mwin, I see you are brand-spankin' new to the forum, so perhaps you didn't realize that we need more information before we can even start to assess your problem. Here are some of the questions that we need answers to: 1 What engine is in your tractor? 2. How long has it been since you last ran it? 3. Did you leave fuel in the tank and/or carburetor over winter? 4. Have you checked the obvious: fresh fuel in tank? gas shutoff valve open? any loose wires? is there spark at the plug? is the air filter clean? is the spark plug clean and properly gapped? 5. When it last ran, did it run okay? 6. When it cranks, does it seem to be at a normal crank speed, or does it just turn over s-l-o-w-l-y? From what little you told us, my guess would be that you left gasoline in the carburetor over winter, and your carburetor is gummed up. One piece of advice: DO NOT start turning those adjustment screws on the carburetor. Carburetors do not un-adjust themselves.

If you can pull the throttle shaft towards the stop and slow it down, it would likely be a governor issue. Not knowing what was done makes it tough. Visually verify that the 2 springs are hooked up and compare to a like unit if you wish. You could try a governor adjustment. Loosen the clamp on the arm ensuring that the throttle in fully wide open and that the shaft is gently turned to its wide open position and re-tighten the clamp. These engines can have internal governor shaft issues too which can make the cost beyond an economical repair.

Try jumping the 2 LARGE studs on the starter solenoid. IF it cranks, bad solenoid. Clean all the connections on the battery cables. Also make sure the engine is bolted down snug to complete the ground circuit. Take battery to auto parts store and get it load tested. They'll do it for free. Just because it shows 12.6V, doesn't mean it has the capacity to crank the engine. 8 penlight batteries will produce 12V, but not nearly enough current.

Has it been verified that the solenoid below the carb is working? If you are concerned on compression, on this engine you want to know that both pistons are traveling and pulling the valve covers will tell you a lot. There you can confirm that all 4 valves are operating and that they have comparable lifts and are closing.