STX-46 died and won't start

[DennisH]

Hey guys hope you can help with this problem or provide some insight.

I have a 1995 STX-46 that died while mowing as if you reached over and turned off the ingition switch, no sputter, no backfire just was running than it wasn't.

I pulled off the ground wire going to the coil but that produced nothing, it appeared to not be getting spark so I replaced the coil, now have spark. I tried again to start it and it started and ran for about 15-20 sec very rough than died and nothing since. I checked the fuel and its getting gas up to the carb. Pulled plug and checked for compression, that was good, Re-checked spark, that was good, poured some gas directly into the carb and tried to start. Big fat nothing, just spinns over and over not even trying to start.

Got gas, got compression, got spark - should run.

When this first happened I checked the oil and it was below the stick but didn't really take all that much to bring it up to full. I'm thinking maybe the cam / valve train has eaten itself???????

Any thoughts?

 

[oldnslo]

Hey guys hope you can help with this problem or provide some insight.

I have a 1995 STX-46 that died while mowing as if you reached over and turned off the ingition switch, no sputter, no backfire just was running than it wasn't.

I pulled off the ground wire going to the coil but that produced nothing, it appeared to not be getting spark so I replaced the coil, now have spark. I tried again to start it and it started and ran for about 15-20 sec very rough than died and nothing since. I checked the fuel and its getting gas up to the carb. Pulled plug and checked for compression, that was good, Re-checked spark, that was good, poured some gas directly into the carb and tried to start. Big fat nothing, just spinns over and over not even trying to start.

Got gas, got compression, got spark - should run.

When this first happened I checked the oil and it was below the stick but didn't really take all that much to bring it up to full. I'm thinking maybe the cam / valve train has eaten itself???????

Any thoughts?

Is this an over head valve engine with rocker arms? I have seen one where the rocker arm for the intake valve basically came loose and it would allow the engine to run very poorly for a short period of time. Compression testing surprisingly did not indicate this.

 

[DennisH]

Yes this is a over head valve engine, my next attempt with this to pull the valve cover and have a look see. For now I'm going to turn the yard over to the kid up the street.

I really don't want to buy a new mower if I can help it.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Just on a hunch, check the plug wire. Mine was loose the other day. same thing happened to me.

 

[jimbo64]

Is this an over head valve engine with rocker arms? I have seen one where the rocker arm for the intake valve basically came loose and it would allow the engine to run very poorly for a short period of time. Compression testing surprisingly did not indicate this.

this happened to my best friend on his gt 245