My tractor is always kept in the shed. It has the original B&S 16HP opposed twin with roughly 1100 hours. My last use was mowing in late Oct. 2018. When I finished mowing I changed the oil. I add 4 ozs of MMO to every 5 gallons of gas. The first week of Dec, I started the tractor and drove it out of the shed about 6 feet. She died and wouldn’t restart. I check both plugs for fire. Good to go. I saw there was very little fuel in the filter, so I disconnected and lowered the fuel line @ the fuel pump. I had good flow. Cranked again, no start, no fuel entering filter. Researched the issue, ordered rebuild kit for fuel pump Briggs & Stratton Fuel Pump Kit 393397.
I rebuilt the fuel pump, (used a pocket flat blade screw driver with a dap of grease to place the springs), still not pumping fuel. Removed carb and disassembled the fuel pump. The small spring in the carb body had bent when I put it back together (?). Reinstalled carb and still no fuel. Tried blowing into the gas tank while cranking, still no fuel. Fuel filter gas level doesn’t change. She’ll run putting gas or carb cleaner into the carb throat. I removed the fuel line at the shut off valve and blew air into the gas tank. The gas became cloudy. I removed the gas tank, drained and cleaned it. There was a tan material in the bottom of the tank that looked like sand to me, (but didn’t feel gritty). Maybe enough to fill 1 sewing thimble. I had to use a fiberglass driveway marker pole to loosed a spot the size of a dime in the right side of the gas tank, (there’s a small indentation there), to get it out. I installed new fuel lines, filter and the line that provides vacuum to the fuel pump. All line are clamped with gear hose clamps. I placed my finger over the vacuum line while cranking, but can’t really tell if vacuum is present. I blew into the hose with compressed air and had no back pressure. I again tried to get her started, but no luck. Engine cranks and spins as it always had. I removed the carb, cleaned everything, (carb was not dirty). Didn’t find any issues, everything was clean. Reinstalled carb, but no go. Still not pumping fuel, even while blowing into gas tank. I did notice I have a lot of vacuum down the carb throat. Placing my hand over the throat with no air cleaner while cranking the engine requires effort to get my hand off. I checked the carb throat & vacuum line to fuel pump. Both are about equal. IShe'll run pouring gas into the carb. The air cleaner housing is installed. Something told me to check the oil and it was grey. Maybe I missed the carb and gas went down the breather tube? I changed the oil. I removed the carb, dismantled it, recleaned and used my compressor to ensure all passages I could see were clear. Reinstalled the carb and she started. When I shut the engine off, I noticed gas dripping from the fuel pump vents. When I closed the shut off, it stopped. I have since cranked the engine several times, but not started it. No unusual noises. The oil level is still on the full mark and there's no discoloration to the oil. I also saw oil on the floor. It appears oil is leaking from the oil filler tube o ring and the front cover. I didn't have any oil leaks before this. What is happening here?
I rebuilt the fuel pump, (used a pocket flat blade screw driver with a dap of grease to place the springs), still not pumping fuel. Removed carb and disassembled the fuel pump. The small spring in the carb body had bent when I put it back together (?). Reinstalled carb and still no fuel. Tried blowing into the gas tank while cranking, still no fuel. Fuel filter gas level doesn’t change. She’ll run putting gas or carb cleaner into the carb throat. I removed the fuel line at the shut off valve and blew air into the gas tank. The gas became cloudy. I removed the gas tank, drained and cleaned it. There was a tan material in the bottom of the tank that looked like sand to me, (but didn’t feel gritty). Maybe enough to fill 1 sewing thimble. I had to use a fiberglass driveway marker pole to loosed a spot the size of a dime in the right side of the gas tank, (there’s a small indentation there), to get it out. I installed new fuel lines, filter and the line that provides vacuum to the fuel pump. All line are clamped with gear hose clamps. I placed my finger over the vacuum line while cranking, but can’t really tell if vacuum is present. I blew into the hose with compressed air and had no back pressure. I again tried to get her started, but no luck. Engine cranks and spins as it always had. I removed the carb, cleaned everything, (carb was not dirty). Didn’t find any issues, everything was clean. Reinstalled carb, but no go. Still not pumping fuel, even while blowing into gas tank. I did notice I have a lot of vacuum down the carb throat. Placing my hand over the throat with no air cleaner while cranking the engine requires effort to get my hand off. I checked the carb throat & vacuum line to fuel pump. Both are about equal. IShe'll run pouring gas into the carb. The air cleaner housing is installed. Something told me to check the oil and it was grey. Maybe I missed the carb and gas went down the breather tube? I changed the oil. I removed the carb, dismantled it, recleaned and used my compressor to ensure all passages I could see were clear. Reinstalled the carb and she started. When I shut the engine off, I noticed gas dripping from the fuel pump vents. When I closed the shut off, it stopped. I have since cranked the engine several times, but not started it. No unusual noises. The oil level is still on the full mark and there's no discoloration to the oil. I also saw oil on the floor. It appears oil is leaking from the oil filler tube o ring and the front cover. I didn't have any oil leaks before this. What is happening here?
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