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Hard Starting 10HP Tecumseh Engine - Opinions?

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Unknown

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Dec 30, 1998, 3:00:00 AM12/30/98
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The engine is under warranty and will be going into the service shop,
but before that I'm looking for opinions and advice from others that may
have experienced the same.
The engine is a 10HP Tecumseh with low oil shutdown, and is part of a
Coleman 5KW genset that's now about 3 months old. Bought in SAM's club.
When purchased in Sept, I ran the unit the recommended 2 hours with no
load, then changed the oil, and ran it for another hour. It now has a
total of 3 hours on the engine, in about 8 starts. Unit was put into a
semi-heated garage for about 3 months. All gas used had the full storage
dose of Stabil in it.
In Sept., the unit started and ran fine.
Tried to start it the other day, mainly because 3 other people I know
bought the same unit at the same time, gave their units the same
break-in, and in mid Dec., when they tried starting the units, they
couldn't get the engine running.
When I tried to start mine, it wouldn't start. Correction: it took about
100 pulls over an hour before it would start. When it finally started, I
let it run for 1/2 hour.
Next day, started much better - only 50 pulls.
Coleman 800# said to take it to Techumseh dealer for warranty service,
and further said that Tecumseh had problems with low oil shutoff
switches.
Today, tried again, only this time I hooked up an automotive timing
light to the plug wire. The timing light did fire, so something was
getting to the plug. Don't know if it was enough, though.
After about 30 pulls, during which it made no attempt whatsoever to
fire, I pulled the plug, and it was not wet. After another 20 pulls, it
started, ran for 30 seconds, then died.
Another 20 pulls, and it was running again - but every 15 seconds or so,
it would momentarily hesitate, drop in speed, then pick back up. Did
this for 15 minutes, at which time I shut it off.
Carb is one of the newer units, with no externally-accessible
adjustments.
I've had half a dozen Tecumseh engines over 35 years, and don't ever
recall needing more than 2 pulls to get them going - even after sitting
idle for 2 years.
And it's not just me, as three other units won't start either.

Has anyone experienced this on the Tecumseh engines, and what was the
final resolution / repair done?

@support.interpex.com Charles H. Stoyer

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Dec 30, 1998, 3:00:00 AM12/30/98
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I'd definitely have it serviced - it shouldn't do that. However, whenever I
run into a small engine that won't start (4-cycle lawn mower, 2-cycle chain
saw), I take off the air cleaner and dump a teaspoon of gas into the carb
throat. Then it usually starts up right away.

'Course the new 2-strokes have a priming bulb.

If yours starts easier after being "primed", then the problem is gas, not
spark.

Good luck,
Charles.

Unknown wrote in message <3689D46D...@worldnet.att.net>...

allec...@my-dejanews.com

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Dec 30, 1998, 3:00:00 AM12/30/98
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I'm a Tecumseh and Coleman dealer. There are some oil shutdown failing,
but it's not a common problem. Your timing light only tells you it's
not completely shorted. Any Tecumseh dealer should be able to easily
find the problem.
John G.
www.datacruz.com/~allecenter

In article <3689D46D...@worldnet.att.net>,


nos...@worldnet.att.net wrote:
> The engine is under warranty and will be going into the service shop,
> but before that I'm looking for opinions and advice from others that may
> have experienced the same.

-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
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Johnster

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Jan 1, 1999, 3:00:00 AM1/1/99
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Had the same problem with a lawnmower that had a tecumseh. ended up being
the carb. there not work fixing in my opinion. tecumseh makes the worst
engine out there. Try a honda and you won't use anything else.

john

donald...@gmail.com

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Jan 4, 2018, 3:43:23 PM1/4/18
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Clare Snyder

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Jan 4, 2018, 8:33:00 PM1/4/18
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I put seafoam in fresh hooch-free gasoline, started it with ether and
ran it on part choke untill the carb came clean and it ran the way it
was supposed to. NO ethanol fuelRVER in my small engines.

corporate welfare

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Jan 5, 2018, 5:06:34 AM1/5/18
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On 01/04/2018 08:32 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
> I put seafoam in fresh hooch-free gasoline, started it with ether and
> ran it on part choke untill the carb came clean and it ran the way it
> was supposed to. NO ethanol fuelRVER in my small engines.

Hopefully Team Trump will eliminate this ethanol fuel nonsense.

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