How should I fix this old Briggs?

PaCountryGuy

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I have a small, very, very old tiller. I'm guessing it's a Briggs three or four horse.

The gasoline is fresh, but the engine has not been started in a couple years. It won't start today.

I did a bad thing in testing this. :frown: I put a quick spray of started fluid into the cylinder. (I don't like to do that.) The engine runs for a couple seconds, then stops again. I'm guessing I have spark.

Where should I begin to troubleshoot this and make this old friend run?
 

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irwin

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I have a small, very, very old tiller. I'm guessing it's a Briggs three or four horse.

The gasoline is fresh, but the engine has not been started in a couple years. It won't start today.

I did a bad thing in testing this. :frown: I put a quick spray of started fluid into the cylinder. (I don't like to do that.) The engine runs for a couple seconds, then stops again. I'm guessing I have spark.

Where should I begin to troubleshoot this and make this old friend run?

Time to remove the little carb.. carefully remove the bowl and see what's in there.. If you haven't started it for a couple years more likely than not you've got something plugging up your main jet. These tiny carbs are very basic.. but also they're delicate, so be careful.

post a picture when you remove the carb.
 

44carbine

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irwin is right on. Start with the carburetor,that should fix your problem.
 

KennyV

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If your carb mounts on top of the gas tank, you most likely need a new diaphragm fuel pump, Very inexpensive and easy replace (4 screws) ... clean up the passage ways and will run like new. KennyV
 

dwbitting

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I use Seafoam to clean carburetors out. If it is totally gummed up it doesn't always work but will clean up carb that will suck some gas in.
 

jspwrplc

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The carb on the older units that suck out of the tank. There will be two stand pipes that drop into the tank, The longer one pulls fuel up from the bottom of the tank and dumps it in the small bowl where the smaller pipe will pull it through the jet and indo the intake. The screens in the bottom of these pipes may be plugged and varnish will collect in the pipes. If these are all clean then removed the misture adjustment and then take a screwdriver and remove the jet and clean, A new diaphram is a good idea to replace since they are cheap, Just make sure to install the keeper on the spring against the diaphram so the spring will not pincture it while in use.
 

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PaCountryGuy

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Here is a look at this little old beast.
OldTiller.jpg


Here's a closer view of the carburetor.
OldTillerCarb.jpg


I removed the carb from the tank and sprayed it thoroughly with carb cleaner, into little holes under the diaphragm, up the two pipes.

I flushed out the gas tank. Even though I had put in a quarter tank or so of new gas, that new gas I emptied while I was cleaning stuff was milky and terrible looking. I discarded it and flushed fresh gasoline around in the tank and emptied it about a half dozen times.

After assembly I got it started easily, but now no matter what I do with the throttle lever, I cannot get it running above a putt-putting idle. If I manually tug on the throttle with needle-nose pliers down at the carburetor, it goes barely faster.

I had this speed problem before, but not this bad. The air filter is clean, and when I remove it while the engine is running, I can hear a very small, perceptible RPM increase.

The exhaust was showing lightly black, so I turned that big carburetor jet screw a quarter turn tighter then a half turn. Again, not much of a change in RPM and exhaust was still lightly black.

It does not turn the tine fast enough to till soil.
 

jspwrplc

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You are running too rich to cause "black smoke" with the air filter off start the engine and see if there is fuel puddeling in the carburetor. If it is then make sure the diaphram is sealing around the two holes you sprayed carb cleaner into. If you are certain it is good try turning in the mixture screw in while holding the throttle plate a little above idle and see if the rpm's increase, if all is exhausted then I would lastly check the air vane on the governor (under the blower housing bolted to the coil) make sure it moves freely. Make sure the spark plug is good as well, if all else fails then you may have to look into ignition system faults.. Good luck
 

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