my murray riding mower wont start even with, new plug, carb, no air filter?

I have an 11hp murray with a 12.5 horse starter and carb but this thing wont start.

First off the flywheel is spinning so i know its good there, i put a brand new E3 spark plug in it ( by the way this is very good plug, i definetly recommend it) i dont have an air filter on it and i dont think it really ever did. A couple years ago it did start though, (used to mow my yard) and i no it has a spark.
should i clean out the whole motor because something might have gotten in there, and gas IS getting to the cylinder i no that.

2010-05-04T17:45:42Z

dont think im just another advertiser for E3 because i said that but damn those are some really good plugs haha put it in my friends mower and it started right up and took off haha

2010-05-04T17:58:41Z

ok one detail, i do use jumpers to start it

phil86562010-05-04T17:51:35Z

Favorite Answer

I have a Murray. They have a bunch of safety switches to prevent you from cutting off your foot. One of my switches is faulty. It is not worth taking in having it fixed. So now I have to hot wire it to start. Run a jumper wire directly to the ignition and then hit the starter. If it works then the problem is one of those safety switches. There is one to make sure you are sitting on the seat. One to make sure the mower deck is dis-engaged. One to make sure it is in neutral. And one to make sure your foot is on the brake pedal. There could be more. But if any one of those is faulty then it won't allow juice to go to the ignition.

Disclaimer: Use this advise at your own risk. Any loss of feet, or any other physical injury, or mental, is your own damn fault. Good luck.

scrubbag2010-05-04T17:54:50Z

Take a good spark plug, hook the plug wire to it, and put it against the metal of the engine, so that the metal of the plug is touching the metal of the engine. Then, pull the crank a few times, to see if you have spark.

Running it with no filter is not good at all. You will get debris and sand into it and it will grind the metal inside the engine, like a sand blaster. Your pistons and all will be ground down. That is the whole purpose of a filter. If you dont have one, try to find one or make one.
And lawn mowers, being what they are, stir up a lot of dust and dirt, when running, especially if run across bare ground.

The magneto might be off adjustment, although if it was running before and you didn't mess with it, I don't see how.

starks2016-12-05T07:05:01Z

Your gasoline is evapourating turning out to be an air lock. as quickly as the mower motor cools down the carb resevoir fills up with liquid gasoline. touch Sears to have this checked and corrected. it would nevertheless be under guarantee.