If you remove the sparkplug, and drop a few drops of fuel in the hole, and quickly replace the plug, will it attempt to fire up? If it does, you probably have carb problem. If it doesn,t try to fire, or it backfires loudly, I would check the flywheel key.

I put a little gas in the spark plug hole like suggested. It did not fire at all. Thanks for the advice!

Sounds very much like a dirty carburetor. One thing to note on that Tecumseh engine, the carburetor has a removeable float valve seat. It is easily lost when cleaning the carburetor. It is very small in diameter and made of black rubber. When you take the needle valve out you should be able to see the seat in the hole. Make sure it stays there or you capture it so it can be put back in.

I know very little about small engine repair. I have a 1978 Garden Master Rototiller with an 8 h.p. Briggs and Straton (original engine with electric start, and pull start, although the pull start is very difficult to get enough to get it moving). When I purchase this tiller at the beginning of this year, it ran well, although it burned a little oil. I was using it, and it just stopped running. I am now at a point where I need to use it again, and it won't start. It turns over, but won't fire.

Changed the plug and got it gaped correctly (.030 according to the manual). The plug does get spark, I have observed it, and It got me too (don't laugh too hard, it got my son also). It a clean fuel filter, and gasoline moves through it. I removed the carb, and clean it. The air filter is a little dirty, and it still does not start with the filter off. Yes, it has oil.

I am trying to figure this out to save a mechanic fee. Any Ideas? Please Help!

1978 Garden Master Roto Tiller TH 1019 electric start.