Buy a can of spray carburetor cleaner. With the air filter cover off, spray about a one or two second burst of the carb cleaner into the carburetor throat. Then try to start the engine. If the engine starts and runs for about 2 seconds each time you spray the cleaner into the carb throat....your no start issue is due to no fuel delivery from the carb to the intake. If, however...the carb cleaner does not provoke the engine to run (for a couple seconds) that means the problem lies elsewhere. Bear in mind, the mere presence of a spark does not mean the spark is happening at the proper time. It is possible that the first episode of trouble, resulting in some "back firing" may have partially sheared the flywheel key, which would put the ignition spark timing to something other than the proper time. But don't go yanking the flywheel off yet. Let's see how it does on the alternate fuel (carb cleaner) first. Then we'll go from there to a next step.

Charles, Yeah, I understand that the 4Mix is indeed a totally new engine. And after reading your last post, I can see where it is an OHV enging just from the shrouds. And I would never turn over an engine full of fluid. I've seen photos of hydrolocked engine damage and it is NOT pretty! I was mererly inquiring if it were maybe possible to put in a tiny bit of fluid and give it a gentle pull or two. Certainly nowhere near enough fluid to fill the combustion chamber when the piston is at TDC. Then, after decoking, the plug is removed and all fluid is expelled from giving the starter a good yank or two. I have done this on a 2stroke snowthrower that I "degunked" years ago. But then Charles, while not impossible, it would be harder to hydrolock a 2stroke as most of the excess water would be blown out the exhaust port during the upswing of the cylinder. But once again, I did not fill the entire chamber with gumout. I poured in a little bit while the cylinder was at TDC. And the excess went out the exhaust port during cranking with the wire off. If anything, restarting the engine with ether when I was all finished was probably the most dangerous thing I did. ;-) As for the old engine, I posted it so that other readers of this thread that may not understand what I mean by a flathead engine can see for themselves. Most lawn mower engines, and I am guessing other 4stroke trimmer engines, are of the flathead design. A very simple design to work on unless you need to replace a valve. Yeah, I understand my engines. :) While I have never done a full rebuild of an automotive engine, I have helped with head gasket replacements and cam changes on SB Chevy engines. Surely if one can do that, anything I may need to do to my 4mix in the future would be a simple task. Yeah, I know I may seem pessimistic at times, Charles. But keep in mind I am a DIY person with regards to small engines. I have the tools and would only need to buy feeler gauges to work on the 4mix. As it is only new with 3 hours use, I know decoking is a long ways off. However, since this is an engine totally new to me, I may ask questions that may seem redundant. But they are for the purpose of gathering information. As you said earlier, maybe somebody has already done a decoke and valve adjust. And I can easily apply their experiences for my own use. While my Stihl dealer is a first class operation and is Gold Level certified, if I can do the maintenance/adjustment work myself, that is more money in my pocket. After all, if my car needs a brake job or, say a tie rod end, I do the work myself. So therefore I would do the decoke/adjust myself. That gives me more money for future accessories! :-D Don

Thanks for the great advice. It's always good to learn from someone's experience.

I have a L130 - similar - same front axle. My axle (mowing 2 acres country plot, snow blowing with 48" blower) has snapped 2 times. I tried nickle rods to weld it first time, but at about 50 bucks it was too much work to do and did not hold. I just ordered the 2nd axle, but will probably make my own axle soon from square tube steel. Should not be too hard to do, and probably will cut off the spindles and weld them into the tube. The rest is just drilling. Might line the pivot hole with another steel tube too. Anyway, the cast iron used is pretty close to pot metal, and is about as cheap as it comes. I think Deere only makes the axle and the dealers actually claim their Cast Iron axles are stronger than average lawn tractors. Ha ha ha. My old Sears and Murray had tube steel axles which never had a problem in years of use at the same property. I wont bother talking about eh TuffTorq tranny - another too little and too light thing deere did to make more money on this tractor. This shows what kind of management Deere has, and personally I would never buy another deere. I sure dont want to put 10,000$ into a green lawn mower just because its supposed to be good. For 10k$ I could have a machine shop make me one that is actually good. Sorry about my rant, but this lawn tractor has to go.