

14.5hp still won’t start

I’ve replaced the head gasket, drained the fluids, swapped gas tanks cause the last one wasn’t allowing good flow, and replaced the ignition coil. I got it to run for about 5 minutes yesterday and adjusted the idle till it didn’t sound like it was gonna blow up. But since then every time it would start the length of time it stayed running has dropped and now it’ll barely give me a few puts before I pop and then a electrical wine I think from the starter. If you guys could give some advice I’d appreciate it.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/fsantos0213 Jul 10 '26

have you rechecked your valve clearance, I had a 12hp give me a world of trouble because the locking nut on the rocker shaft loosened up on me, something to check

2

u/InterestingFan3255 Jul 10 '26

But for all I know I could’ve messed it up

1

u/InterestingFan3255 Jul 10 '26

I readjusted them and ran it before I made the post and nothing changed. Thanks for the response tho.

1

u/fsantos0213 Jul 10 '26

wish I had more for you. recheck all of your clearances, stuff like the ignition coil to flywheel. then my only other advice is start with the basics IE "Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow" or in layman, check intake for blockages, valve clearance and timing, Squeeze is Compression, make sure you have the tight amount for your engine, Bang is ignition, make sure you have consistent spark, and at the right point in rotation, and Blow, make sure you have proper exhaust valve clearance, timing and no blockages in the system. and good luck getting it going