Carburetor Cure?

My 28" Craftsman walk behind snow blower needs carburetor work. The repair shop in town is way backed up with work. I'm fairly mechanically skilled----anybody ever do their own carburetor work? The shop suggested going with a carburetor "kit".

take the carb off, take it a part, get a gallon of carb cleaner at your local auto parts store ( about $50) and soak all parts in it for 3-4 hours. Then rinse parts in water, blow dry with compressed air, making sure to blow out ALL the holes in the body and blow out the main jet (the bolt on the bottom of the bowl). Then install the new carb kit. Might be a good idea to take pics with a digital camera as you remove each piece.

Mean Machine said:

My 28" Craftsman walk behind snow blower needs carburetor work. The repair shop in town is way backed up with work. I'm fairly mechanically skilled----anybody ever do their own carburetor work? The shop suggested going with a carburetor "kit".

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How about for a first shot at the problem.....
Drop the bowl, shoot some carb cleaner up the main jet, the hit it with some compressed air. Then remove the low speed jet and shoot the carb cleaner down the opening and use the compressed air. Put the bowl back on and check it out.

One thing; is it an adjustable main jet? If so, try just turning the main jet (bottom of the carb bowl) CCW a ½ turn.

indypower said:

take the carb off, take it a part, get a gallon of carb cleaner at your local auto parts store ( about $50) and soak all parts in it for 3-4 hours. Then rinse parts in water, blow dry with compressed air, making sure to blow out ALL the holes in the body and blow out the main jet (the bolt on the bottom of the bowl). Then install the new carb kit. Might be a good idea to take pics with a digital camera as you remove each piece.

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Question for you. Have you actually done this work? More then once? If the problem is as complicated as you're making it then the OP might be better off to buy a new carb. Carb cleaner and compressed air works most of the time.

jhwentworth said:

. Carb cleaner and compressed air works most of the time.

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On these small carbs a $5 spray can of carb cleaner has always worked... You will use only about $1.50 worth cleaning the carb...
if you missed the link, here is a good how to.
Scroll down to Find the carb that looks like yours and it will step you through thee process..
Small Engine Equipment Troubleshooting, Repairs and Safety

Should work easy... :smile:KennyV

Excellent. Thanks for the insight. Glad I asked, as it seems so much simpler than I had originally thought. I especially like the idea of taking the photos as I undo things to help put it all back together.

Some carb cleaners are better than others, if you are going to buy some and try to solve this problem, I sugest you get "B12 chemtool". You can get it from walmart, it's not expensive. It may cost a liitle more than the cheapest but it does a really good job. Try to avoid contact with your skin as it burns so keep some water near by in case it gets on your hands, and by all means don't get it in your eyes. It's not hard to do when your are spraying into jets with the red straw on the can.

Mean Machine said:

My 28" Craftsman walk behind snow blower needs carburetor work. The repair shop in town is way backed up with work. I'm fairly mechanically skilled----anybody ever do their own carburetor work? The shop suggested going with a carburetor "kit".

Click to expand...

Exactly WHAT do you mean by carb work? Does it leak? Won't start? Won't idle? Won't flow gas? Won't run at full power? Etc??

Fellows, I just spent a while working on my '89 vintage Craftsman 5 hp 24 inch blower, it has the Tecumseh Sno King so commonplace to Craftsman dual stage blowers. About 2 weeks ago I got it out of storage, checked the oil (changed it last fall) filled the tank, two pulls and it was started. Let it run for a while, then shut it off.

Came out the next day, the carb was leaking out of the inlet (choke area), I drained the fuel, removed the float bowl, took the float, spring, needle out. Had replaced the seat and needle and bowl and gasket two years ago. They looked fine, no debris at all. Put it back together with a new seat and gasket, added gas, next day it was leaking again. Primer hose was cracked, I replaced that, made no difference. Finally changed float level by bending tab up to make needle seat sooner, that solved the problem. From what I have read online the bottom of the float, when the needle is seated against the seat (!!) should be exactly level in relation to the carb body. Still, cannot figure out why float level would change from one year to the next.

If you left fuel in the machine over the warmer months, it may have dissolved and left gunk someplace, I am always reluctant to take things apart until I have to, maybe I gave you some idea of what to check for???

Mean Machine said:

My 28" Craftsman walk behind snow blower needs carburetor work. The repair shop in town is way backed up with work. I'm fairly mechanically skilled----anybody ever do their own carburetor work? The shop suggested going with a carburetor "kit".

Click to expand...

Forgot to mention...I have never had to rebuild the carb on mine itself, just change the needle, seat, and bowl gasket. Oh yes, when you put the needle and little spring on the float bowl tab, be sure the long end of the spring points toward the choke side of the carb. And, although it may be obvious, be sure the float bowl is on correctly so the float has full travel.