Need some help w/Briggs engine...

[Stangracer]

Hey guys just wanted to let you all know what happened today with the mower...

I removed the carb again and, thank goodness, the brass jets were all still there... I gave it another good cleaning and also drained the fuel and replaced it with fresh gas. I made sure I cleaned the needle and seat and blew everything out again with compressed air making sure I didn't launch any of the jets...

I put everything back together and it started on the first pull... I got the grass mowed and it didn't skip a beat...

thanks very much for all of your help!!!

 

[edward beday]

I have a Craftsman M230 push mower with a 7.25 hp OHV Briggs engine... I allowed my neighbor to use the mower this past Saturday and he ran it down to almost empty. I filled it up with gas and began cutting my grass on Sunday... after a couple of rows, about 10 minutes, I noticed the engine was missing and then died. If I let it sit for a couple of minutes it would start back up, start missing and die. I let it sit for about 30 minutes while doing other outdoor chores and came back to it but this time it would not start at all... I believed it was simply trash in the carburetor but did not have time on Sunday to mess with it further.

Today I pulled the carb off and cleaned it up with some carb cleaner. It has a plastic carburetor and from what I can gather from my limited research are famous for being finicky with the slightest bit of trash... I pulled carb today, took it apart and pried the plastic cartridge out of the carb. I shot carb cleaner through all of the passages blew everything out with compressed air.

I put the carb back on and now it will not start at all... I pulled the plug and the plug is wet with fuel.

Unfortunately, I can't pull the starter rope and see the plug at the same time to see if it is getting any fire.

Any ideas or advice will be GREATLY appreciated as my grass is growing FAST!!!

I would be suspicious of the gasoline, either it is old or not gasoline but diesel fuel or kerosene.