Taking A Long Time To Start

Dozens of B&S engines are ruined by gas contaminating the oil. A gas line shut off is good insurance as I said previously BUT you have to use it all time. The one time you neglect it is when carb will leak. Reminds me of the elderly widow woman who said, "But I just went in for a cup of coffee," when she destroyed her engine after I had warned her about it.

Walt Conner

Are there any special tools needed to rebuild the carb? It looks like there are two kits, one with the basics and one with everything. I've done a snowblower and a chainsaw but that's about it. I'm thinking maybe I'll just replace it with a new one when I get around to it, cost isn't that crazy, $107 on amazon.

After reading a lot of other threads on the forum I think I came up with a plan. Remove the carb, clean, install new float valve, seat and oring. Sound OK? I have an ultrasonic for cleaning my clock parts, it has ammoniated cleaner in it. Does anyone know if ammonia will harm anything in the carb or the aluminum? Thanks again for all of the help!

Chris

All you really need is the float needle and seat IF that comes with seat. There is a good chance it will leak afterwards anyway unless you change the fuel line and do a really good job of cleaning out the gas tank. It is said that ethanol causes deterioration of the inside of the fuel line, small particles coming off and getting under the float needle causing seepage. This really became more of a problem when B&S switched to the new style carbs. with smaller float bowl and of course smaller float with less closing force which is why I said just install an inline shutoff and use it.

Walt Conner

Thanks for the reply Walt. I was talking about replacing the float needle and seat, sorry about the wrong terminology. I can do the fuel line also, not a big deal. Do you have any recommendations on what type to use?

Chris

I agree, you just need to replace the needle and seat. We use Simple Green as a cleaning agent in our ultrasonic cleaner, works great. Here is the procedure I recommend, do about a dozen carbs a week. Make sure you get FUEL LINE, not just rubber hose which will break down.

Needle and seat replacement

Remove the carb, and then remove the float bowl. Check the float bowl jet (which is the bowl screw) and make sure the jets both horizontal and vertical are clean and open. Tip the carb upside down and remove the float pin and float with needle attached. Look in the float needle passage and you should see the red float seat at the bottom of the passage. This is where a #5 crotchet hook would come in handy as you need to remove this seat. If you have no hook, but compressed air, you can blow through the fuel inlet and try to pop the seat out. Put your thumb over the passage to prevent the seat from flying who knows where. No air or hook try bending a stiff paper clip to dig the seat out.

I would either give the carb a good 24 hour soaking or have it ultrasonically cleaned at this time.

With the seat out clean the passage way with carb cleaner. Now you must find a drill bit slightly smaller than the passage way, to be used to press in the new seat. Apply a very, very small amount of a very light lube to the new seat. 3-1 oil or lighter, to help seat it better. Carefully insert the new seat in the passage way with the rings on the seat down toward the carb body. Slowly and carefully force the seat down with the back end of the drill bit. Once it is seated, check to see that it did not flip and the rings are up. *Next check to make sure that the float does not have any liquid in it. *If it does, replace. *If everything looks correct, attach the new needle to the float and install with the float pin centered. It everything is correct, the float should seat level to the carb body, when looking at it upside down. If everything looks good reattach the float bowl, making sure that both the bowl gasket and the nut gasket seal properly. Reinstall on the engine and test unit. Remember to have patience and take your time. Good luck, but I don't think you'll need it.

PS: *On the side of some Tecumseh carbs you will find a plastic cover. *Under this cover will be an idle jet. *Remove it and check to see that the jet is open both horizontally and vertically. *You should be able to push the old float needle wire through the vertical opening.