Help with this repair.

[1MajorTom]

A friend of the family has a piece of junk tiller and they asked Matt if he would be able to repair it for them.
Matt, not knowing how to say NO, said sure, no problem.

Well now, he has run into a problem.

Here's the specifics. 3.5 Briggs, used one time, then sat for 3 years with fuel in it.
Installed new spark plug, cleaned carb, installed new diaphragm gasket. Still won't start. The only time it will run is when Matt force feeds gas thru the carb. It will run as long as you keep putting gas in it.
So he's assuming it is not getting gas from the tank to the carb.
Help if you can, if not the 60 year old guy is going to have to till his garden by hand. Matt can care less at this point.

[awm]

The carb is going to need a new thingamadigy
needle.Could need a whole new carb but probably not

[bob]

It's probably all gummed up. Tell the family friend that when he's done with the tiller, to put some fuel stabilizer in the tank and run it through the system.

[Yard]

Check the gas pick up tube. They tend to clog when left sitting. Good luck!

[klite]

I would take the carb off and soak it in fresh gas with fule stabilizer mixed in, for a couple days. then blow thourouhly dry reinstall (make sure you put fresh gas in the tank with stabilizer mixed in(I yse all year long in my equipment)).If that doesnt work replace the carb.

[Chopper Lover]

Hold your hand over the air intake and pull the cord hard a few times. Do you get gas on your hand? Probably not. Either their is blockage or you have an air leak.

First, take the carb off the gas tank and remove the little pick up tube from the bottom.

Second, shoot carb cleaner through it from both ends and shoot carb cleaner in any orifice you can find in the carb and see where it shoots out. This should blow out most any obstruction.

Third, put it back together and place it back on the tank making sure you get a proper seal at the gasket. Air leaks will not allow you to pull the gas up from the tank.

Forth, put some gas in it and do the hand test again.

It should start after that...

If that does not work try soaking it like mentioned in another post in this thread.

[Fantasy Lawns]

Not to seem silly ....but check the gas "shut off valve"

[thelawnguy]

What Yard said. Pull the pickup tube and replace.

[1MajorTom]

Quote: Not to seem silly ....but check the gas "shut off valve"

No fuel line, direct pick up from carb to tank.

Pick up tube is clean as a whistle. Carb clean as a whistle.
Any other suggestions?

[Mark]

Needel valve is not working in carb. If you can pour gas into the carb and it runs,your just bypassing the needel. Sure you got all that gum and varnish off? Id replace the valve. Marks Mowing Service....ps does that have a primer bulb? My billygoat did this onece and was vaperlocked.

[Chopper Lover]

Jodi...

Try removing the fuel needle from the side of the carb. Clean it really well and shoot carb cleaner into that hole also. Screw it back in snug then out 1 1/2 turns. Try to see if it will start then.

We still don't know if it is drawing the fuel up from the tank. What were the results of putting the palm of your hand over the carb throat and pulling the cord? If you did not get any gas on your hand you are not pulling gas. Everything may be clean, but there could be an air leak. Double check your carb / tank gasket seal. Maybe try "form-a-gasket".

Mark

[AVRECON]

If the carb is good, Are you getting fire? Is there a head gasket leak?

[1MajorTom]

Took needle valve out, no gum residue, nothing.
Everything seems clean.
Brand new tank gasket was replaced. No air leak.

Matt put his hand over carb. Not pulling gas.

Matt is really grouchy. Can someone come here and fix this for him, so I don't have to put up with him. :) :)
j/k

[Dave]

Been there done that,run you finger inside the top of the tank,if rusty dissasemble and throw tank out,if not remove carb from tank,dissasemble carb ,clean with carb clean.blow air down to clean the tube or tubes,crank engine over with carb off to make sure intake not froze.reasemble
guarenteed to run

[jaclawn]

There is a problem with those B&S engines with the carb "bowl" inside the tank. If you fill the tank full, you effectivly have no filtration going to the neddle valve. If the tank is half full, the system works as designed. It will pull fuel up throuh the pickup tube, and let it sit in the "bowl". If the tank is full of fuel, the fuel can enter the "bowl" without going through the pickup tube and strainer. This can wreac havoc, you just tok the carb apart and cleaned it, then as soon as you put it back together, it is full of junk again.

I don't think that the above is what is causing your troubles, but it is a problem with those engines. I have several in the fleet, and have to make sure that the fuel tanks are never filled past half way.