Small engine help needed

[John Larkin]

Briggs & Stratton 11hp rear engine Snapper rider. L-head. Used to start first or second pull and has run great since 1989. Two weeks ago it started cutting out under load. Now I can sometimes get it to start and idle but as soon as I put it in gear and go, it sputters to a stop. New plug, correct gap, has spark, fresh fuel, new fuel filter, new fuel line, took carb apart, cleaned and reset float and screw adjustments, set governor, set choke, removed gas cap to eliminate vapor lock. It gets plenty of gas at idle, I can see it spitting in the inlet. Runs the same with or without the air cleaner.

I am stumped and the leaves are starting to get the best of me. It has to go to the shop unless someone has a miracle I have not thought of yet. And I hate paying the shop.

 

[Rubicon 327]

I'm no Mechanic but...

Sometimes unless you can blow the carb out with air your not getting that little speck of crap that is blocking the passage ways in the carb........just be careful cause you can blow out the tiny little o ring that the float needle seals it's self against up/down in that tube......ask me how I know!:tongue: Some times it helps to pull a wire from a wire brush and poke it around in some of those tiny holes also, but usually just the air works for me.

My guess is you have some small speck of crap messing up the carb that usually compressed air will get rid of!

 

[ZNix]

Pull that carb apart again and take out the fuel nozzle. Clean that out. That could be it. If you already did that.. Ignore me.

 

[chopped39]

Clean out carb real good and also check gas tank. See if it has a screen at bottom of tank. They like getting clogged up also.

 

[John Larkin]

Removed it once more, blew everything hole out that I could find. Started it and it ran but still idled like crap. Got it to pull itself once then it died. It's like it needs a pump shot when load comes on and it can't get over the initial draw of power. However it is not spark or lack of fuel. I guess I will get a new carb and hope this fixes it. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[ZNix]

Did you take out the fuel nozzle and clean it? This sounds exactly like what happened to our generator. It was filled with goo. The nozzle should have a flat-head slot in it so you can unscrew it. Take a piece of wire and dig out the goo.

Zack

 

[John Larkin]

Yes, it is really clean. Thanks though.

 

[S10xGN]

Removed it once more, blew everything hole out that I could find. Started it and it ran but still idled like crap. Got it to pull itself once then it died. It's like it needs a pump shot when load comes on and it can't get over the initial draw of power. However it is not spark or lack of fuel. I guess I will get a new carb and hope this fixes it. Thanks for the suggestions!

Might be the governor linkage is bound up or has come loose...

 

[aminga]

What Russ says on the govenor. I have a John Deere Rider that has been a thorn in my side since I got it. The governor is a vacum tube from the crankcase to the carb. And it was thin, cracked a lot and did a lot of the things you're talking about, I replaced it with fuel injection hose of the right size. The other thing is to check and see if it has a solenoid to shut off the fuel in the carb. A lot of times these bind up and reduce the fuel available.

 

[aminga]

Before replacing the carb try a new diaphram in the carb.

 

[John Larkin]

Thanks everyone for sticking with me on this. The carb is a basic cast one, no diaphragm, just a needle and seat. The governor is driven from the oil slinger internally. It uses a steel rod to tug on the throttle lever. I wish there was a miracle cure. The good news is I am bidding on a carb on ebay now with one as backup if I don't get this one. Whatever happens it won't be due to a lack of trying. Thanks again!

 

[Black3]

Not familiar with that engine but is the governor linkage run off a plastic gear, internal?