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Up north for the weekend and my cousin's Craftsman LT1000 won't start without starting fluid. Had to spray fluid directly into the carb repeatedly for about a minute before it ran on its own. After it started running on its own it was surging really bad. If I pulled the choke about half way out it would smooth out and run without surging. The mower is quite old and desperately needs a tune-up which I plan to do, but as for he starting and running issues, what could the problem be? I am thinking that the carb might just need a rebuild but am lost. My cousin told me to just buy whatever parts it needs and get it back up and running so I just want to get an idea of what I will need.

Engine Info: 461707-0145-E3

Thank you.

Mike

Carb clean and rebuild...
Spray out all the jets, remove and. Clean them.
Good videos on YouTube for the Opposed twin carbs.

You should be able to type the numbers into any online parts source...Jack's small engines,Proparts direct or parts tree

On the lower side of the carb is a brass nut/plug. Remove it and watch the fuel dribble out a little. Inside there is a jet that can be removed using an allen head wrench, remove it.
Then crank the engine a little and fuel should pulse out.
Clean the jet out thoroughly, and reassemble everything.
Then start her up and see how she runs.

So, here is an update:

I went up to my cousin's cottage this past weekend and worked on the mower. I started a tuneup on the engine including new OEM plugs, gapped and properly secured, with anti-seize and di-electric grease. Also, the oil was really dirty so I flushed it twice and topped off with SAE30. I replaced the air cleaner and fuel filter. While changing the fuel filter I found that the fuel line from the filter to the carburetor was dry rotted and in fact had a hole in it. Thinking that this might have been the answer to my problems, I went ahead and replaced that section of fuel line. WELL, when all was finished, the mower was still running the same, surging at idle and even slightly at full throttle. Pulling the choke out smooths out the engine and it runs just fine that way. I tried to adjust the carburetor from the mower manual but the carb lacks the adjustment screw for the air/fuel mixture that the manual references.

The surging has me thinking that there is something going on with the governor, but I have yet to rebuild or replace the carb. I am thinking that I will just throw a new carb on it and hopefully it will work.

My question is, the governor on this engine is not like I am used to on the newer v-twin engines. I don't even know where to begin on adjusting this type of governor, nor am I sure that it is the problem.

What are your thoughts?

surging is nearly always a lean burning condition
So not enough fuel from the carb or air leaking after the carb.

pulling the choke out indicates the engine is running lean So it could be air leaking after the carburetor through the intake manifold(there are two gaskets, 1 on each head/side of the engine...or the carb is still dirty.

governor static adjustment:
all linkage must be installed to make adjustment, loosen the governor lever bolt and but (7/16" if i remember right) push on the governor level until the throttle is wide open. hold the lever in this position, Now rotate the governor shaft COUNTERCLOCKWISE, as far as it will go, hold the lever in the WIDE open throttle position and the governor shaft in the clockwise position and tighten the nut up. (100 inch pounds torque value).

Scrubcadet10 said:

pulling the choke out indicates the engine is running lean So it could be air leaking after the carburetor through the intake manifold(there are two gaskets, 1 on each head/side of the engine...or the carb is still dirty.

governor static adjustment:
all linkage must be installed to make adjustment, loosen the governor lever bolt and but (7/16" if i remember right) push on the governor level until the throttle is wide open. hold the lever in this position, Now rotate the governor shaft COUNTERCLOCKWISE, as far as it will go, hold the lever in the WIDE open throttle position and the governor shaft in the clockwise position and tighten the nut up. (100 inch pounds torque value).

Click to expand...

Thanks. I am going to order up new intake gaskets as well to throw on with the new carb. If that doesn't work I will try the static governor adjustment. I have a hundred dollar budget to fix the machine and with all the parts i have purchased I am only about $70 in. Hopefully there's a little left for me to pocket!

I also forgot to mention, there are two gaskets where the manifold bolts to the carb with a thick spacer. Could be leaking there too.
I use WD 40 in a trigger sprayer and spray around any gaskets while the engine is running, and look for the engine to blow white smoke or rpm's change.

cruzenmike said:

What are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

From personal experience, I agree with Fish and would bet cleaning out the bowl and the metering screw at the bottom of the carb bowl will fix your problem. I swear 99% of the time i find a mower that won't start(with carb problems) or won't stay running, this is the fix.
Check the easy stuff first. Don't take it apart and replace parts as I would think parts going bad, seals breaking would not likely do so from it sitting around (as it sounds from fuel hose rot and it hunting).

If you're on a budget look on Ebay for a knock off replacement carb.

Carb is dirty. Clean or replace it first before messing with the governor.

Fuel lines now replaced were rotted out. Tells us maintenance was neglected. Oil had to be flushed out twice. Valve clearance most likely needs some love.

slomo

Richie F said:

If you're on a budget look on Ebay for a knock off replacement carb.

For B&S 693479 Carburetor Replaces # 499305, 499307 [Replace] | eBay

Product Description: For B&S 693479 Carburetor Replaces Old B&S # 499305, 499307 Package Includes: As Picture Show NOTE: Please match the part number with part number on the old part to ensure fitment before purchasing. Professional Installations Highly Recommended. (No Instruction Included).

www.ebay.com

Click to expand...

THAT is a gamble. Carb might work fine. Then again might get a lemon. OEM Briggs is not that much more. You people have over $1,000 cell phones. You can afford a real OEM Briggs card.

slomo

slomo said:

THAT is a gamble. Carb might work fine. Then again might get a lemon. OEM Briggs is not that much more. You people have over $1,000 cell phones. You can afford a real OEM Briggs card.

slomo

Click to expand...

I have used knock off carbs in the passed with no issues.
The person is on a budget of $100, OEM is at least $200.
What is meant by the statement "You people have over $1,000 cell phones." ?

Richie F said:

I have used knock off carbs in the passed with no issues.
The person is on a budget of $100, OEM is at least $200.
What is meant by the statement "You people have over $1,000 cell phones." ?

Click to expand...

Most people have expensive cell phones. Then cry about fixing a lawn mower?? I bet you and your customer have a cell phone, that costs more than $100.00. And had no issue buying it.

If they can't afford $101 dollars then they need to sell their house and move into assisted living. Or possibly a place with no grass. Mower has to be fixed. Or you can not cut the yard and look like the several animals yards that live on my block.

On you having good luck with Chinese carbs, that's great. I have had good luck also. Just saying best to get a Briggs OEM carb. Lots of posts on here with carb issues from fleabay.

slomo

slomo said:

Most people have expensive cell phones. Then cry about fixing a lawn mower?? I bet you and your customer have a cell phone, that costs more than $100.00. And had no issue buying it.

If they can't afford $101 dollars then they need to sell their house and move into assisted living. Or possibly a place with no grass. Mower has to be fixed. Or you can not cut the yard and look like the several animals yards that live on my block.

On you having good luck with Chinese carbs, that's great. I have had good luck also. Just saying best to get a Briggs OEM carb. Lots of posts on here with carb issues from fleabay.

slomo

Click to expand...

Got my phone for free. Sign up and get a plan that way.
Honestly it sounds like you need to take a Midol.
"If they can't afford $101 dollars then they need to sell their house and move into assisted living. Or possibly a place with no grass. Mower has to be fixed. Or you can not cut the yard and look like the several animals yards that live on my block."

Richie F said:

Got my phone for free. Sign up and get a plan that way.
Honestly it sounds like you need to take a Midol.
"If they can't afford $101 dollars then they need to sell their house and move into assisted living. Or possibly a place with no grass. Mower has to be fixed. Or you can not cut the yard and look like the several animals yards that live on my block."

Click to expand...

Really? Who is giving out free cell phones and what is the address? Also sounds like your plan is free. You must work for a phone company or get a company cell. Good for you sir.


slomo

slomo said:

Really? Who is giving out free cell phones and what is the address? Also sounds like your plan is free. You must work for a phone company or get a company cell. Good for you sir.


slomo

Click to expand...

Verizon is one, T-Mobile is another.
Use Google it's your friend.
Mods I think this person is a troll.

cruzenmike said:

Up north for the weekend and my cousin's Craftsman LT1000 won't start without starting fluid. Had to spray fluid directly into the carb repeatedly for about a minute before it ran on its own. After it started running on its own it was surging really bad. If I pulled the choke about half way out it would smooth out and run without surging. The mower is quite old and desperately needs a tune-up which I plan to do, but as for he starting and running issues, what could the problem be? I am thinking that the carb might just need a rebuild but am lost. My cousin told me to just buy whatever parts it needs and get it back up and running so I just want to get an idea of what I will need.

Engine Info: 461707-0145-E3

Thank you.

Mike

Click to expand...

I have the exact same engine and problem.

I did all the obvious things to check and replaced gaskets and even got a $31 carb on ebay after rebuilding old one twice and all is still the same. I was thinking it was the governor too and a video online had it reversed. Turning governor counter-clockwise & tightening (someone mentioned it here on this thread too). A little adjusting on the gov and gov spring screw, and the idle screw on the carb got it back to close to normal and new. Still pops and surges a very little. I did notice air in the brand new fuel filter and tighten connections and is better, but I do see new bubbles occasionally and will replace the fairly new looking line from the gas tank to the filter if it fills with air again. The very last thing that has not been replaced is the Ignition Coil/Armature. Nothing left to replace on the machine after that. Right now it's running good enough but probably like you, you need it working perfect. Patience my friend. I've been working on this machine for months on the every wrong thing, or adjusting/replacing the wrong things or two things at once. Process of elimination and lot's of patience (setting governor pin/bolt counter clockwise) and setting any adjustable screw to Gov and Carb to the middle and tweaking after that got it to the shape it was before something wiggled loose. Scrubs WD40 trick also showed me there really was also a small air leak under carb. My thought on what originally happened was the governor slipped, and I messed up all settings after that, especially since I first adjusted it clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. Good luck! Mine finally is okay! I couldn't tell you the ONE thing that did it

Richie F said:

Verizon is one, T-Mobile is another.
Use Google it's your friend.
Mods I think this person is a troll.

Click to expand...

I called Verizon and T-Mobile. They do not and, never have offered, free cell phones and data plans. Calling BS on this one sir.

slomo

UPDATE::

Yesterday I finally got around to working on the old Craftsman mower. I went ahead and replaced all of the carb and intake gaskets, along with a replacement (aftermarket) carburetor. I did also do a static governor adjustment when I had the intake removed. When everything was put back together I went ahead and adjusted the idle speed and top no load rpm. I could not find any specific information on the recommended engine RPM, so I set it to 1800 idle and 3300 top no load. The mower idled just fine, but when I increased the throttle to full, I feel as if it is still surging a little bit, but definitely nowhere near as bad as it was. I am thinking that maybe the springs in the governor may be part of the problem. I know that these can get weak and go back over time, and being 20 years old with no other engine work being done, I know the governor to be original.

With no fuel or air leaks anywhere, would these springs be the last thing to look at replacing?

I had to buy a new bell crank for the opposed twin one time, that's what the governor link is hooked to, and there was an extra spring in the kit that said to install on the governor arm to the bell crank if high speed surging happens.

Scrubcadet10 said:

I had to buy a new bell crank for the opposed twin one time, that's what the governor link is hooked to, and there was an extra spring in the kit that said to install on the governor arm to the bell crank if high speed surging happens.

Click to expand...

I will have to look into this. Thank you for the advice.

here is the mentioned spring,