"mingv" wrote in message
...
I've got a 1958 Briggs & Stratton 6B-S engine I'm trying to get running.
I seem to have good compression (thumb in sparkplug hole test). I've got
fuel dripping in the carb. I've got a new Champion J8 sparkplug gapped
to .020". Still won't start.

That seems kinda tight to me. Is that what is on the specs? I would try
..032.


Two things occurred to me:

(1) the plug doesn't look wet with gas when I remove it after several
pulls on the rope starter. But I've got fuel in the bottom of the carb,
to the point where it's dripping out the hole for the air cleaner screw.
So I _think_ it's getting gas, but I'm not sure. (I've also tried
spraying the intake with "starting fluid" to no avail.)

(2) I've got a spark when I lean the plug against the head, but it seems
very weak. I think this is my problem rather than gas. I removed the
sheet metal that covers the flywheel. DOES THIS THING HAVE POINTS??? If
so, I can't find them.

You probably have to pull the flywheel to get to the points (use a flywheel
puller, don't bang on it or pry it off). I would (without specs) try .015
as a starting point to set the points.


The spark plug wire comes out of a black thingie
that I can't seem to get into. Is this a magneto? (I don't understand
magnetoes.)

I think you are describing the coil. There is a magnet on the flywheel that
causes induction each time it passes the coil.


The thing that really worries me is that coming out of this black
thingie (magneto?) is a blue wire that hangs down on the outside of the
motor and doesn't connect to anything, and there's a red wire that comes
up from inside the motor case, comes up close to the black thingie
(magneto?) and DOESN'T CONNECT TO ANYTHING. Should either or both of
these wires be connected to something???

One of those wires (usually black) might be a ground wire to shut of the
engine. It should run without that attached as long as it's not shorting
out. You also have a condensor in there but it should only have one wire
attached to it and the case is grounded. But since you say you have spark
then your points must be opening and closing. It is possible that you have
a bad condensor or a weak coil. Sometimes the magnet on the flywheel can
become weak over time but that doesn't seem likely.

As someone else said take out the spark plug, pour in a tiny amount of
gasoline, and try to start it. If it runs briefly then you probably have a
clogged carburator. This is the most likely problem because if old gas gets
left in there it will almost certainly clog it.


I'm at a loss. I've spent a couple of hours on the web trying to figure
this out, and been all through my "Walking Lawn Mower Service Manual"
(which only seems to deal with more recent models). My local mower shop
is closed on weekends and I'm leaving town early Monday morning. So I'm
hoping I can find some help here.

Thanks in advance!