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Old 04-05-2009, 02:20 AM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden
Brandon McCombs Brandon McCombs is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2009
Posts: 9
Default Was free lawnmower not running quite right

Stubby wrote:
On Apr 28, 12:08 am, Brandon McCombs 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? What else could be causing
the mower to stall? Should I get a new spark plug?

thanks