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I have a craftsman push mower with a 5.5 Honda engine and it wouldn't start so I put on a brand new carb and dumped the gas and put on new fuel lines. Still won't start but it will run a few seconds if I spray start fluid in carb. Its like the gas isn't getting into the engine? Any ideas? I put on a new plug and loosened the carb bowl screw and it has gas so I'm at a loss.

Is the fuel gravity fed from tank to carb, pickup tube/line, other? Is fuel even making it at all to the carb?

first thing we'll need are the engine numbers (model, serial)
(so we know exactly what were looking at in order to solve your problem faster)

engine check:
1.spark plug condition (dry or wet)
2. is there a good draw on intake stroke

carb check:
1. main jet (plugged or restricted)
2. gasket/gaskets sucking air
3. float sticking
4. choke working properly
5. electric fuel solenoid working correctly ( if equipped )


some possible fuel issues:
1. bad gas
2. air filter dirty
3 debris in tank
4. fuel filter (plugged or restricted)
5. fuel line (plugged or restricted)
6. shut off valve working correctly (if equipped)

Craftsman mod. 917.378501 ser. 081103M 017329 I put In a new spark plug, new fuel and lines and cleaned the old carb BEFORE I bought the new carb and installed it but I used the old gaskets. Can that cause it not to deliver gas to the engine? Maybe it is sucking air like suggested. I will buy some gaskets and try that. The spark plug looks dry after several pulls trying to start and like I said, it will fire right up with a squirt of starting fluid.

Banjomaniac

Re-using old gaskets can be hit or miss, If everything else is new except the gaskets it seems like a good place to check.

If the old gaskets are still on, get the mower running with a few squirts of carb cleaner, etc and while running spray carb cleaner around the gasket. If it changes pitch, rpm, etc, you have a leak.

It won't start at all and only run a couple seconds with starting fluid.

are you trying to start it with air filter on or off?

need the numbers off the engine also

banjomaniac said:

It won't start at all and only run a couple seconds with starting fluid.

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check that your choke is working correctly.

Choke is working fine. There is a plastic spacer between carb and engine that I'm also replacing tomorrow. Maybe it will run then. I will update.

Banjomaniac

Are you saying that once it starts, with air cleaner removed, it won't stay running with spraying again and again as it begins to die?

After replacing all of the gaskets it still wouldn't start so I pulled the carburetor and took it a part the bowl looked dirty so I pulled the main jet and it was stuck after a while of working with that I got it out and it was completely corroded and this was supposed to be a brand new carburetor! I got all the holes opened up put it back together and it fired right up I will be contacting the company I ordered the carburetor through. Thanks for the help and lessoned learned, never assume because its NEW!

Banjomaniac

congrats on solving your problem:thumbsup:

(ya just never know sometimes):thumbdown:

I ordered that carb through Sears Parts online and have used them a lot. Doesn't mean they're bad but I got a bad carb. From now on I will probably check the carb first to see it is indeed clean.

Banjomaniac

from the looks of those parts
I'm wondering if that carb wasn't recycled.
if it is a remanufactured carb Sears needs to state that fact in their sales ads, (cannot be sold as new)
or if sears is being told the carbs are new then Sears needs to get ahold of that supplier and straighten it out :2cents:

Goodness. I'd be having a good old fashion come-apart on that deal. I've seen them sit outdoors for years and not look like that. Looks like corrosion from a chemical.

logan01 said:

Goodness. I'd be having a good old fashion come-apart on that deal. I've seen them sit outdoors for years and not look like that. Looks like corrosion from a chemical.

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that's what I'm thinking also (like its been soaked in some type of carb cleaner)

I sprayed gumout in it and had to use an allen wrench to get the main jet to move and then it still took a good 15 minutes of tapping with a screw driver handle to get it out. I knew it was bad after I removed the main jet screw on bottom and when I tapped it to get it out all these tiny white pieces started falling out.

Banjomaniac

what type of container it come in?
perhaps someone was able to pull the ol' switcharoo on it.

banjomaniac said:

I sprayed gumout in it and had to use an allen wrench to get the main jet to move and then it still took a good 15 minutes of tapping with a screw driver handle to get it out. I knew it was bad after I removed the main jet screw on bottom and when I tapped it to get it out all these tiny white pieces started falling out.

Banjomaniac

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Someone bought a new carb...put their old one in the box and returned it. No one ever looked inside the box, it was reshelved, and then it was resold to lucky you.

Only explanation that seems possible to me.

Glad you got it running.

shiftsuper175607 said:

Someone bought a new carb...put their old one in the box and returned it. No one ever looked inside the box, it was reshelved, and then it was resold to lucky you.

Only explanation that seems possible to me.

Glad you got it running.

Click to expand...

Sure looks that way.