How to Troubleshoot a Briggs Vanguard

Open the machine's front-engine hood that covers the Briggs Vanguard engine, if applicable. Ensure the engine is turned off.

Glance along the right side of the Briggs Vanguard engine for the small spark plug and the attached ignition cable. This thin cable should be attached to the back of the plug. If it's not, the motor will fail to start, so reinsert it.

Look along the spark plug and check for any indicators that it may require replacement if the motor still won't turn on. The Briggs Vanguard engine's spark plug has likely been compromised if brown, black or white corrosion is found along the spark plug -- or if the band at the end of the plug features numerous block spots that did not exist previously. Disconnect the ignition wire by removing it from the rear of the current spark plug, then reinsert it into the back of your new spark plug.

Find the Briggs Vanguard engine's solenoid by locating the red and black terminal wires coming out of each side of the machine's battery -- and then following them as they extend back into the engine and come to rest on either side of the rectangular solenoid. Each side of the solenoid has a prominent bolt that is supposed to accommodate the ends of each terminal wire.

Reattach the terminal wires to the solenoid if they've come loose. Fix the end of each wire over the bolt on its respective side of the solenoid, then secure the wire on the solenoid by turning the bolt clockwise with a socket wrench.

Find the Briggs Vanguard engine's carburetor bowl if the engine starts but struggles to run smoothly and whines while running. This distinctive bowl piece sits halfway up the left side of the Vanguard engine. Place a pan under the Vanguard's carburetor bowl if the nut on the underside of the bowl is leaking fluid.

Turn the carburetor bowl's nut counterclockwise with the socket wrench to drain the carburetor of the fluids and general buildup that has collected inside the bowl. Tighten the nut with your socket wrench once the draining is complete. Your Briggs Vanguard engine will now run without stalling, whining or sputtering.