Small engine Repair Questions

[jimmyfloyd]

Well, I have finally decided to learn a little about small engine repair, and have a couple projects started.

I have already done a decent tune up on my push mower, and that having gone well, I have decided to tackle two other projects, but have some questions.

The first is a 30" show blower that I got from my father that was not running. I changed the spark plug, new gas, adjusted the idle screw and was able to get it running again, although it doesn’t seem to have any power. When I push the handle for the auger, it dies out every time. Not quite sure what is causing this, but I am guessing I am going to have to start with rebuilding the carb. The engine is an only Tecumseh HS40-55552J motor. Haven’t found a lot on this specific model, but found some close ones. The Snowblower is a Snapper, and appears to be all original and probably 15-25 years old.

Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what could cause this before I start that? Also, where is a good place (online, or Binghamton, NY) to get replacement gaskets and such for them?

The second project is for my father. It’s an old ariens riding lawn mower. Looks very similar to this one:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]16253[/ATTACH]

This one was running, given to my brother, he used it once and it died on him and would not restart (he has this effect on mechanical items) I went over and looked at it, and the electric starter works, and it seems like it wants to start, but seems to be lacking either gas or spark. When I puller the muffler off, you can feel it pushing and sucking air from there, which I assume is normal cause of the cylinder compression, but would this mean that it isn’t getting air through the carb? Is this again going to be a carb rebuild/replacement, or is there something else I can check.

I am just starting (As of last night) to learn this, as I figure it will be good to know in the future, plus now I don’t have to take them to someone to fix for me. Any help, suggestions, and places to get parts is welcomed. I am pretty sure all my equipment have Tecumseh engines on them right now.

[Fry]

Generally, any small engine that’s been sitting a long time and won’t run usually has a gummed up carb. Gasoline varnishes pretty quickly.

You need 3 things for an engine to run: Fuel, spark, and compression. Worry about compression last because it’s the least likely problem. Pull the spark plug, shove it into the plug wire, and hold it (by the boot) 1/16" from the block and crank it over. You should see spark jumping. If not you’ve got no spark.

Then crank it for a bit with the plug out and look into the spark plug hole with a flash light. Is it wet? Does it smell like gas? If not then you’ve got no gas.

If you’ve got both then you might have a compression issue. Leaky intake/exhaust valves or a cracked piston or something. You might just need to tear the head off and clean carbon off the valves.

Yes, the exhaust should be huffing and puffing. It shouldn’t suck too much though.

Remember the 4 strokes of a 4-stroke motor?

1. Intake valve open, piston moves down sucking in air/fuel.
2. Intake valve closes, piston moves up compressing the air fuel mix.
3. Spark plug sparks, igniting and expanding the air/fuel mix pushing the piston down.
4. Exhaust valve opens, piston moves up pushing the burnt air/fuel mix out.
   Return to step 1.

[BDR5oh]

do yourself a favor … rebuild both carbs …

the snowblower is a choke spring issue …

but 99.99999999% of small engine issues are CARB related

[Carbonfiberhooded]

A lot of the time it’s just something stupid like a diaphragm or bad seal. I have fixed sooo many lawnmowers with like $5 worth of parts.

Many times the intake manifolds are plastic and crack in half. Check that too. You usually have to disassemble a lot, but that’s half the fun!

[Pauly]

Why dont people drain the float bowl on yard equipt at the end of a season???.
Its sooooo much easier than going thru a whole carb in the spring

[jimmyfloyd]

Hrm… looks like I might either be rebuilding the carb, or just getting a new one on the snow blower. It’s a Snapper 4220 BTW.

And this is what I found when I pulled off the float bowl:

And where it should be. I removed a ton of crap from there that was all lodged between the float and the center part where the needle jets are.

So right now I am looking at a carb rebuild kit #31840, which appears to be the correct one for my carb. I also need to get a new gasket to go between the intake and carb, and on the other end of the intake tube when I remove it (It’s cast, not plastic) I also plan to replace the gas lines while I am at it, since they probably have caked up gas in them, and they look old. For this, can I just use regular fuel line that I would find at Autozone, or is it special line? Also, should I reuse the fuel shutoff piece and clean it, or try and find a new one?

Thanks for the help so far.

Geoff

[Pauly]

Get that carb soaked and replace the needle/seat it will run like new. gas line are nothing special autozone fuel line is fine

[jimmyfloyd]

Assuming I should just soak the carb in carb cleaner, or is there something else I should be using? I have the rebuild kit coming, and it’s a Tecumseh one, not an aftermarket. Probably won’t get to work on it til tuesday though, as I will be busy tomorrow and monday.

[KuntryQuestTSi]

I’m not reading all the reply’s.
I see clean the carb.
Clean every jet, and make sure the curcit itself is clean to
and the needle and seat. you may have to play with the float bowl hight.

[jimmyfloyd]

Yeah, I plan to do that.

Here is the other mower. This one will have to get worked on after I get the snow blower running.

[jimmyfloyd]

Ok, looked at the snapper rider a little bit last night. Was in work clothes, so I couldn’t do much. I attempted to take the float bowl nut off and was met by a lot of gas coming out, so I know the bowl is getting gas, but it still didn’t start. Checked with my brother and he said he checked spark plug for spark and replaced it. Looking at the plug after trying to start it, it was not wet at all.

On a side note, the junkyard here just put this EXACT mower in their small engine section. Going to see about buying at least the motor for a spare, if not the whole thing.

[Fry]

lol no shit you’re not getting any gas.

This is where you go “FML” and then pull the carb, totally disassemble it, soak everything in a tin full of kerosene, and spend a night with a toothbrush and a couple of beers degunking everything.

[jimmyfloyd]

@Fry

lol no shit you’re not getting any gas.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk241/jimmyfloyd182/projects/Snapper_4220_Snowblower/100_6806.jpg

This is where you go “FML” and then pull the carb, totally disassemble it, soak everything in a tin full of kerosene, and spend a night with a toothbrush and a couple of beers degunking everything.

That’s the plan for that one right now. Once I saw that, i basically stopped until I can get some kerosene and the rebuild kit.

I picked up a new carb for the other one off the exact same mower in the junkyard. They wanted $300 for the whole mower and $100 for the whole engine. Since it was only a 6 hp, I figured that if I was going to spend that much, I might as well find a larger motor. Carb was $15, which isn’t bad, as I can clean this one up and get it ready to swap.

[Hass]

Instead of popping up a new thread… I’ll just hijack this one. (actually, i wasnt even going to ask here until i saw this thread!)

I have a John Deere 170 with a 14hp Kawasaki motor.

Motor starts instantly, but as soon as I unchoke it, it will die.
If I leave the choke running, it will stay running for a while.
Sometimes for a long time, sometimes for about 10 seconds.
sometimes it will nearly die, then continue running, then die in another minute. (all this while choked)
As soon as you unchoke it, it will die.

Any hints? I’m retarded all small engines.
I’m honestly thinking it’s a load of either bad gas, or it doesn’t like the ethanol added (this is a 1990 motor). I’ve already siphoned off the gas and am going grab a can of gas from kwik fill after work tomorrow and try that. Only reason I suspect that, is because I put the same gas in my fathers pressure washer and now that dies after a minute of run time as well -.-

[jimmyfloyd]

Well, just to update this, I got it running without completely rebuilding the carb. Replaced the float bown nut with a new one, sprayed the carb all down with B12 Chemtool, in and out, replaced all the fuel lines, cleaned the tank with the B12, and then tried running it a couple times. Used the B12 in the carb to get it running since it wasn’t pulling gas initially, and that got it running. Doesn’t like to run with the choke on, and dies on low idle, but I am ok with that at the moment.

This is what it sounds like now. Any advice on getting it better, feel free:

As for the above person, try the B12 Chemtool from advance auto. It comes in a spray and a pour bottle. the pour I think can be put in the gas. The spray cleaned up that nasty carb of mine posted above.