Recent content by Oddjob

I’ve heard that bearing on top of the Briggs recoil starter squeal. I’m betting that Rivets is right. You’ll be singing La donna e mobile before long.

I had this type carb on a 5hp tiller. There was no replacement available for the plastic part with the screen. I improvised with a fuel filter from a two-stroke attached to the brass tube with a piece of plastic fuel line. It worked fine.

Hi Rigoletto. Opera fan? Rivets knows the Pulsajet carb and its issues. Do what he said. If you still have issues after cleaning and rebuilding the carb, consider testing for spark after it runs and dies. A failing coil often works when cold and then fails when it gets hot. Oddjob

Welcome, and thanks for reporting back.

Since the conversation has turned to spark plugs, I had a strange experience a few weeks ago buying an NGK plug for my Stihl leaf blower. The plug was in stock at a local Advance Auto Parts store. They keep the plugs behind the counter so a clerk had to get it for me. I checked the info on...

I think you’re right about oil leaking past valve stems.

Hi John, The kill switch sends the current generated via the coil to ground instead of to the spark plug. So when you hold the bale back, you open the kill circuit and when you release it, you close the circuit and kill the spark to ground. In my experience with that Honda engine the culprit...

I have no experience with your equipment, so take this as general trouble-shooting advice. You may have a vacuum leak letting too much air into the combustion chamber, hence the need for choke. You can take a propane torch (unlit) and open the valve and move it around the carb connections. If...

Tires on small wheels are a royal pain to take off or put on, with or without a tire changer. No matter what you use, heat is your best friend. Leave them in the sun on a hot day. Better yet, put them in a pot of boiling water and simmer for five minutes. Boiling water can’t get hotter than...

Could be hydro locked. The needle valve and seat in the carb may be not closing and letting fuel from the tank drain into the crankcase. Drain the oil and see how much comes out. If way more than normal, and it smells like gas, you’ve found the problem.

Anyone have success gluing the magnets back on?

Oops. Meant to say if it does not click you have a bad solenoid or solenoid connection/ground, If you can’t make the starter whirl when you jump it, you have a bad starter.

I agree with Auto Doc but would also suspect a bad ground. Clean battery posts and connectors, then follow negative ( black) lead and make sure it has a clean connection to ground. Battery cables should be nice and tight. Also check the ground on the solenoid. Is this s two post solenoid...

The only theory I can come up with that could explain all the symptoms you describe is that the ignition was grounding out due to a loose or chafed kill wire or kill switch. When the mower was not level, the wire drooped and touched metal so there was no spark to the plug. Eventually it wore...

I resemble that remark. Three days ago I was in the process of selling a nice BBC Honda mower that I had rehabbed a few months ago. I explained to the buyer that these mowers came with fuel shutoffs. Then I turned the fuel off, thinking I was turning it on. I even showed the buyer the decal...