Gasoline Motor Trouble - need advise

[bennybmn]

Does gas drip out of the carb when it's not running? Sounds like my mower... Even tho I basically pressure washed the carb inside and out with carb cleaner, I think the float/needle is still sicking sometimes. And if it sticks open, the gas drips out when it's stopped.

[CLETUS]

Does gas drip out of the carb when it's not running? Sounds like my mower... Even tho I basically pressure washed the carb inside and out with carb cleaner, I think the float/needle is still sicking sometimes. And if it sticks open, the gas drips out when it's stopped.

Tap it with the handle of a screwdriver. If you don't want to tear it apart, you may get lucky running a can of seafoam through the gas.

[bennybmn]

Actually that's what I did after it stalled. So I did it again when I put it away
I considered installing a shutoff in the gas line, but I don't want the carb drying out and varnishing up every time it sits either.

[jteneyck]

Does gas drip out of the carb when it's not running? Sounds like my mower... Even tho I basically pressure washed the carb inside and out with carb cleaner, I think the float/needle is still sicking sometimes. And if it sticks open, the gas drips out when it's stopped.

No, neither the OE carb. nor the brand new one I put on it.  Fuel isn't the problem.  

I took the motor to a B&S shop a week ago; now I'm waiting for them to get to it.  I called them after 3 days to ask when they would get to it.  They told me they have a 10 day backlog.  So I called another shop - at least 2 weeks.  I should stop woodworking and open a small engine repair shop.  You don't have to look for customers and you always have work.  

John

[Snipe Hunter]

  you always have work.  

John

in the summer months. Winter too if you get regular snow.

[TDKPE]

Winter too if you get regular snow.

Lewiston gets almost as much snow on average as we do in Rochester, and my snowblower probably runs more than my mower.  More frequently, for sure, and maybe more total hours.

[jteneyck]

By good fortune of geography Lewiston doesn't get all that much snow; about 40" a year on average.  Buffalo averages 100".  Not sure about Rochester, but I would think it's in between.  Lots of people think Buffalo is the snow capital of the US.  It isn't, although they can get some monster storms if Lake Erie hasn't frozen and the wind blows just right.  But 25 miles North in Lewiston it's often green when Buffalo is getting buried.  Of course, if the wind happens to blow from the NE, off Lake Ontario, Lewiston gets hammered.  Fortunately, that only happens once every 10 years or so.  

Despite the low snowfall in Lewiston you see lots of pickup trucks with plows on them in the Winter months.  I'm sure the small engine repair guys stay busy, too, though Summer must be much busier. 

For anyone that thinks 40" of snow is still too much, you should come here in the Summer.  Buffalo/Lewiston has never reached 100°, we don't get hurricanes and almost never tornadoes (although 2 happened yesterday just S. of Buffalo), we have two of the great lakes in our backyard with the best fresh water fishing in the world, lots of museums, food festivals and music, and we have a huge choice in restaurants as evidenced by the ample size of many folks who live here.  I'll even throw in a tour of my shop if you visit.  How can you resist?

John

[TDKPE]

By good fortune of geography Lewiston doesn't get all that much snow; about 40" a year on average.  Buffalo averages 100".  Not sure about Rochester, but I would think it's in between.  Lots of people think Buffalo is the snow capital of the US.  

Rochester gets about 100" per year on average, about the same as Buffalo.  Syracuse, on the other hand, gets about 120" per year.  I had a kid in college in each of those two towns, and neither one likes snow.  
  The area just off the east end of Lake Ontario, I believe, gets a lot more, probably due in large part to lake effect.  


Check out the Golden Snowball Award web site.  http://goldensnowball.com/ (slide down a little to the table of snow depths)

I do know that University at Buffalo in Amherst doesn't get nearly as much snow as the south campus, right in the city, so what you said about being directly in the line of fire for lake effect is probably spot on.

[jteneyck]

I used to do work in Watertown on a regular basis, year round.  I know all about the Golden Snowball award, having experienced several white knuckle drives to and from.  The place E. of Lake Ontario you mentioned is Tug Hill.  Sandy Creek and Livonia, in particular, are the towns I remember as sometimes getting over 250". 

Back to the motor, does anyone know how to cross reference an older B&S motor to a new one with the same HP, shaft size, and bolt hole pattern? I'm about ready to buy a new motor if I can find one that fits.

John

[jteneyck]

The small engine shop called today, finally  They said the spark was good, but couldn't figure out the source of the problem other than to say they thought it was the carb.  So I went and picked it up and put it back on the chipper/shredder, set the carb at 1.5 turns open on both screws, and pulled the cord.  It started on the first pull and ran perfect for at least 5 minutes, so I shut it off and drug it back to the mulch pile.  It started right back up and I ran 3 or 4 branches through it and then it started going South again just like before.  When it does that closing the chock partially helps, temporarily, as does opening the main carb screw, but it never really steadies out again or makes good power. 

My conclusion is it's sucking air somewhere.  There must be a seal that leaks or a crack that opens up when it gets hot.  So far, however, I haven't been able to find it. 

John