Carburetor - I'm not giving up on that lawn tractor after all (pics inside)

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Now I get it! I took your words the other way: they had my exact problem. The "didn't use my engine for the carburetor section they sued a similar one" comment I took as a very dry joke. My brain is weird. Bummer, thought you were home free on the cause.

I've never had a rubber needle tip on any of my engines, but the orange does look like it. Lets you be much more aggressive on the cleaning.

[theholycow]

I would think I need to be less aggressive so I don't destroy the rubber.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Good point. I meant the seat. Might be out of luck on the needle if a solvent doesn't do the trick.

[theholycow]

My carb runneth over!

I checked the float, it floats great and doesn't bubble, nor does it get any liquid inside it. I replaced the needle and seat. All put together with the bowl off, I don't even have to push the float all the way up for it to stop gas flowing through. Still the gas quickly overflows the bowl if I put it all back together.

What could be wrong? I was so happy to think I would get it finished tonight, now I can see that's not the case.

Wait, maybe there's supposed to be a washer between the solenoid and bowl...hmm...

[theholycow]

Oh, and the solenoid seems ok. I guess I'll manually power it and see if it pulls in, but it definitely is springy, by default it's out and if I push it in it comes back out. I don't know how far it should come out.

[theclencher]

Was there supposed to be a washer under the new seat?

Is the float level set properly?

Here's how I do it: hold carb upside down and level, and sight across the float. It should be level too. If it isn't, the tang that engages the needle must be bent slightly until the float does sit level.

Here's how I check the needle and seat operation: I hold the carb upside down and blow into the fuel inlet by mouth. No air should get through. Still applying air pressure, I lift the float. Air should go through. Simple.

[theholycow]

I'm pretty sure no washer belongs under the seat. There was none under the old one and the parts diagram from Briggs & Stratton doesn't have it.

The float, including the tang, is plastic. There's no bending it to adjust it.

If I had the solenoid plugged in backwards, could that have somehow caused it to overflow? I went out and put it back together again, and it seems to be behaving now. The only thing I did differently was check the polarity and make sure the solenoid was operating as expected.

Now it's blowing a puff of smoke when it gets loaded when I let up the clutch and take off in 6th gear. It's running rough with the blades engaged and smoking moderately.

[GasSavers_Erik]

White (oil) smoke or black (gas) smoke?

Are you sure the choke valve is completely open?

I have forgotten- did you already change the engine oil?

Could you take a pic of the carb that shows how the solenoid is attached to it? Usually the solenoid just blocks fuel flow through the jet when you turn it off- I have never known them to have anything to do with the float level- but I'm no expert.

One last thought- I assume you have already checked the air cleaner to make sure it isn't plugged up.

[theholycow]

Well, advice on another forum suggested that the crankcase breather needed attention. I had ghetto-rigged the breather hose to a catch can instead of the intake where it belongs. I put it back to the intake and now it runs smooth, but smokes under load.

I think the smoke is grey now.

I did not change the oil today. I figured I'd see about getting it running right before I do that again. I wasted so much oil changing it repeatedly last year.

[GasSavers_Erik]

Some of the smoke may clear up after you change the oil as it may still be diluted from the past severe flooding. Thin oil can slip past the rings more easily.