Lincoln SA-200 Starter: repair or replace?

Private wrote in sci.engr.joining.welding on Fri, 1 Apr 2011 13:37:34 -0700:

I second this.

If you are mostly sure starting fluid will start the engine, fine. But if it doesn't start, you should spray some oil down the carb. to re-lube the cylinder walls.

A neighbor had done that to his car. Ran it for a while on starting fluid trying to fix something, then left it for a week. Frozen solid when they got to it the next weekend.

Reply to
dan
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falderal about force feeding fuel and starter fluids to get SA 200 Continental engine started snipped ...............

If you can't get a Continental engine started with what you already know, please turn in your tools.

Blowtorches? Propane? Ether starter fluids?

How about the basics?

Check the plugs. Does it have spark? Is it getting fuel?

That right there should get you some type of noise. No need for exotic explosives on a 60 hp engine that is as basic as they come.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

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Reply to
Steve B

I tried a cheap plastic oil can, it squirted enough liquid to run down the outside and drip on the asphalt. I save the irreplaceable USA oil cans for way and spindle oil.

The starting fluid isn't just diethyl ether, this one contains propane, butane and heptane, a component of gasoline.

jsw

I took out the plug in the intake manifold, squirted gas in there, replaced the plug finger tight, and it started. Didn't run for a long time, but it kicked off. From there, I eliminated other problems. Needed a carb job. Now, it starts in two seconds every time.

Except for when the battery is dead .................... ;-)

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

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Reply to
Steve B

And some of the newer "starting fluids" also contain a small portion of light lubricating oil.

Reply to
clare

I mixed a mix of gasoline and Sea Foam additive. Have not yet taken off the carb, though I have a NAPA rebuild kit in my possession.

If I start the generator and keep adding, through the broken fuel line, more of that mixture, the generator runs very smoothly, at a very sensible RPM, making a pleasant, throaty sound.

However, it uses what I feel is quite a bit more fuel than I would expect, I just see it running down the funnel into the carb. The smoke is also blacker than I would hope.

I wonder if I should just run a gallon of that Sea FOam mix through the carb? Would that "do it"?

i
Reply to
Ignoramus10687

Well, getting it started with starting fluid certainly fixed it, huh? I'm a fan of spark, fuel, timing. After that, if you can't get it to sputter, there's all those magic potions. And keeping it running ............... nothing like using ether or ether based potions to keep it running until it freezes because one is too stupid to figure out the timing, carburetion or spark issues. Or, let's get a five gallon can and drip some down the carburetor. I've heard that works ................................

Also know two men who had disfiguring facial scars from teenage stupidity.

IMHO, starting fluids for gas engines are for people who don't really know what they're doing. Or at least, that has been my observance. And before they know it, they've caused more problems and never identified the original one.

Diesels are a whole nuther thing.

YMMV, and all that.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

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Reply to
Steve B

\

I agree totally, no starting fuel for this gasser.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus10687

I tried Sea Foam on a motorcycle carb. The bike hadn't been started in a year and wouldn't idle. It didn't help. I still needed to take the carb apart and clean it. That dried gas was too much for the Foam.

Bob

Reply to
BobW

Sounds like the float or needle valve is stuck and it is allowing too much fuel flow. Your not doing the engine any good by running it with the mixture so rich.

-jim

Reply to
jim

Sea Foam is good shit, Maynard.

I've rebuilt a lot of gunked engines by just running a couple cans through.

Yea, it will black smoke and act nearly flooded.

Karl

Reply to
Karl Townsend

Bet you don't know this saying "good shit, Maynard"

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Reply to
Karl Townsend

The some of the deteriorated fuel line could be clogging the needle valve.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I once heard about one dumb guy, who complained that his new welder ran smoky, until he realized that he forgot to push the choke back in.

Let's not point any fingers!

i :)

Reply to
Ignoramus10687

The only reason to use the blowtorch or ether is to see for sure if lack of fuel is causing the no-start, without attempting to pour gasoline down the carb while cranking it over - which is (a) dangerous, and (b) darn difficult with an updraft carb.

Using the propane is not to start an engine, but to check for intake leaks.

Sometimes an engine that has sat for a while will not draw fuel through the carb when cranking, but after being "spoon fed" to get it started, running vacuum will get fuel flowing and it will continue to run, as the fuel cleans out the slightly gummed up jets.

The proper way is to clean ouit the carb properly, particularly in this case, but often a can of fuel system cleaner like SeaFoam added to fresh fuel will do the job in very short order after the engine has been started.

Iggy was basically trying to just get it to fire to make sure there wasn't a big bad rod knock or something equally disheartening before putting more effort and money into the engine.

Reply to
clare

Uh, huh... and when it won't start check the kill switch.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Get a lawnmower gas tank and some hose. Put the tank higher than the carb. See if gas runs out of the carb. If so, the needle and seat are bad or the float is stuck. Being a downdraft carb it won't flood teri=ribly easy, so you may be able to get it to start and run off the tank and the sea-foam may clean up or free up the float/needle valve problem.. If it doesn't drip, it should start and run ok. It will just idle untill you either load the generator or manually operate the throttle.

You might be lucky and the carb was dry when it was stored, and it is clean as a whip inside - i'd take it apart and replace the gaskets etc anyway, and see what it looks like since it APPEARS the engine itself is not FUBAR.

Reply to
clare

Zenith carbs are updrafts, and I have yet to see any commentary about a compression check. You know, with one of those really easy compression checker thingies that every anal machinist has two of ................

I'd guess busted ring or worn out cylinders or motor. Or maybe it is FUBAR, and the OP just doesn't know it yet, and isn't through throwing money down a rabbit hole.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

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Reply to
Steve B

wrote

I took the plug out of my intake manifold and injected gasoline in with a syringe, and finger tight replaced the plug. I got the required attempt to start, verifying that I had spark, and that some gas was getting in, but not enough to keep it running. That spelt carb cleanout, which I did, and it ran great. A syringe of a few cc's of gas into the intake manifold through the plug hole is about as safe as it gets. And it gets you to the answer to question B, so you can go on to C. (Question A is answered by getting your brother-in-law or younger brother to hold spark plug wire while you spin the engine....... no screaming, no spark.) If spark, go to B. If A and B are positive, find out C, why there is no constant supply of gas, which can branch out into many forks.

HTH

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

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Reply to
Steve B

And when the furnace won't warm the house after a very mild day, check the thermostat! Gerry :-)} London, Canada

Reply to
Gerald Miller

It welds nicely

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It is kind of amazing. We just had a toy Chinese tank break after just

30 minutes of playing. And here's this 25 year old USA made welder, running great, with all parts available etc. i
Reply to
Ignoramus6732

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