is with a local repair man who believes some rings have gone and needs a new engine at 400 cost not incl labour.
Briggs & Stratton

Experienced gardeners share their insights in answering this question :
Depending on how old and expensive the machine is ,you prob can get a decent used one for not much more

How to Identify and Fix Common Gardening Problems ?

We provide a variety of viewpoints on how to identify and fix common gardening problems. Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced gardeners :

Blue or white smoke coming from your engine usually indicates burning oil, which can be caused by: Overfilling the crankcase with oil. Incorrect oil grades. Operating engine at greater than a 15 degree angle.
Condensation inside the gas tank is one culprit, but moisture can also enter the system through a loose or ill fitting gas cap. The best solution is to drain the mower`s gas tank and refill it with fresh gasoline. A clogged fuel filter can also cause a mower engine to die.
Other possible causes include: Loose, Dirty or Disconnected Spark Plug in Your Lawn Mower: Check it out, clean off debris, re-connect and tighten. Dirty Air Filter: Clean or replace. Fuel Not Reaching the Engine: Tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas.
Black smoke may indicate that the mower is “running rich,” or burning too much gasoline. Your lawn mower`s carburetor regulates the ratio of gasoline to air mixture. If the carburetor isn`t getting enough air, the mixture has a higher percentage of gasoline, which can create black exhaust smoke.
Another symptom commonly associated with a problematic carburetor is black smoke coming from the exhaust. Black smoke coming from the exhaust is an indicator that the engine is running excessively rich, or using too much fuel.
White smoke from your exhaust means coolant is exposed to your engine`s combustion process. In most cases, this is the result of a blown head gasket, but a cracked engine block or cylinder head could also be the cause.
Other things that could cause this issue are bad fuel, weak/colapsed/kinked fuel line, faulty spark plug, faulty ignition/coil, oil over full, clogged air filter, plugged/dirty carburetor, worn engine parts internal rings/valves/etc.
If your lawn mower starts, runs briefly, then dies these are the four most common reasons that`s happening: Dirty carburetor / clogged carburetor bowl. Old gasoline that has gone bad. Dirty or defective spark plugs.
The most common and obvious reason your car may start then die is the fuel shortage in your engine. This happens because there`s not enough fuel in the fuel rail, and there`s no fuel pressure to keep the engine alive. The reason isn`t always you forgetting to fill up your gas tank.
What causes lawn mower smoke (and what to do about it) In the majority of cases, a lawnmower engine suddenly bellows out blue or white smoke because oil has spilled onto the engine. The spillage can happen if you added or changed oil and slopped some or overfilled.
The main jet is located inside carb then you have to replace a carburetor unit to eliminate this problem. If the black smoke only appears when the car is climbing or carrying heavy loads, then it is the result of a power system on the carburetor that will supply more gasoline thus making AFM richer.
Older cars use a carburettor to mix air and fuel. When the part fails and delivers too much petrol or diesel to the engine you`ll notice dark smoke. It`s important to get the problem checked as soon as possible by a professional, as your car will be burning too much fuel and therefore producing excessive emissions.
White Smoke

It usually means that coolant is being burned in the engine, which means that something is drastically wrong. The most common cause of this is a blown head gasket, which can quickly lead to an overheating engine.

Thick white smoke coming out of the exhaust typically indicates a blown head gasket, a crack in the head, or a crack in the engine block. Cracks and bad gaskets allow the fluid to travel to places it shouldn`t be. If it travels, then the problems begin.
White Exhaust Smoke

White smoke billowing out of your exhaust means that coolant is likely leaking into the cylinders. This usually happens when there has been a breach in the head gasket, which makes the coolant create this white steam.

A dirty carburetor is the most common cause of a lawn mower that starts and then dies. Other possible causes include: Stale/Dirty Gas. Faulty Choke.
A Dirty Carburetor Can Cause a Lawnmower To Start Then Die

By far, the most common issue that causes a stalled motor is a dirty carburetor. The carburetor on your engine is the thing that draws in air and mixes it with the fuel. Contrary to what the movies might make you think, gasoline itself is not very flammable.

A faulty or dirty spark plug could be the reason your lawn mower won`t stay running. It might produce the initial spark, but the spark won`t be enough to keep the engine running if the plug is clogged with dirt and oil. Spark plugs are usually located on the front of a push lawn mower and connected to a black cable.
Use Carburetor Cleaner

Fortunately, you can generally do this without even taking the carburetor out of the engine. Start by purchasing some commercial lawnmower carburetor cleanerOpens a new window, which comes in a simple spray can and will make it easy to clean the inside and outside of the carb.

The spark plugs are worn or damaged

If you find that your lawnmower keeps dying, or keeps stalling while cutting grass, then inspect the spark plugs. Look for signs of damage or wear. Something as simple as a cracked porcelain insulator can mean an electrode has been damaged or burned away.

If the fuel pump relay fails the fuel pump will be left without power. The engine may still crank when the key is turned, however it will not be able to start due to lack of fuel. This symptom can also be caused by a wide variety of other issues, so having the vehicle properly diagnosed is highly recommended.
If the car cranks when you turn the key, but the engine won`t start, it could be because fuel isn`t getting to the engine. One potential reason for this could be dirty fuel injectors. Over time, the fuel injector nozzles can become clogged with rust, corrosion or debris.
When they blow, intake manifold gaskets and head gaskets will typically leak different substances. A blown intake manifold gasket may cause air or fuel to leak. A blown head gasket, on the other hand, will typically cause combustion gases, coolant or oil to leak.
There is an easy way to find out if your engine`s head gasket has blown. Simply check under the oil filler cap. If the gasket is not damaged, the inside of the oil cap will be mostly dry. If you discover a milky brownish-yellow substance that is similar to the thickness of a milkshake, you probably have a gasket leak.

Discover Relevant Questions and Answers for Your Specific Issue

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

I need the spark plug gap for an Ariens ST624E. the spark plug = 21533500
ANSWER : The recommended setting is .030″

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What type of spark plug and gap? – Makita DCS6401 20 20",64cc Chainsaw 2 Cycle
ANSWER : Autolite XST2974
Autolite 2974
Beru Z260
Beru 14SR-5F
Brisk PR15Y
Champion RCJ6Y
Champion stk 852
Denso W22MPR-U
Denso W20MP-U
Denso 6043
Denso W22MPRU
Denso stk 6023
General Motors 5613726
Iskra FSC75CPR
Motorcraft A22NX
Motorcraft stk 107
NGK BPMR7A
NGK BPMR6A
NGK stk 4626
Torch L7RTC
autolite 2984
Take the fresh cover of cigarette rolling papers for lack of a feeler gauge that helps good enough.

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What should the spark plug gap be on a weedeater trimmer 25cc
ANSWER : Set it at .025

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What is the spark plug gap for a NGK BPM8Y – Echo Cs-400 Chainsaws
ANSWER : 20-25 thou which is around 0.6mm

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<!– from fixya rte –>Spark plug gap setting poulan pro 033. – Poulan Pro Prod/Poulan Weedeater Poulan Pro PP5020AV 20" Gas Chain Saw
ANSWER : .025″ plug gap

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Honda gx200The water blaster just stopped and I change the spark plug but still only a very small spark that is when it sparks?Coil buggered?
ANSWER : Very small spark okay as long as its blue and not bright yellow.try using starting fluid if runs might want to see if carburetor is getting fuel.

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2003 cavalier spark plug torque settings – Champion International Champion& Small Engine Spark Plug 8 Pack
ANSWER : Nobody torques spark plugs, just put anti-seize on the spark plug threads and hand tighten the spark plugs.

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Chainsaw stalls Chainsaw is 4 years old and has a history of moderate use. After I ran the saw about 1 minute on plain gas (grabbed the wrong gas can – ouch) the chainsaw sputtered and stopped.

It didn't seize, and the pull starter never became more or less difficult than normal. The engine would continue to start if I pressed the prime bulb and engaging the choke, but stall again after 10-20 seconds. The temperature that day was about 50 degrees F and I was running the saw with the “cold plug” installed (per warm weather running).

When it refused to keep running I did the following:
Flushed the fuel tank (that's when I saw the gas had no oil in it).
Ran hardware wire through all of the fuel lines.
Replaced the fuel filter and spark plug.
Cleaned the air filter with a nylon brush and compressed air.

Same behavior (start then stall in less than 20 seconds). I made at least 20+ attempts to start it.

I removed the carburetor and, though it looked perfectly clean, I took off the top and bottom covers then sprayed everything with automotive carb cleaner and blew out the passages with compressed air. The gasket and diaphragm looked new. No pinholes in the diaphragm when held against a bright light. I reinstalled the carb but got the same behavior (start then stall in less than 20 seconds). I again made at least 20+ attempts to start it.

I disassembled the short block and saw that the piston has some slight scoring on it. The ring is clean and I verified that the piston ring has .001 clearance between it and the piston ring groove all the way around with the ring held tightly in place (I was thinking that the piston might have become deformed if it did indeed get too hot when run without any oil premix).

The cylinder wall has no scoring and there isn't any signs of melted aluminum anywhere. The crank is clean as was the inside of the crank cover.

I reinstalled the crank cover using permatex non-hardening gasket goop and torqued the cover bolts to 10 inch pounds. I reassembled everything else per the exploded diagrams in Echo's “parts manual” for the CS400.

During assembly I took note that both the carb gasket and intake boot look like new.

Still the same result: press prime bulb once, engage choke, pull a few times and it starts but stalls after 10-20 seconds.

I'm stumped.

ANSWER : Not sure what to say other than its fuel starvation, if not already done replace the fuel filter in the tank, if no better i would suspect a massive air leak, so replace the crank seals, if there is no primary compression in the crankcsae fuel will not pull through the engine, good luck.

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