it won't start

[J.Brown121]

ok so my buddy has an '07 kicker and it won't start. it's getting gas and spark, so it should just be the valves, right? he said that it gradually got harder to start and then one day it wouldn't start all together

[miles Machine]

easy way to check is to do a compression check. when they get hard to start the valves get to tight and hang open a little which will usually show up on the compression check

[J.Brown121]

ok. this is prolly a dumb question, but how do i check the compression? should we take it to a shop, or can i do it?

[miles Machine]

you could take it to a shop or buy a compression tester from autozone or something and do it yourself......the best thing you will ever buy for any machine is a service manual...it has all the info needed to do any maintenance.

[J.Brown121]

ok thanks man, and i'll tell him to look into getting a manual

[Scro]

A compression test won't show tight valves because of the decompression valve (unless the valves are so tight it's causing the valve to stay open...unlikely). If you are tearing it down far enough to check the compression, you might as well go ahead and check the valves. The only thing left do would be to take the valve cover off.

[miles Machine]

you still have a base compression even with the decompressor say without the decomp its 155, with it its 100 as specified in the manual (not actualy specs from the book) there still can be a verience...now i did say that it dosnt work every time but its a good way to check....im a technician ive seen and done it many times mostly utilitys which its easier to get to the spark plug that it is to get to the valves in this case you are right your almost to the valves any ways so you might as well check them....but i am not wrong about the compression ivee seen machines run so far that compression drops to 50-60psi adjust the valves back to 120 up easy.