What did I do

[Jenna 6]

My 417-a did not start easily.  I changed spark plugs, airfilter, oil and fuel filter. It wouldn't turn over, put a new battery on. Same issue. Changed a fuses. Took air filter off tried again. Same wouldn't turn over. So I start looking around and I see a a screw with a spring on it. Under the air filter on the left side. I turn that a few times and lie and behold it works great now. What was it what did I do? 🤷‍♀️

[adsm08 3,138]

Hard to say without a picture, sounds like one of the carb adjusting screws.

[Jenna 6]

 

[rmaynard 16,289]

There is a huge difference between not "turning over", and "not starting". Sounds like your case was not starting, in which case the engine was cracking, but wouldn't start. In that scenario, you either had no spark, or no fuel. Turning the needle valve probably dislodged a piece of debris in the carb and allowed fuel to flow. 

[peter lena 9,231]

get some sea foam gas treatment  in there on a regular basis, walmart  $  6  , i also regularly use stabil in my gas , don,t wait for it to happen .  jmoo , pete

[953 nut 59,737]

The fuel pump is on the top of the engine and as they age the valves allow fuel to run back to the tank. Could be it needs a rebuild.

http://www.then-now-auto.com/kohler-fuel-pumps-2/

[ZXT 2,401]

Jenna, when you said it "wouldn't turn over", do you mean that the starter wasn't spinning the engine at all, or it just wouldn't start? Sounds like it initially wasn't spinning the engine over, since you changed the battery. If that was the case, maybe you have a loose electrical connection and you bumped something when you went to adjust the carburetor.