Motor help, won’t crank

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AnnaRay
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Motor help, won’t crank

Post by AnnaRay » Sun Apr 04, 2021 4:39 pm

My brother, mom, and I are trying to rebuild and get my dads old mules running again (he died in 2002). We have 2 mules, both haven’t ran since 2008 or longer. They have been sitting in the field so not in the best of shape. We are trying to get mule #1 to crank right now. We have:
• removed and cleaned the fuel tank
•removed and cleaned the air filter
•new spark plugs
•cleaned the magneto (per instructions found on this website)
•new oil and oil filter
•new battery
•new tires


We can hand spin the motor. When we turn the motor over we get no spark. We have tried:
•new coil
•unplugging the ground wire
•magneto from the other mule

We can get a small spark when turning the magneto by hand, but when we put it back in the mule we get nothing. It did sit on its side for a little while in the garage before hauling it to the shop and the spark plug hole that was on the “down side” it muddy looking in the inside. Why are we not getting a spark? What can we try?

Any help would be appreciated. We are in north east Alabama


Chuck W.
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by Chuck W. » Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:41 am

Where are you in Alabama? I am just NE of Birmingham on I-59. I have been rebuilding mules for 20 years or so.
Have you done a compression test? There are so many things that could be wrong, hard to cover them all.
Would these happen to be Mr. Black's mules by any chance?

AnnaRay
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by AnnaRay » Mon Apr 05, 2021 2:44 pm

Chuck, we are give or take only 2 hours away! I am new to this platform. Could you message me?

tbied2
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by tbied2 » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:38 pm

hey chuck,,.. help fix those mules,,... but as a side note...... a couple days ago;;.. i was on 65 north and went up 59 to swamptails in oneonta to meet that alabama mechanic smitty for about an hour. how far are you from there and gadsden...? next trip i will try to get some extra time off...........

Chuck W.
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:13 am

AnnaRay - sent you a PM
tbied2, I am about 20 miles from Oneonta, and about 35 miles from Gadsden. I haven't talked to Smitty in a couple of years, but I see he still has a mule carcass slowly being covered with junk in his front yard :lol:

AnnaRay
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by AnnaRay » Wed Apr 07, 2021 2:41 pm

Chuck,
I read yo. Message, but cannot reply. I am hesitant to post my phone number on this thread. If you could message me your email or phone number would be awesome.
Thanks!!

Chuck W.
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:01 pm

I will ask one of the moderators to see if he can fix your PM problem. Don't post your phone number here!

Chuck W.
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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by Chuck W. » Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:23 am

Moderator has fixed your PM status so you can send and receive.

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Re: Motor help, won’t crank

Post by Chuck W. » Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:12 am

I just sent a reply to your PM.


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