Working on a Dixie Chopper Iron Eagle 2344. Had to replace the governor. It had been setting about a year. Got the governor fixed, went to start it. Would not start sprayed carb cleaner in it and got it started but was only running on no. 1 cylinder. Found it was only running on the half the carb. feeding the no. one cylinder. So I think boy I hate to pull the carb. on this thing. Got to thinking it is Nikki two-barrel carb. what if I pull the top plate off it and clean the ports for there. So that is what I did. Took a really small drill bit that would go through the office in the main jets and another smaller one that would go through the idle orifices. Put it back together. Started it up and it ran like it should. Who would have thunked it. Just hope it keeps running like it should.
StarTech
Lawn Royalty
If you regularly work equipment doing something shouldn't be a coin toss; its just part of the job. Anything that sitting a year will have any number problems. I am going a couple personal mowers and the Yard Machines has been sitting a couple year so I know the carb will need cleaning. But I to clean up all the pulleys. Then I if I can the problem with a Kawasaki twin that I like to put on the Ariens 60" ZTR.
But I want try my new aluminum welder. It is a new type of welding for me to learn during the off season. Plenty of scrape to learn on. I really like to get my 8' ramps repaired and add some re-enforcements to them.
But I want try my new aluminum welder. It is a new type of welding for me to learn during the off season. Plenty of scrape to learn on. I really like to get my 8' ramps repaired and add some re-enforcements to them.
Auto Doc's
Lawn Addict
Hello H.,
I would say you took a wise approach to avoiding removing the fuel bowl. People often forget about the top plate access on these dual throat Nikki carburetors.
If you do have to pull the carburetor off later and open the bowl, make sure you have a good rebuild seal kit. These carburetors don't tolerate being opened up, cleaned and then put back together using the old seals. Nikki are good carburetors if you understand them. The original ones are worth rebuilding, if possible, instead of buying a cheap clone carburetor.
Also, it may also help you to look for some stuff called Mechanic in a Bottle and add a little of it to the fuel. That stuff works wonders by slowly dissolving old fuel residue in the carburetor bowl, emulsion tubes and jets.
You did good. What you did saves lots of time and no need in removing the carb, then the bowl and no kit required.
From Nikki dual throat hands on experience,
Quite often when a Nikki dual throat is running rough I can remove the 3 screw top plate and use about 25 lbs air pressure from a nozzle and blow air into the ports jet area. Keep the air nozzle backed off (do not direct inject air)and use eye protection because the air will blow gas back up out of the bowl towards your face. The air and fuel access for the idle jets are in this area. Some of the ports in this area are smaller than a tag wire and air pressure will quite often backflush from the fuel in the bowl and get a good run without removing the carb. Most generally with care I can re-use the same top plate gasket but if not it's easy to make.
First time I seen the one cylinder only run on a Briggs twin Intek and a dual throat Nikki due to the carb was really a surprise. I had done a leak down, ignition test and all indicated good except for fuel????? I found out that I could give the dead cylinder throat on the Nikki a shot of fuel in the carb throat and the dead cylinder would hit for awhile. The 2 barrels on the carb are isolated from each other for each cylinder. (one barrel was not delivering fuel)
I've suggested to guys that they try FIRST what you found, but most generally they do not listen and go the worse route and replace the carb with the cheap clone and it gets worse, because they throwed their better rebuildable OEM Nikki in the trash can.
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Auto Doc's
Lawn Addict
A splash of good old trusty isopropyl rubbing alcohol in the tank works wonders to break up a little water in the fuel tank. The higher percentage on the bottle label the better it works.
Isopropyl alcohol is a highly refined petrol-based product unlike Ethanol alcohol which is a refined plant-based product. (People often mix up the two types)
It is also best to keep the fuel tank full when it left sitting for long periods. This prevents humidity "sweat" from condensing and turning to droplets of water inside the fuel tank.
I learned this living down here in South TX because the temperature and humidity changes can swing pretty wildly from one day to the next.
Isopropyl alcohol is a highly refined petrol-based product unlike Ethanol alcohol which is a refined plant-based product. (People often mix up the two types)
It is also best to keep the fuel tank full when it left sitting for long periods. This prevents humidity "sweat" from condensing and turning to droplets of water inside the fuel tank.
I learned this living down here in South TX because the temperature and humidity changes can swing pretty wildly from one day to the next.
No water in the fuel been running a good part of the summer with a different engine on it. Put the original engine back on it after fixing the governor after sitting for about a year. Ran great with the other engine. Going to put that engine on another mower, Hope to have four or five Zero turns to sell come spring. I don't sell junk.
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