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I have a 15hp Briggs in a Sabre by John Deere. I have got it running but it seems to be flooding. I'm a Vintage Motorcycle guy so I just have to ask where do I need to start to correct the problem?

You could try cleaning carb, make sure float is good, float valve, and seat are clean.
You can also replace float valve and seat if needed.
Also check oil for gas in it.

Thanks! I haven't been inside the carb myself but my son has and said it was clean. Is there a float height adjustment?

If float valve doesn't make a right seal to seat gas continues coming in. A damaged float will also cause fuel to keep entering.
Probably not but engine #'s would help.

Had a B&S with a carb flooding condition from time to time and it turned out to be the inlet needle.

Old one looked good.

Very deceiving.

Replace inlet needle whenever anything to do with flooding and leaking occurs.

When my son brought it home the crankcase was full of gas.

that would be the needle and seat and or float not working properly.
does it have a electric fuel solenoid on it?
if so it maybe defective
(a lot of people install a in-line fuel shut off valve as a backup)

I will have to check tomorrow. I'm on duty at the fire station today.

Electric fuel solenoid will not cause flooding.

That is the inlet needle and seats job.

A rubber tipped one is the best and most often see, so the seats don't need replacing as they don't wear.

Electric fuel solenoid often cause no starting because they fail to open when turned on and don't allow the gas to enter the carburetor.

Electric fuel solenoid are actually a safety feature so when it's stored in your garage the fuel line is automatically closed off, without these the flooding could cause a fire.

Many garage fires are caused by people leaving the fuel on, then moving things around which can bump open the inlet needle and flooding occurring when the engine is not running.

The industry is trying to save ourselves from ourselves. ha ha ha

lugnut1 said:

that would be the needle and seat and or float not working properly.
does it have a electric fuel solenoid on it?
if so it maybe defective
(a lot of people install a in-line fuel shut off valve as a backup)

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Whether or not it has a carb solenoid has nothing to do with whether or not it is flooding. An inline shut off valve is a must for these engines and use it when the engine is not running - every time.

Walt Conner

lhemrick said:

I will have to check tomorrow. I'm on duty at the fire station today.

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So did you find anything wrong with the carb?

Doesn't look like there is going any answer.

"Electric fuel solenoid are actually a safety feature so when it's stored in your garage the fuel line is automatically closed off, without these the flooding could cause a fire."

It is shocking how many people have no idea how these work or what they are for. They have absolutely nothing to do with the above, it is grossly misleading and should not be posted giving a false sense of security.

Walt Conner

Tinkerer200 said:

Doesn't look like there is going any answer.

"Electric fuel solenoid are actually a safety feature so when it's stored in your garage the fuel line is automatically closed off, without these the flooding could cause a fire."

It is shocking how many people have no idea how these work or what they are for. They have absolutely nothing to do with the above, it is grossly misleading and should not be posted giving a false sense of security.

Walt Conner

Click to expand...

the reason I mentioned the elect. fuel solenoid was he stated the crankcase was full of gas when they brought the mower home.
and check to make sure its working properly. I mean't it to be a side note (sorry for any confusion)
Both my father and son in-law had problems with gas in crankcases ( fuel solenoid on my son in-laws was froze in the open position.)
My father didn't catch his in time and ruined his engine, I found the issue on my son in-laws mower in time.

solution:
drained crankcase, changed oil filter, REBUILT CARB, new fuel solenoid, and installed in-line shut off valve.

lugnut1 said:

the reason I mentioned the elect. fuel solenoid was he stated the crankcase was full of gas when they brought the mower home.
and check to make sure its working properly.
Both my father and son in-law had problems with gas in crankcase and the fuel solenoids on both riding mowers were for froze in the open position.
My father didn't catch his in time and ruined his engine, I found the issue on my son in-laws mower in time.

solution:
drained crankcase, changed oil filter, rebuilt carb, new fuel solenoid, and installed in-line shut off valve.

basically did everything possible relating to any type of flooding issue.

Click to expand...

Inline fuel shut off is the solution. The carb fuel solenoid does not shut off the gas, keep fuel from contaminating oil, which is a widely held misconception. It only shuts off or nearly shuts off the fuel to the carb main jet to prevent "After fire", does not stop flow to or thru the carb. Solenoid being stuck and crankcase flooded was only a co-incident.

Walt Conner

Every so often some body will claim that the solenoid on the bottom of the carb, is to shut off fuel flow, which it does, but not in the way most people think. It shuts off the fuel from entering the intake through the carb jets. It will not shutoff the fuel from the fuel tank, or prevent it from overflowing the carb, and filling the engine with gas.

The one and only purpose of the solenoid on the bottom of the carb is to prevent the BANG after shutting off the key. It is not a fuel flow shutoff solenoid. It is an anti-bang switch.

three things will cause a carb to leak and fill the engine full of gas. One the float valve will leak, two the carb is cracked or porous, and three the float has leaked and has filled with gas, and has sunk, preventing the valve from closing.

lhemrick said:

I have a 15hp Briggs in a Sabre by John Deere. I have got it running but it seems to be flooding. I'm a Vintage Motorcycle guy so I just have to ask where do I need to start to correct the problem?

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I do work on motorcycles in my shop as well as mowers. Motorcycles and mowers run neck and neck as far as repairs go. Had the same problem with a Suzuki bike not too long ago. Just what do you have as far as a bike go's?