John Deere LT166 Not starting. Why can't I find a Carb for it?

Hi all,

I just got a John Deere LT166 from a friend who says it doesn't start and just gave it to me. It has a B&S Vanguard V-Twin 303777. I have messed around with it for a while now and got it to the point where gas is getting to the carb bowl and have flooded the engine once already but still not starting. It was sputtering but not actually starting and stay running. Since then I have drained the oil, flushed it and replaced with new oil. I have partially taken the carb apart and sprayed it with carb cleaner, removed the main jet and float needle, soaked them in carb cleaner over night. Still nothing. So I am down to either a carb overhaul or a new carb. On one site the carb overhaul kit alone was $125 for a bunch of washers, gaskets and hardware, that's crazy. On the same site had a carb for sale but that was over $200. The carb no longer is available now, and every other site I go to who used to carry it either says "Discontinued" or "No Longer Available". But I still see Vanguard engines for sale on other sites. So does this mean anyone who owns one of these engines are now screwed if they have a carb problem? Can you use an alternative carb by another brand?

You posted 303777 model number, need type xxxx, trim xx & code number for correct carburetor.
The answer to your questions is no.

http://rich.homeunix.com/gravely/pro16/272144 Vanguard Twin Cylinder OHV BRIGGS & STRATTON.pdf

engine repair manual
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/n...nemanuals.html?searchrequested=303777-1147-e1

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...728&oq=b&s 808728&aqs=chrome..69i57.10966j0j8

https://www.amazon.com/Briggs-Stratton-807962-Carburetor-Overhaul/dp/B005F6RWM8
Needed same carb. two years ago, not available, my son & I purchased this kit & installed after thorough cleaning of carb., take you time cleaning all ports & parts, ran like a champ. You have a top quality engine, check oil level before each use & air filter often. We use 5w30 full synthetic Valvoline or Pennzoil oil as recommended. Let us know how it goes, thanks.

Oops, sorry here is the engine info. B & S Model 303777, Type 1147-E1, Code 97111111.

is that the original motor in that?

Hey again,

So I took apart the carb and cleaned as best I could. Cleaned the main jet, high speed idle, and the low speed idle jets and still the engine won't run. I have tried spraying gas into the carb inlet and it seems to want to run, as in sputtering and can see the exhaust blowing out smoke and even pouring about a teaspoon of gas in the spark plug holes and it seems to want to start but will cut out immediately as soon as I let go of the ignition key and I am assuming when the little but of gas runs out. So according to the manual if the engine is cold, supposed to start it with choke pulled out and throttle in about half position which I am doing. What I did notice is that the throttle from full speed to the slowest speed, the throttle flap that moves inside the carb does not move very much. At full throttle the flap is completely flat which makes sense. But going from full to the slowest throttle speed, the flap barely moves at all, only about a 1/4 movement, the flap can still move a lot more before it's closed off. Is this normal? Should I adjust the throttle, or does this still sound like I need a Carb rebuild kit?

Well that takes care of fuel, you got enough in there.
As it is turning over OK we will bypass the valve lash for now but it is worth while doing.
Slip off the blower housing and the flywheel retaining bolt.
have a good look at the key slots.
The 2 halves should line up to make a perfect square is not slip off the flywheel & replace the key.
Note the key is for positioning purpose only and the bolt needs to be very tight.

If the flywheel key is sheared off what kind of symptoms would I be getting? I will take off the flywheel his weekend to see if the key is broke. If it's not broke then I guess it's the carb rebuild kit as the next step.

I just looked at my technical manual and it doesn't mention anything about a flywheel key. For the removal and installation of the flywheel it mentions to line up the keyway but does not mention anything about installing the actual key in he keyway. Also looking at the parts diagram, the diagram breakdown and parts list does not have a key as a part number.

Afrowookie said:

If the flywheel key is sheared off what kind of symptoms would I be getting? I will take off the flywheel his weekend to see if the key is broke. If it's not broke then I guess it's the carb rebuild kit as the next step.

I just looked at my technical manual and it doesn't mention anything about a flywheel key. For the removal and installation of the flywheel it mentions to line up the keyway but does not mention anything about installing the actual key in he keyway. Also looking at the parts diagram, the diagram breakdown and parts list does not have a key as a part number.

Click to expand...

The key is usually aluminum and is square and fits in the key way locking the flywheel to the crankshaft. I'm sure that is not your problem it's the carb. The previous owner probably let it set with gas in it and it evaporated and plugged up the inside passages of the carb. I've cleaned out a bunch of them. To do it right you have to remove the carb and take it completely apart. Before taking it apart I clean it with gasoline, my favorite cleaner. I know some people frown on gas but I've been doing it for over 50 years and I haven't caught fire yet, LOL. Once it's apart I'll spray carb cleaned in the passages then take a bread tie and skin the paper off about 2 inches of it and use that to clean the passages out. A bag of hostess mini donuts has a double wire tie thing on it and that wire is a little heavier and I use that too. I then use compressed air to blow the passages out and you can use the little wand or the carb cleaner in the passages again and it should come squirting out the other end then you know it's clean. Do this with every hole in the carb and it should run. We know you have ignition because it tried to start. You just have a fuel issue.

To avoid gumming up the carb on an engine I'm not going to be using for a period of time I turn the gas off and let it run till it starts to run out of gas then I use the choke to keep it running as long as I can that way it uses up all of the gas in the bowl and the gumming issue is avoided.

Dana

A blown head gasket will also give similar symptoms but will also leave the spark plug wet.

The tarry residue left by evaporating fuel down here will not redissolve in more fuel so we need mepk , acetone or isopropyl alcahol .
I have an ultrasonic cleaner so they just get a bath is vibrating carb cleaner.

Thanks for all the replies and info given. Since I am new to riding mowers, I am learning a lot since getting this tractor. From everything I learned so far even my instincts are telling me it's the carb. I did try to clean the carb as best I can, but I didn't take it apart 100% cause a couple of pieces (caps) required me to puncture and pry off thus breaking them, according to my tech manual. So I will be ordering a rebuild kit for it, damn they're expensive for this carb. While cleaning it I did clean/spray every little hole I could find, some dark liquid came out which I'm guessing was the gummed up gas, but I kept spraying until it was nothing but clean carb cleaner coming out of all holes I could find. Maybe this still wasn't good enough, could it be that I might have missed something without taking it fully apart? As far as having the tractor sitting for awhile, the last owner did say that it was running last year when he gave it to me. So by now it has been at least over a year now since it ran.