I have a '01 4x4 that will not start. I drained the gas thinking what I put in was old but it will still not start. It hits only once or twice in a five second starting try. It is like it is not firing at all. I am going to replace the spark plug next. It was running fine and then just would not crank. Any suggestions?

 

sounds like its fuel system.
Check for spark, pull the plug and reattach the wire, and ground it out. crank and check for spark. If you have spark, then its probaly fuel.
Carb could be plugged or dirty. Try starting with about 1/4 thottle, that will bypass the pilot system, and the pilot jet.
How long has it sat since the last time it was run?

 

It only sat overnight from running it the day before. Before that is was idle for a week.

 

What do you mean ground it out? Are you saying just re-hook the battery and check for spark?

 

I was wondering if i was specific enough, sorry.
Pull spark plug wire off, spark plug.
remove spark plug from the head.
reattach the spark plug wire to spark plug
hold the spark plug against the head(ground it out) so the tip can be viewed.
turn key on, and spin the motor.
There should be a blue/white sparks across the spark plug gap. this is a way to troubleshoot, as to whether the motor has spark. If it does, then we can eliminate that as the reason it wont start.
Then if you have spark, it is either a fuel or compression problem.

 

The old plug was sparking but must have been week. I replaced with a new plug and it fired right up. The old one looks fine only with some black suit covering the end.