It sounds like the float is stuck and needs to be cleaned.

First, shut the gas to OFF on the tank, or on the fuel line

Take the carb off the machine, put it on your bench.
Flip it over and look at the carb and you will see a piece on it that looks
like a cup (usually a screw at the bottom of it.)
Unscrew it and take off the cup, carefully.

You will see the float at this point.

Observe the float, move it around and you may see it sticking somewhere..
Clean all of that area up. You may have to take the float off, their is
usually a pin in it holding the float on.Make sure to notice all the little
moving parts to the float, should have a tiny spring and a pointy thing in
it.

Make sure all this area is clean.. Reassemble it and you should be good to
go...

If you need more detail, give me a shout..


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www.askalandscaper.com


"Srgnt Billko" wrote in message
...

"tallman" wrote in message
...
Today I loaned my cheapo Murray Home Depot special lawn tractor to the
dirtbag neighbor. When he was running it I heard it start to run a
little strange. Soon he finished up and parked it.

Later, I try to start it and I notice fuel dripping from the air
filter, and more fuel dripping from the exhaust pipe. Not deterred, I
try to crank it a couple times and lo & behold - more fuel comes out.
No start & the grass continues to grow. In the realm of small engine
repair, I'm hopeless.

Are the symptoms above "signs" of something terminal?

[OHV 16.5 HP B&S engine, fueled by gravity not a pump]

Any advice as to what I can try to do soon as I get done charging the
battery? (yeah, I forgot to mention that earlier).

Thx in advance


So it's getting fuel and not firing ? I wonder if he enriched the
carbueator - or was running it with the choke half closed. First thing I
would do would be replace the spark plug - they're only $1.23 and easy to
change. Then you might want to check / clean the air filter. If that is
clogged it would also have amde the fuel / air mixture too rich. Thes
things are easy to do and cost practically nothing. Then let us know what
is happening. Another thought is there may have been water in the gas -
that could make it sound real funny and then difficult to start.