[M.D. Holloway]

So my Son has been messing with this one riding mower he got a few years ago - a few might remember. He mod'd it up. Anyway...he decided to clean up the engine so he broke it down and cleaned it up including polishing the valves and getting all the soot deposits off the pistons. His auto shop teacher helped him with the valve and lifter clearances. he asked me to help him set it on the frame and fire it up. Basically I watched him and drank a beer while he did all the work. He bolts it down, gets all the wiring hooked up, puts the fuel line on, charges it with oil, turns it some to get the oil in and around the workings. He hooks up the battery and hits the ignition. The starter engages but no kick over. Doesn't cough or anything. I ask him if he is getting a spark. So he unscrews the plug and has me turn off the lights. He presses the threads of the plug to the engine as a ground and turns it over. No spark visible. So maybe its the plug? I told hm he should check with a meter. So he puts the red to the tip of the plug and the black to the housing, sets it to 2.5V DC and turns it. Reads above 6 v but less than 10 v. Its a 10 V battery. I think the battery isn't completely changed but the meter on it reads 10 v. Am I missing something here?