It's getting gas and spark but will not start. It has a C&H ignition. I'm pretty well at a dead end knowing what to do. Any help would be nice.

Open up your low end needle half a turn and see what happens. If not try again.

Is your plug getting wet? Are you flooding it?

Check your plug gap?


Can you discribe your starting proceedure?

Set both nedles at 1-1/5 and start over. Tune accordingly from there after it starts. Also remember to make sure the throttle linkage is connected and that the choke and intake butterfly are operating correctly.

Pull the plug and place it back in the plug wire. Lay the base of the plug against the engine, making sure that contact between the plug and the engine is not broken. Turn the ignition on and rotate the prop briskly to see if the ignition is providing spark full time or not.

With it choked and throttle barely open I turn it over until I see fuel being drawn. I turn on the Ign., open choke, and flip the prop. It will fire after 2 or 3 flips. It will continue to fire on each flip for about 6 or 7 tries. Then it stops fireing. It seems to need to be pretty wet to fire. I checked the plugs gap and they were correct. Plugs were a little oily but not to bad.

Yes, I did pull the plugs and I could see spark in both plugs. Good solid spark!

Throttle to fast idle, choke full on, ignition on. Filp untill it pops. Its now slightly flooded. Open the choke go to normal ground idle. Flip untill it starts.
If it starts and dies repeat. If it starts and dies continually open idle needle 1/2 turn.
If it still starts and dies then you most likely have a carb problem.

You caught the part about seeing it draw fuel then opening the choke as well,TKG? I'm with you, he's opening the choke way too early and fuel has not reached an acceptable level in the engine yet. If he would have turned on the ignition from the beginning he would have instantly and accurately known when the engine was primed.

OK guys,
I'm familiar with gas engines. I have owned and operated a few different types so I'm not a total rookie. That being said...
The first few attempts at starting it I choked it, turned on the ignition and flipped it. It would not even try to fire and after awhile I got fuel dripping out the carb. I then opened the choke, leave ignition on, and after about 5 more flips it fires. It will continue to fire for about 6 more flips then stop.
I have since turned the mixture screws back to the manufacture settings and still the same results. Thanks for the input, I do appreciate it and am open to more suggestions!

There is a reason you begin the starting drill with the ignition ON. If you try to choke it untill it sounds wet or whatever you usually end up to with to much or not enough fuel.
All else fails get some cheap carb cleaner and give it a shot and see what happens. Most engines will run for a few seconds on a shot.This way you can see if its a carb problem or not.

It could be a bunch of issues; Is the magnet about 1/4 " past the sensor at tdc? Have you run the needles all the way in to squeese out dirt or old shelack? Has the engine set a long time? If so and it's the old rubber gasket it probably died. Are the pulse holes lined up? Is the gasket between the carb and engine squashed and covering the pulse holes? Are you using fresh gas? Too much oil? does the choke close all the way. Just because there is gas dripping out the carb doesn't mean it's getting into the engine. With a nose up attitude it can run back out the carb. Try holding your thumb over the intake to prime it. Then choke till it fires. Take the diaphram cover off and see if there's fuel in the bowl.

Pull the carb cover and clean the screen.
You may have to pull the carb and needles and clean all the orifices but just start with the screen.
It should run after that.
I have the BME and found that even with a filter inline and two in my tank, I still get dirt in the system.

Thanks for the suggestions! I will give them a try and hopefully get her running.

Check the sensor wire that connects to the ignition. I had the same problem you describe and found that one of the wires was barely connected. I stripped them and put it back together and the problem is solved. Keith was the one that told me it seemed like an electrical problem. And sure enough it was. Give him a call and he’ll be able to point you in the right direction.

Problem solved! It seemed to be a couple reasons. Ignition coils going bad and the carb needed rebuilt. Thanks to all for the input, and a special thanks out to tkg!