Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

It's in decent condition, new rubber impeller, scraper bar and overall good shape. The guy I bought it from said it had been professionally serviced 2 years ago but had seen little use since then as he decided to hire a plow guy to do his average residential driveway. I could not get it to start after adding some fresh fuel that I brought with me so I offered him $ 40.00 and said OK. - he had it listed for $ 75.00 on CL. I'm pretty sure he left some old, unstabilized fuel in there and it turned into varnish.

I removed the top and back covers and dropped the fuel bowl. It looked like a bad batch of applesauce in there so I cleaned it out and shot the carb with carb cleaner and reinstalled the bowl. It fired up for a few seconds and then died. A good carb cleaning appears to be in order and I'm wondering if I can do this with the carb installed or is it easier/better to remove it from the engine (Suzuki 47P)? I've never removed a carb before but am mechanically inclined and would like to get this operational for next winter.

I remember Borat discussing a cleaning of the jets using wires to remove any build up inside that could cause fuel starvation. I have never done this so any suggestions or tips will be very much appreciated.

trouts2 wrote:

frank lm curious if your needle and float do the same as trouts?? read above

niper99 wrote:
Yes - the needle sits loosely inside the seat area. When I mentioned a "sweet spot", I took the needle and kind of rotated around while it was inside the seat. It seemed as though there was one spot that the needle sort of favored. Maybe it just seemed that way to me, but the funny part was that it got the carb working. I did not have time to mess with it last night so I cannot prove if this is relevant. It's starting to get a bit old at this point.

You could bring the machine here if you want.  I could go through the carb and try firing it up while you’re here.  If it’s still putzed up I’d dip it overnight.  I’m one mile and one turn off 495 exit 24A.  If you want to do that email me, trouts2@gmail.com. 

The needle should just fall into the needle hole from any 360 position above the hole.  The insert wall should be very clean like the carb on the right in post #92 and no crud or burs on the needle body.  It should not stick or catch in any way.  There should not be any sort of sweet spot for the needle as it’s all symmetrical in there.   

I'm going to try a bit more to get this resolved. Maybe another good cleaning in and around the seat will get her fixed. I'll replace the needle and seat if this does not work and will take you up on your offer trouts, if I still cannot get this running correctly. There has to be an obstruction in the seat area that's creating this problem. I'll try to get to it again in the next day or so and will advise.

    I'd get a strong light and magnifying glass peep into the needle area.  Taking a picture is easier if your camera can focus close.  On high res you can back away a bit and then blowup the image on the computer.  The area should be very clean. 

    In back of the seat you can only deal with poking and flushing.  

    Worse case bring the machine over and we'll take a look at "the carburetor that ate Cleveland". 

So, just a recap...  The unit runs, but still surges under no load ?

Are you sure the upper fixed jet is clear ?  (The one that screws down in on the top to the carb) ------  sorry, just have to ask...

Most people don't realize that the jet has a small metered hole on the bottom that intersects with the main hole that is drilled straight through....

It may be that some shop has replaced this metered jet  in the last 14 years with something they had "laying around" out of another carb.... (a smaller leaner jet)

....Or drill the hole out one size larger with a small wire gauge drill bit, going just  one size larger then what  will currently fit..

You may want to try as a option,  taking that jet  and file it out with a "torch tip cleaner",  making that jet larger for more fuel flow at low speed when the engine is surging..

You have spent a lot of time on this unit already, It is about time to try something new.....(we all like to work on stuff,  But I would kill myself if I spent 2 weeks of my life working on it with no results)

Good Luck,

Friiy

P.S. like these....http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=torch+tip+cleaner&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=12703130376543052729&sa=X&ei=rw2yTYfJAaTL0QHEoZWKCQ&ved=0CC0Q8wIwAA#

Well Frank....at this point l think its safe to say the float is GOOD...so this only leaves the needle and seat being an issuse.. with that said l would tear down the carb and soak it for at least 24hrs then your safe in that department...and REPALCE the needle and seat and hope for the best thats all u can do, either its gonna work or not and if not try and get a used carb thats in good shape..and maybe trouts can build u one (of course if he has one that will work) then ship it to u and that might save u a few bucks just thought.

anyways hope u get r running good luck!

OK, I can get it running without stalling but it is still surging. I can get it to run pretty smoothly if I gently pump the primer bulb. I tried to adjust the pilot screw (the one with the spring running through the center of it - p/n 50-2360) but that did not seem to do anything either way. I turned it all the way in, then backed it off about 2 - 2.5 turns but again, it did not make any difference. What to try next?

frank where u able to SOAK the carb?

well its diffently running lean....the adjustment screw is for the idle circuit which u need to adjust at an idle...will the engine idle at all?

does the engine surge at idle or full throttle?.....either way frank the carbs certianly sounds like its dirty still and will require a SOAK....although with soaking the carb it will require u removing the rubber SEAT and all plastics.

niper99 wrote:
niper: I did not soak the carb yet. The engine will idle but it still surges. I put the engine under load by engaging the impeller and it still surges. I think it would have stalled if I did not keep pressing the primer bulb. I'm kind of hoping that if I let it idle for a bit, it might just clear itself out (wishful thinking!).