Was Re: free lawnmower not running quite right

 Stubby wrote:
 >> Art wrote:
 >>> Brandon McCombs wrote:
 >>>> Hello,
 >>>> I was recently given a lawnmower with a Briggs/Stratton 6.5HP motor. I
 >>>> was told it might need tuned because it hadn't been run for about 5
 >>>> years. When I first put gas in it I noticed it started to leak the
 >>>> fuel behind the primer button. That was on Friday night. Saturday when
 >>>> I tried it again by putting more fuel in it the leaks didn't reappear
 >>>> but after priming the engine started but would immediately stop. As
 >>>> long as I had someone continuously press the primer button the engine
 >>>> continued to run just fine.
 >>>> So the spark plug was working, fuel line was clear, etc. Today I took
 >>>> apart the carb except for the float bowl that housed fuel near where
 >>>> the primer button is located. I attempted to take that component apart
 >>>> as well but couldn't get the nut on the bottom loosened. So I just
 >>>> cleaned the carb as best as I could but I didn't see anything clogged
 >>>> and my cleaning was mainly done for aesthetics. Short of taking the
 >>>> mower to a pro for maintenance can anyone tell me something that could
 >>>> put me on the right track to fixing it myself? Everything I read
 >>>> online made it sound like it was a carb issue but I didn't find any
 >>>> problems unless they were in the float bowl that I didn't take apart.
 >>>> The advice I found said there would be a pin/screw with a pinhole in
 >>>> it from where the fuel would be ejected and that it was probably
 >>>> clogged thus preventing normal flow of  fuel. But I never found
 >>>> anything like that in my carb. The place where it looked like fuel was
 >>>> inserted was more like a tube sticking straight up and I couldn't get
 >>>> to it since it was above the area I didn't take apart. Since that
 >>>> small tube was inside the primer button component I couldn't look in
 >>>> it to see if it was clogged.
 >>>> For anyone who happens to have (or wants to download) the parts list
 >>>> for my B&S engine, the model is 121602-0190-E1. It is an Intek, not
 >>>> the Quantum type. Oddly enough, looking at the owner's manual both
 >>>> types are supposed to have a Safety Key but mine doesn't have that. I
 >>>> was working off page 4 of the parts list PDF file to determine the
 >>>> names of the parts I was working with today. Part #975 is the float
 >>>> bowl and part #134 I think is the small "tube" that fuel comes out of
 >>>> when operational. What are the odds that is clogged and that priming
 >>>> the engine constantly would help work around that particular problem?
 >>>> This mower has a bag also. The bags aren't required to be on for the
 >>>> mower to work are they? As you can tell my knowledge of mowers is slim
 >>>> to none. I'm a recent first time home buyer so I'm learning. :)
 >>>> Any ideas?
 >>>> thanks
 >>>> Brandon
 >>> You need to get the float bowl off and clean it out along with the main
 >>> jet. If the nut will not come off then you'll need to replace the carb.
 >> OK. I'll target the float bowl next time I work on it. Figures that the
 >> part that I didn't look at in-depth is the thing that is most likely the
 >> problem. If this doesn't work I may just buy a carb kit but if cleaning
 >> the float bowl and the main jet don't do it then maybe there are bigger
 >> problems which a new carb won't fix. If I'm lucky I won't work too late
 >> on Tuesday and I can try it again and report back in a timely manner.
 >> I'm in the US Damian so I prefer to not call international if I can
help it.
 >>
 >> thanks guys for the quick responses.- Hide quoted text -
 >>
 >> - Show quoted text -
 >
 > After installing the replacment float, be certain to set the drop just
 > right.  As I recall the rebuild kit has a little cardboard gauge that
 > will help you adjust the tab that activates the needle valve.


I took apart the float bowl of my lawnmower. The needle-size hole in the
bolt keeping the float bowl together was crusted up so I ran a paper
clip through it to clean it. It is wide open now. I also ran the paper
clip up into the main jet but it was clean. I put everything back
together but the mower still stalls unless continuously primed. Could
the float be screwed up and need replacing? How to tell if the float is
okay? What else could be causing the mower to stall? Should I get a new
spark plug?

thanks
Brandon

 
Brandon,  Hold the float bowl in your hand and blow into the fuel
inlet.  Use your other hand to move the float up and down.   This
should close and  open the needle valve that allows fuel to enter.  (I
assume you cleaned the fuel filter!)

 Stubby wrote:

Fuel comes out of the needle valve if I rotate the float bowl just the
right way. A paperclip can also go all the way up through the needle
valve so I know that is clear. I stick the paperclip through the hole
that the fuel hose connects to and the paperclip doesn't go in very far,
maybe an inch. That isn't far enough to meet any other holes in the
middle of the carb but since fuel comes out of the float bowl, etc. when
I rotate it in various directions (including the fuel intake where the
hose connects) I have to assume that fuel is making its way into the
carb just fine (although maybe only when I prime it, thus the problem).
I can't see into that hole that the fuel hose connects to so I can't
tell if it is blocked or just narrows to a hole smaller than a paperclip
can squeeze through much like another hole that I discuss below.

I took out the bottom bolt with the pinholes in it. The hole on the end
was open but part way down the hole it narrowed very much to the point I
couldn't get a paperclip to go through to meet the lateral holes. I
shoved the paperclip very hard into that end hole but it wouldn't go all
the way. Is that end hole supposed to narrow to an even smaller hole? I
shined a flashlight through the lateral holes and could barely see the
light when looking at the tip of the bolt. Surely the hole should be the
same size all the way through? Maybe not.

I can't clean the fuel filter because it must be inline. THe fuel line
may be partially blocked but I know it isn't totally blocked because
every time I test something with the carb I have to let fuel drain and I
do it through the end of the fuel line closest to the carb which is the
far end of the hose. Shining a flashlight down the fuel line did not
allow light to appear on the other end. Does that indicate anything?

I bought a new spark plug at WalMart tonight designed for B&S engines.
It wasn't exactly the same as the one that was in there but the one that
I took out was black. The new one was already gapped to the right spec
(.020") but I had the same problem: mower stalls after a second.

So spark plug seems to be good, fuel line seems to be clear, bolt in
bottom of float bowl is clear (although I question how clear it should
be for the hole on the end of it), so I don't know what else to try now.
I'm at a loss.



Brandon

 

err... "through the jet"

Sorry, had surgery today, and the meds are affecting my typing.  =)
--

Eggs

If Bill Gates had a dime for every time a Windows box crashed...oh, wait a
minute - he already does.

 eggsUNDERSCOREHEREzachtly@hotmail.com wrote:

Yeah eh? I had $urgery recently too on Apr 15. It's affecting my wallet and
about to get worse.