Briggs 137202 carb hole not tapped

[snapz007]

Replacing the carb on my B/S 137202 (tiller), and I've run into an issue. At the back end of the carburetor, there's a small hole - the mounting hole for the idle spring bracket (see photo). On the old carb, that hole was tapped for a small screw. On the replacement carb (actually, two replacement carbs so far), that hole has not been tapped at all (as far as I can tell). Am I good to just go after that hole with a tap and cut it to fit the existing fastener, or is there some other way I should be handling this? (Preferably short of rejecting a SECOND carburetor, shipping it back, and hunting a THIRD source for the blasted thing.)

Photos:
Old carburetor - idle spring bracket screw circled in red


Replacement carb - untapped hole circled in red

 

[Scrubcadet10]

the proper way would be to buy the correct tap and tap the hole... however (some fruit may get thrown at me here), i replaced the engine on my personal pushmower with a short block a few years ago and the small holes the intake manifold screws went in were not tapped... so i got a can of WD-40 and the manifold screws, and slowly cut the threads into the block with the manifold screws. started with my hand nut driver, then choked up on my handle of my 1/4 drive ratchet . used it just like a tap, back and forth, back and forth, spray some. slow and steady won the race. WD40 was used liberally.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Tap away to your hearts content
Carbs are designed to fit dozens of different applications but to cut cost, holes are only tapped where necessary

 

[Laabk2]

If I remember right, the screws are a self tapping type with a tapered end. You just have to be careful not to break it off.

 

[snapz007]

Thanks for the help, all. Idle spring bracket mounted. Now I just have to go get a new fastener for the throttle linkage - it's cut for the wrong size, the bolt from the old carb is NFT........ and my tap set only has coarse-thread taps. Sighhhhhhhh. All told, this $15 carburetor's only gonna end up costing me about $300 in lost time. LOL

 

[slomo]

Chinese carb alert, again. Sometimes saving money is not saving money.

slomo