I've got a 15.5 Hp Tecumseh engine that is hard to crank. I replaced the
battery, solenoid & starter. It cranks better since I replaced the starter,
but it still has a problem. It just barely turns the engine over. The
battery cable & solenoid feel hot when cranking. If I pull the spark plug
the engine will turn over by hand with no problem, so it's not a matter of
the engine binding. I thought it might be carbon build-up in the combustion
chamber so I ran a compression check. The starter was straining before the
pressure even got to 50 lbs. With the spark plug out it cranks very fast. I
don't have a clue as to what to check next. Any ideas folks?