Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - 4 HP Briggs and Stratton with no spark?? Why?

I have a pressure washer with a 4 horse Briggs and last night I had it running last night and was having trouble with the garden hose leaking underneath where the water pump is mounted so I shut it off and tipped it up to work on it and it wouldn't start after that. I let it set overnight thinking it was just flooded. It wouldn't start again today so I pulled the plug and their is no spark. So I tried a new plug and no go. I took the shroud and cover off the engine clear down to the flywheel and everything was clean, no oil or gas or anything had leaked onto the magneto or flywheel. So I thought the magneto had gone bad. I have a 4 HP lawn mower so I tested the magneto and plug on it first and it had great spark. I took that magneto and plug and put on the pressure washer and still no spark. I cleaned and sanded the flywheel good after that too and still no spark. This washer is just slightly over a year old and has been used little. What else could be wrong that would stop it from sparking??

So it was running fine other than the garden hose leaking where the water pump is mounted? which way did you tip it, carb side up or down...as i usually say folks here want model numbers at least to be able to look up what you have.
seems if all was running fine before tipping it up you tipped it where oil would run into the carb and what not (carb down) and now have a carb issue. the no spark could be due to loss of oil into the carb area with a low oil shutdown system in place (?) which would prevent spark with any coil. Oil in the fuel system doesn't help either. If you had oil or gas anywhere there would have been a much bigger problem before I would think. Anyway, please post some engine and model numbers. does the air filter or chamber have oil in it? What does the spark plug look like?

Tipping it shouldn't have done anything to affect the spark. I have a feeling the plug is not touching metal on the engine when you're checking for spark. It has to be, or it won't spark. Make sure there is not oil between the electrode air gap on the plug.

I cannot find a specific model number for the engine. The model number for the pressure washer is 020239 and it is a Speed Clean. I think speed queen is made by Briggs and Stratton so that is probably why there is no model number for just the engine. I did check the oil level even tho my machine does not have low oil shutdown. I have included a link for the pressure washer below.







http://shop.briggsandstratton.com/BShopProductPage.asp?CatalogID=93CDA187-D4E1-480C-BEA6-52BDAFDAB12A&MECID=100&SessionID=7B10AA85-D4E4-4610-ADBA-BA0FBB247FC5&CategoryID=&lrid=&ProductID=C98251F9-9416-4B1A-91F1-792B77CDBCFD#

I even locked the plug to a metal portion of the engine with vise grips and still no spark. The flywheel and coil are very clean and grease free, the unit is like brand new even under the shroud.

You must have a problem with the kill circuit wiring. Since you didn't post the ID numbers off the engine, I can't see exactly what you have for kill system components, so, follow the kill wire (the small gauge wire that attaches to the back side of the coil) that runs from the ignition coil. It may or may not go to a toggle switch in the flywheel shroud and/or a slide switch just above the choke control lever. You should inspect for any bare spots in any of the wire(s) related to the kill circuit as well as a continuity check of the toggle switch (if one such exists) as well as the slide switch. By the way, the engine ID numbers should be stampped into the rocker (valve) cover.

The kill wire goes to the throttle linkage. I tried unplugging the kill wire from the bottom of coil and wrapped both ends with tape and still no spark. Should I pull the flywheel and see what it looks like under it??

With no engine ID numbers to go on, I suspect that the two ignition coils are not the same. So, don't rely on your mowers apparent good coil to work. Post back with both engine's ID numbers, please!!!

Take a look at the coil It says "cyl side" on the black part. If you see this, the coil is flipped over and won't spark.

Also make sure the air gap between the coil and flywheel is .010".

I got it fixed, it was the kill switch. Thanks to all!