John Deere 14sb with Kawasaki run problem

[Dartman]

I posted this in the homeowner forum but haven't got any responses yet. I picked up this mower cheap ( 10 Bucks) and it will not run once I take it off choke. The choke was a froze up and was stuck on. I cleaned the carb as best I could, cleaned and lubed the choke linkage and I think it works freely now.
I had to replace the idle ? mixture screw in the carb and it doesn't seem to change anything when I adjust it. The previous one was snapped off clean but I was able to get it out.
The shop where I went to get the parts says the manuals are very spendy and take months to get there.
I think it needs a carb rebuild or something else is going on with it.
It's pretty beat and looks like their idea of maintenence was as long as it didn't fall off it was OK. But it still moves pretty well and it cuts just fine when I can keep it running on choke long enough to engage the blade.
It just seems to go way lean off choke and will run about 30 seconds then die. It also surges a lot under no load but the manual I was given claims that is normal because of the emmisions stuff. It's just the intructions manual for the newer version and has no repair info at all.
I would like to do this myself and save some money, the lawn shop says they'll tune it up for 75 bucks plus any extra parts. That is sposed to inlcude a carb rebuild.
Any ideas for this or is that a good deal and I should just let them hassle with it?
Its a fc150v-00 engine I'm pretty sure by the way.
Thanks, Terry!

[khouse]

don't waste your time on rebuilding your carb - buy a new one. Then clean the fuel tank and replace the fuel filter.

[Dartman]

Well thank's for letting me know, it did look pretty fragile. I did remove the tank and clean it out as best as I could, it was full of junk. Where is the filter? I saw what looked like a simple thing in the tank but no obvious filter anywheres, at least to me.
How much does one of those carbs run? I went to one of the sites another member recommended on another thread and the ones I saw there were pretty cheap, but thyis guy looks kinda complicated. So anyways I take it you figure the fuel system is done and if I find a good carb it should run ok?

[Richard Martin]

If the engine will only run with the choke on then the carb is still gummed up with varnish from the old gas evaporating. Either clean the carb out or replace it. I would find a new dealer. The manual for your engine should run about $15.00 and take about a week to get. I bought one. The fuel filter is usually inline. You would see it between the tank and the carb.

[John Gamba]

NEW CARB It's worth it.

[Dartman]

Hey thanks guys, this is the kind of thing I was hoping to find out in the other forum. How much is another carb typicaly?
Yeah I think they are more interested in repair work and sales of new equipment but I think they are the only ones close that handle John Deere mowers. For what I paid I think it would be worth it to throw on another carb. I had it off and cleaned it out as best I could but it still didn't work any different so it might be shot anyways.
I have a old Snapper commercial from 78 I bought and it has spoiled me for normal mowers, this thing looks like it could be about as good if I get it fixed up.
I paid 15 for the snapper because the idler for the drive was shot, cost 5 bucks for a new one :)
I also got 2 weed wackers just recently, a Shindaiwa t27, and a old Stihl fs85v or something like that. They both run pretty well and I also got the brushcutter blade for one of them for 120 for both. I think that was a good deal too. the shindaiwa is a tank.
Anyways I'll have to do some research now and see if I can dig up a carb without paying as much as a new mower.

[khouse]

go to
www.j-thomas.com and look up your carb.
Since your carb is trashed you should buy a new one.