Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Sears Roto-Tiller

Hi, I am new to this forum and very excited to learn somethings! My Dad lent me his rototiller and wouldn't you know it doesn't work!

Choke on, check!
Fuel mixed, check!
New spark plug, check!
Put lever into run position, check!

Pull string and nothing. Spray starting fluid in the air box hole, nothing.

Spray in sprak hole, nothing.

<img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e89/xavierarmadillo/DSC08380.jpg">

The thing has been sitting 11 years. What is most likly the culprit, the carb, fuel lines, starter? Thanks.

If it's been sitting for 11 yrs with gas in the tank, the carb,fuel line and tank all have varnish and gum in them. You mentioned gas mixed. That is a 4 stroke engine and doesn't require oil in the gas.
Try cranking with spark plug out, connected to plug wire and grounded to engine to see if it's getting spark. If so, put a teaspoon of gas in plug hole,replace plug in hole with plug wire connected. If it starts and runs for a few seconds, you have a fuel problem.
Hope this helps,
Mike

If this has been setting for 11 years, with old gas in it, its gummed to heck.... not to mention if the tank had that foam in it, thats more then likely dust by now, you're gonna have to clean the tank out, get a carb rebuild kit, tear the carb apart, soak it for few hours in carb cleaner, then blow it out with a can of carb cleaner and compressed air, then put it back together again.... also like mla2ofus pointed out, you said fuel mixed? This is a 4 cycle engine,not a 2 cycle, so it requires no oil in the gas, just make sure theres oil in the engine!! fresh too! If you've tried starting fluid and it didn't even kick, I would check for spark, probablly has none or has a sheared flywheel key at the least, if it was made before 83, it should have point and condensor ignition under the flywheel, and most likely they are corroded and need replacing. If it has a magnetron ignition, its either a bad coil, or the kill wire is shorting somewhere. This is if you get no spark, a sheared key should still give spark if everything else in the ignition system is ok. Also a 11year old paper air filter warrants replacing really bad. Btw, this type engine has no fuel lines, I don't see a electric starter in the pic, if it has only a pull starter, if it turns the engine over when pulled, thats working.

I get spark, and compression. Starter fluid doesn't start the thing. Never had an air filter... but thats my dad for you. So I have a lot of work to do. Drats.

If you don't have a leak-down tester, you will have to remove the cylinder head and have a look at the cylinder and valves. My guess is that you have trouble with the intake valve whereas you aren't getting sufficient vacuum to draw in the fuel and then compress it well enough to fire it off.

I have this same tiller, but in Poulan. My problem is the transfer case is locked up tight. I can't get it to go in F or R and the wheels are frozen.

Any insight?

If you try to fix it, you're in for a real treat. You have to remove pretty much EVERYTHING to get the transmission open. You'll probably find a rusted shift fork among other things.