I've seen reasonably intelligent people pull on start ropes until either the rope/recoil system broke or the injured themselves. A couple years ago I got a phone call from a woman friend asking me if I'd look at a mower they had that wouldn't start. Her husband had pulled on it so much that he suffered a fairly serious shoulder injury. He ended up going to emergency and wound up with his arm in a sling and a subsequent appointment for surgery on the arm.
I'm laughing just thinking about this. After the wife called me, she put her husband on the phone so that I could ask him a few questions. He starts talking like he knows what he doing... "Yeah good spark, lots of fuel, just won't fire." That had me scratching my head. I told him I'd be right over.
I pulled the spark plug and he's right. Lots of spark. I then said to the guy "I thought you said it was getting gas?" "It is." He said. "The spark plug is wet." I said "The plug is wet with condensation from you using the engine as an air compressor. That's water on the plug not gas." I traced the fuel problem back to blockage in the tank. Fixed that and fired the machine up in five or so pulls.
Now for the good part....
This fellow tells me that in his younger years, he was formally trained to be a light aircraft mechanic!!! Needless to say, I, personally am glad that he chose to change his vocation.
I'm laughing just thinking about this. After the wife called me, she put her husband on the phone so that I could ask him a few questions. He starts talking like he knows what he doing... "Yeah good spark, lots of fuel, just won't fire." That had me scratching my head. I told him I'd be right over.
I pulled the spark plug and he's right. Lots of spark. I then said to the guy "I thought you said it was getting gas?" "It is." He said. "The spark plug is wet." I said "The plug is wet with condensation from you using the engine as an air compressor. That's water on the plug not gas." I traced the fuel problem back to blockage in the tank. Fixed that and fired the machine up in five or so pulls.
Now for the good part....
This fellow tells me that in his younger years, he was formally trained to be a light aircraft mechanic!!! Needless to say, I, personally am glad that he chose to change his vocation.