Don't cut any wires! Check to see if it has good spark first. Auto parts stores carry inline spark testers for about $8. Start there. It has nothing to do with the battery or starter/cranking system. If it has no spark, then we'll go from there.

To: SEG: Too darn cold outside, wife sick today, and can't find a sweat-shirt to keep my old bones warm! I'll check it when the heat comes back, outside! Thanks! Rusty J.

tomorrow giffs more checking, big time! I'll have to clean up the magneto and ignition coil etc. Didn't want to dis-assemble it too much outside, in the grass. Wife hollers when the grass turns yellow from fuel spills!
I also have to paint the used front fender i installed last week, on the Buick, and get the other side ready for paint. I put only 1400 miles on it in a year. Might as well keep it-wife can't climb into my truck, and right now, she can hardly climb out of bed! All from cigarettes. "They aren't hurting me," she always said!
But, they hurt her lungs-big time! Smokers, take a hint! RJ

First thing I would check is the ground to your coil, with the key switch in the on position (not start) see if the ground wire is grounded. Pull the wire harness plug apart and find the wire that goes to the ignition (should be black) with an ohms tester put end to that wire and the other to ground, if the reading is zero you found your problem. It is probably your switch grounding out your ignition.

I have a little different take on your problem. As it started when you put in a new battery, I think I would check to see if the in-line fuse is still good. If it's bad, the fuel shutoff solenoid in the carburetor will not open and no fuel can get into the engine.

enigma2 - please refrain from posting incorrect/misleading information in these threads. Your referenced "fuel shut-off solenoid" is most likely the afterfire control solenoid located at the carb body bottom - controlling fuel feed to the carb's load circuit....

rcbe-
IF the fuel shut off solenoid isn't working, the Main Jet is blocked and the engine is unlikely to start!

However, if the fuse was bad, the starter solenoid probably wouldn't engage.
Knowing WHAT TRACTOR this was on might be useful to actually look at a schematic, since "some" machines have more than one fuse.

Rusty
At NO time have I seen mentioned that you checked for SPARK.

Bill, i didn't say that. My problem is too many things with the house and wife, and fixing the car and truck, that i just haven't got back to it. Sorry if i forgot to answer, I'll try to do better after this.
But, now i have another question:
I bought one of those little black plastic, round fuel pumps, to put on an engine that didn't originally have one. I thought there'd be instructions on what goes where, but there weren't any in the package. So, here's the scoop:
Looking at the pump, black plastic, round, little round copper screen in the body, with an upper and lower pipe on left side, and one pipe going straight up--What goes where?
Believe it or not, but i have nothing here that i can look at to answer my questions.
The engine, originally was a Koehler, but i replaced it with a B&S, some years back, for the PO. I made up a gas tank to fit under the hood, which worked well. I did that back when i didn't know much about these things, just how to make them run. Now, i want to make it right, as i got the tractor back.Any help is appreciated! Rusty J.

bill- disconnect the lead wire to yer afterfire solenoid whilst yer engine runs at parked idle.. see what happens.

Rusty - lose the Ether. Sure small engine death. Get some rattlecan carb cleaner. spray a shot or two directly down carb throat. immediately try to to start normally. if engine tries to catch, fuel delivery prob. If not, ign/valve prob.

Well, we still don't know if the engine has spark??

IF it doesn't, remove the shroud and disconnect the kill wire from the coil and see if it does then.

IF it does, THEN we can worry about fuel or other issues.

Yes, i am working toward that point. I had to mow tonight, had to shop today, then a bit of work on a freebie tractor, and tonight the mowing of 3 large yards.
And, if no rain, maybe i can spray the newish front fender on the Buick. If the spray gun works ok--if---Its almost brewski time-too dark to mow, so here i go---RJ