FatJack
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- Joined
- May 7, 2021
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- 8
Hi Gang, Hoping somebody might have run across this problem: My Craftsman tractor has a Briggs & Stratton "Platinum" 540 cc, 21 hp engine. It runs great with a full tank, but stalls out as the fuel level approaches 1/2. I thought it was a fuel line or filter issue, so replaced filters and replaced lines and didn't help. This problem is two seasons old now, just filling the tank is an ok work around, but thought I might try to fix it this summer.
I'm thinking it might be a dirty carb issue, but not sure why the 1/2 tank vs full tank would matter, unless a full tank supplies more pressure to push fuel through??? Not sure if that is even possible.
Before I spend the time take apart the mower to get to the carburetor, I was hoping someone could confirm that it is likely a carburetor problem. If it is, should I replace carb or just clean it? (10 years old tractor).
Adding my "solved" post here for convenience:
UPDATE: Hi All, thank you for all of the input. Yesterday I swapped out the paper filter for one of those red plastic filters (yes, the same one that Steve's video says is worthless) and now the engine runs great right down to empty. I also made a slight change in the fuel line path by bypassing the little plastic harness that hangs off the bottom of the fuel tank. That harness keeps the fuel line from flopping around but also makes the first few inches totally flat instead of a nice downhill feed down to the carb. I believe the original filter was the red plastic type and I changed it out for the "good" kind a few seasons ago because that is what Sear Parts Direct gave me as a compatible filter. I changed it out a 2nd time when this problem came up last year, so a dirty filter was not the issue. I suspect that the paper filter is just too fine unless you have a fuel pump to force the fuel through.
I'm thinking it might be a dirty carb issue, but not sure why the 1/2 tank vs full tank would matter, unless a full tank supplies more pressure to push fuel through??? Not sure if that is even possible.
Before I spend the time take apart the mower to get to the carburetor, I was hoping someone could confirm that it is likely a carburetor problem. If it is, should I replace carb or just clean it? (10 years old tractor).
Adding my "solved" post here for convenience:
UPDATE: Hi All, thank you for all of the input. Yesterday I swapped out the paper filter for one of those red plastic filters (yes, the same one that Steve's video says is worthless) and now the engine runs great right down to empty. I also made a slight change in the fuel line path by bypassing the little plastic harness that hangs off the bottom of the fuel tank. That harness keeps the fuel line from flopping around but also makes the first few inches totally flat instead of a nice downhill feed down to the carb. I believe the original filter was the red plastic type and I changed it out for the "good" kind a few seasons ago because that is what Sear Parts Direct gave me as a compatible filter. I changed it out a 2nd time when this problem came up last year, so a dirty filter was not the issue. I suspect that the paper filter is just too fine unless you have a fuel pump to force the fuel through.
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