Products are made affordable by modern manufacturing / assembly methods.-----Not much point in making a quality product that few can afford to buy.-----Plastics are a major issue for this planet,----Simply because it is cheap / easy to use.
Products today are " assembled " by corporations from parts made by vendors.----They are NOT parts made in house by a family run factory. !-----It is in fact easier to find parts ( at least in my area ) for older / simpler motors.-----But new products are for folks with lots of $$$ and no fear...
I would have to look inside to see what is jammed !------But do some simple testing.---Remove the sparkplugs.------Find the GREEN and BLUE wires that go to the lower unit and disconnect them.-----Put a 1-5/16" socket on the flywheel nut.-----Turn the flywheel.----Is the gearcase in forward , yes...
The motor is in FORWARD when it starts to crank.----With 12 volts on Green it goes to neutral after just 1 rotation of the flywheel.------When you select reverse there should be 12 volts on both green and blue .----Here it would be an easy fix.
Slide rubber boot back to expose the metal connecter.-----Turn key to on.----Touch metal connecter to ground.----Horn should sound.----And no need to open throttle to do a compression test on that simple motor.
???-----Some love to argue.-----If (a big if ) the oil seals are original they need to be replaced.----These gearcases are not robust.-----Parts are expensive if available !-----Good used gearcases are at a premium.
That lever is for manual operation of the choke.----Used when you need to start the motor with a dead battery.-----These plates close when operating the electric choke switch.-----Time to get an owners manual or get someone to teach you about this motor.----You do not want to be educated through...
Judging by statements so far , you need a proper manual in order to understand how these fine / smooth running motors are put together.----There are no short cuts.----Mistakes will be expensive.
Just an example of plastic parts failing with time.-----Should not be hard to find a used one.----But new might be a better option.----Then again a new one may have been made 15 years ago.----Doubt there is a roll pin needed to stop the pinion.
The trouble shooting starts with a compression test.----Post the actual values here.----Next is a spark check.----Do you have spark that jumps gap of at least 3/8" on all leads?----The surging points to a fuel supply issue.
