8HP Suzuki won't start

[ejoe70]

After pulling the carb cleaning and putting it back in it took a while to get it started but it did and run very will. I was planning on taking my grandson fishing so a couple of days before I put the motor in water to make sure it would start and run okay. I did this 2 days in a row and it started right up and purred like a kitten. I thought I'd be safe to go fishing. When we got to the lake the engine started up no problem we fished a while and moved to another spot, no problem. The next time I tried to start it, nothing. I couldn't get it to even try to turn over even after spraying some quick start into the carb. By now we are on the other side of the lake with the wind blowing right at us. I started rowing and by the time we got back to the landing I'd had enough exercise for a week. Does anybody have any idea what might be wrong. It almost seems like it could be electrical since I couldn't get it to even try to start. I just wondered if there is a common problem with these motors that shows itself after they get so old. This is a 1988 DT8C. Any help will be appreciated. Taking it to the shop is a last resort with me since I enjoy fixing things myself if at all possible. One more thing the emergency stop was in place so I'm sure that isn't the problem.

[Solarman]

If you have a manual then you will need to start checking systematically, check plug(s) for fire, and on from there. Compression might be my next check, if I have fire to plug(s).
If no fire, then I might check stator, and those wires.

If both of those are good, then back to fuel system.

Good luck, let us know what you find.

[artdf175]

I don't know the smaller engines. would take the emergency stop and take it off and pull the connector a few times, in case it might have lost contact

question.. and I realized this maybe a "stupid" question but....
does this motor also have a regular kill switch to turn it off?
I don't know how many times I have tried to get a engine to run and found
the kill switch has been knocked into the off position..

Art

[mmanuel]

I don't know the smaller engines. would take the emergency stop and take it off and pull the connector a few times, in case it might have lost contact

question.. and I realized this maybe a "stupid" question but....
does this motor also have a regular kill switch to turn it off?
I don't know how many times I have tried to get a engine to run and found
the kill switch has been knocked into the off position..

Art

Same thing goes for the neutral safety switch, cant tell you how many times I had a short panic only to find out that I had engaged the motor while it was turned of just to get the handle out of the way.

[ejoe70]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't had time to check the motor out since I have a couple other projects going on. The motor does have a push to stop button at the end of the tiller. It seems to push in very hard at least harder than I would think it should and that is one of the things I want to check when I get back to it. I was wondering how these buttons work. When you push it in is it completing a circuit or breaking a circuit so it I were to disconnect one end would that be the same as pushing the button in?

[ejoe70]

Finally had a little time to get back to the motor not starting. Again I had to use the quick start to get it running but it started and run well. One thing I found was the spark plug gap was only .025 and according to the manual it should be .035 to -040. I ran the motor several times letting it set any where from 20 min to 2 hours and each time it started without the use of quick start. Each time it got easier I hope that I was learning the little quirks like pumping the primer bulb until it's hard and pulling the choke if it doesn't start the first 2 or 3 pulls. I guess it remains to be seen if these things work. I'm going to take it out on the lake for a test run in the next few days but I'm not shutting it down unless I'm close to the landing. No more rowing for an hour to get back to the landing for me. I hope. Thanks for your suggestions.

[Moonlighter]

Every smaller pull-start motor I have had, you had to learn the best way to start them. They can be idiosyncratic little beasts!

I found the most common method, when the engine was cold at the start of the day or after 4 or 5 hours stopped, that worked for me was:

Pump bulb till firm
Pull choke put all the way out
Pull rope hard once or twice.
It would usually kick on the second pull, and sometimes might actually run. If it did start quickly get the choke half way back in and warm up.
If it didnt start, then put choke half way back in and pull rope again. Onet two pulls was usually enough.
9 times out of 10 it would then start and run.

Once started push the choke all the way back in after 15-30 seconds. Let her warm up a few minutes, then away you go.