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I was given an older Sears Craftsman Mulcher that would not start. I pulled the air filter off, shot a little carb cleaner into the carb and pulled the starter cord. The mower started right up and ran for a second on the carb cleaner. I put some fresh gas in the tank, pummped the bulb a few times and the gas flowed right thru the carb and out onto the mower deck. So I guess it has a stuck float needle that is allowing the gas to flow into and thru the carb without the float shutting it off. I pulled the carb off to clean it and removed the nut from the bottom of the bowl, but the bowl will not come off. I tried to pull it apart by hand but did not want to force it by prying or applying too much pressure. I can't get the bowl off to clean the stuck needle or to check the float.

I am seeking some help in repairing this carb.

Mower Numbers are:

Sears Model No.: 944.364330
Serial No.: 051704M006982

Briggs and Stratton Numbers: 123K02 0327-E1 040514

Should the bowl come off the main body of the carb?

The rubber bowl gasket is sticking the bowl to the carb body. You may need to lightly pry around the edge to free the bowl from the carb.

ILENGINE said:

The rubber bowl gasket is sticking the bowl to the carb body. You may need to lightly pry around the edge to free the bowl from the carb.

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I thought that might be the case but thought I better ask before I broke something. I will give it a try in the morning.

$12.75 for new carb on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carburetor-...89-/162050516532?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

BlazNT said:

$12.75 for new carb on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carburetor-...89-/162050516532?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

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Thank you for posting that. Unfortunately that supplier does not ship to Canada. I will check for others when I get a chance though, because if a new one costs that it is cheaper than a carb kit.

I did pry the bowl off the bottom of the carb. It did come apart with just a little encouragement. I found a lot of varnish. I have it all cleaned out and put back together. Probably won't get a chance to put it back on the mower till Monday. I will let you know if I get it running. I have reused all the gaskets, needle, etc. Want to see if it runs with this before investing anything in it but it is in good shape and I think I have a new blade that will fit it.

Berniebac said:

I did pry the bowl off the bottom of the carb. It did come apart with just a little encouragement. I found a lot of varnish. I have it all cleaned out and put back together. Probably won't get a chance to put it back on the mower till Monday. I will let you know if I get it running. I have reused all the gaskets, needle, etc. Want to see if it runs with this before investing anything in it but it is in good shape and I think I have a new blade that will fit it.

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Sorry I did not look to see where you are from. I should have but that early in the morning I make a few mistakes every now and again. I too would clean first.

Well I cleaned the carb out and did reassemble it tonight but it would not start. I think I have two problems. One, I still have a slow gas leak at the carb. It is leaking out onto the mower deck. Two, when I tore it down, the gasket for the primer bulb broke. I tried to seal it with a little gasket seal, but I don't feel any pressure at the primer bulb. So, I may have to order a new bulb and gasket. From what BlazNT posted I should probably just order a new carb from China and fix it that way. I did see a supplier that would ship one for $18 all in so that is likely cheaper than the primer bulb locally.

Tonight I did a compression test and it hit 75 psi on my tester. Followed up with a wet compression test and it hit about 82 psi. I would have thought it would have gone higher on the wet compression test.

I did start it with a shot of carb cleaner again tonight and it will continue to run if I continue putting a shot in the carb. Are the compression numbers high enough to make it worth refurbishing this mower. It will end up at my cottage so it doesn't have to be perfect.

I purchased a new carb for this mower and installed it today. I tried to start it after priming it and it would not start. So I put a little gas in the carb and it started first pull and ran pretty good. It will continue to run but when a I shut it off it will not start using the primer bulb. So I am guessing I need a new primer bulb.

I did remove the old primer bulb and cleaned it up, cleaned the port that runs thru to the carb and I cannot see any cracks or holes in the primer bulb. After cleaning I reinstalled it and tried to prime the engine but it will not pull any gas into the carb.

Will these bulbs fail with no visible cracks or holes?

The primer bulb is supposed to pressurize the float bowl, causing gas to come out the main jet into the carb throat. However, the air filter base can become warped and allow the pressure to leak out at the gasket between the air filter base and the carb. This problem can sometimes be fixed by putting two gaskets instead of one between the air filter base and carb, but in more severe cases I have to apply gasket maker around the gasket to seal it. Works good if you do it right and it's cheaper than buying whole new air filter base.

Also, your primer bulb is supposed to have a small hole right in the center, like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMALL-ENGIN...733978?hash=item35c913069a:g:ceUAAOSwf-VWVRN7

If your primer bulb has no hole, you probably have the wrong primer bulb for your engine. (I say probably because I've never seen one of these 190cc engines that required a no hole primer bulb.) The no hole primer bulbs are for the smaller (3-4.5 HP) Briggs engines.

I hope this post makes sense, if it doesn't I will try to clarify. :laughing:

primerbulb120 said:

The primer bulb is supposed to pressurize the float bowl, causing gas to come out the main jet into the carb throat. However, the air filter base can become warped and allow the pressure to leak out at the gasket between the air filter base and the carb. This problem can sometimes be fixed by putting two gaskets instead of one between the air filter base and carb, but in more severe cases I have to apply gasket maker around the gasket to seal it. Works good if you do it right and it's cheaper than buying whole new air filter base.

Also, your primer bulb is supposed to have a small hole right in the center, like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMALL-ENGIN...733978?hash=item35c913069a:g:ceUAAOSwf-VWVRN7

If your primer bulb has no hole, you probably have the wrong primer bulb for your engine. (I say probably because I've never seen one of these 190cc engines that required a no hole primer bulb.) The no hole primer bulbs are for the smaller (3-4.5 HP) Briggs engines.

I hope this post makes sense, if it doesn't I will try to clarify. :laughing:

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Thanks for posting this info. It helps a lot. I do have a hole in the middle of the primer bulb. I suspect you may have found the solution that I need. There is no pressure at all when you press on the primer bulb and it just seems like it is leaking somewhere. I think I will try the gasket maker solution to see if that helps.

Any advice on where to apply it. It looks like it would be easy to block the small port where the primer bulb is supposed to pull the fuel up from the bowl.

Thanks for posting this info. It helps a lot. I do have a hole in the middle of the primer bulb. I suspect you may have found the solution that I need.

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There is no pressure at all when you press on the primer bulb and it just seems like it is leaking somewhere.

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You won't feel any pressure even when the primer bulb is working correctly. There are only two ways I know of to test it:

1. Take off the air filter and look into the carb throat. Press the primer bulb and look for gas coming out of the main jet. If no gas comes out, you have an air leak.

2. Start the engine and press the primer bulb while the engine is running. The engine should miss and sputter each time you press the primer bulb. If it doesn't, you have an air leak.

I think I will try the gasket maker solution to see if that helps.

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Any advice on where to apply it. It looks like it would be easy to block the small port where the primer bulb is supposed to pull the fuel up from the bowl.

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The primer bulb doesn't pull fuel up from the float bowl. It forces air into the float bowl, which in turn pressurizes the float bowl and forces gas out the main jet into the carb throat.

Apply a bead of gasket maker all around the gasket between the air filter base and carb. The air leak is most likely toward the bottom of the gasket. If you take off the air filter base and look at the back of it, you will see where the air comes out of the primer bulb and goes down a small passage, then through a hole in the gasket and into a hole in the carb. The passage is supposed to be sealed by the gasket, but a warped base can let air leak out of the passage.

primerbulb120 said:

You won't feel any pressure even when the primer bulb is working correctly. There are only two ways I know of to test it:

1. Take off the air filter and look into the carb throat. Press the primer bulb and look for gas coming out of the main jet. If no gas comes out, you have an air leak.

2. Start the engine and press the primer bulb while the engine is running. The engine should miss and sputter each time you press the primer bulb. If it doesn't, you have an air leak.





The primer bulb doesn't pull fuel up from the float bowl. It forces air into the float bowl, which in turn pressurizes the float bowl and forces gas out the main jet into the carb throat.

Apply a bead of gasket maker all around the gasket between the air filter base and carb. The air leak is most likely toward the bottom of the gasket. If you take off the air filter base and look at the back of it, you will see where the air comes out of the primer bulb and goes down a small passage, then through a hole in the gasket and into a hole in the carb. The passage is supposed to be sealed by the gasket, but a warped base can let air leak out of the passage.

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Thanks once again for your help with this. I have applied a bead of gasket maker all around the air filter base. Will wait the recommended 24 hours before starting the mower so hopefully tomorrow night I should know if it worked.

If it doesn't work, post a picture of the air filter base and I'll show you where to apply it.

Well, the gasket maker did not work. I primed it with the primer bulb and it would not start. Took the air filter off and looked into the carb while pressing the bulb and no gas is being forced up into the carb. I had put the gasket maker all the way around the gasket so I think I had it sealed up pretty good. I think I will try a new primer bulb if I can get to a parts store in the next couple days and pick one up. It is a pretty cheap part so I might as well put one on.

Hey, for the record I use Aliexpress for most of my carb needs, usually free shipping to Canada. Where in NS are you, if you cant find any I have both the filter housing gasket and the primer bulbs in Cole Harbour. I find usually the priming problem to be the gasket, like said before, sometimes it can take two to make it seal.

primerbulb120 said:

If it doesn't work, post a picture of the air filter base and I'll show you where to apply it.

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Sorry primerbulb120 I skipped over this post without seeing it. I have the base glued on with the gasket maker and I don't think I will tear it off now to take a pic cause I would have to clean off the all that gasket maker. I am afraid that may screw up my new gasket and result in a poor seal when I put it back on. So I think I will try the new bulb first and take it from there. Thanks for all your help so far, I will post my results to keep you posted.

Vervepipes said:

Hey, for the record I use Aliexpress for most of my carb needs, usually free shipping to Canada. Where in NS are you, if you cant find any I have both the filter housing gasket and the primer bulbs in Cole Harbour. I find usually the priming problem to be the gasket, like said before, sometimes it can take two to make it seal.

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Hi Vervepipes I am in Cole Harbour as well. I would like to get a primer bulb from you if we could arrange a time to meet.

Berniebac said:

Sorry primerbulb120 I skipped over this post without seeing it. I have the base glued on with the gasket maker and I don't think I will tear it off now to take a pic cause I would have to clean off the all that gasket maker. I am afraid that may screw up my new gasket and result in a poor seal when I put it back on. So I think I will try the new bulb first and take it from there. Thanks for all your help so far, I will post my results to keep you posted.

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I don't think you'll mess up the gasket by tearing it off. Don't know what gasket maker you used, but I used Permatex Grey and it's easy to clean off.

You could get a picture of the junction between the air filter base and carb without taking anything apart.