LT1000 throwing out gas near air filter.... yet more problems!

[craftsmannc]

Over the past week I've been working on fixing the brake on my LT1000. I've only been adjusting the brake and haven't touched anything else since I last tried to use it.

I tried to start the mower this morning and it wouldn't kick so I charged the battery today and when I just came home to try it she fired up. I was happy! But then I noticed gas spewing out of the engine and I could obviously smell it. I cut the engine and when I lifted the hood there was fuel everywhere, with most of it around the air filter.

There has been a stronger smell of gas for in the garage the past few days but at the weekend I picked up a new gas string trimmer, gas blower and a new can of gas, so I put it down to having all four things in the garage fully topped up.

Any ideas what could have gone wrong with my LT1000 this time?!

The mower is model 917 272673 and the engine is a Briggs 17hp 42A707

 

[EngineMan]

I would say take the carb off and give it a good clean check the needle valve is seating right.

 

[craftsmannc]

I've just stripped the carb down - how do I tell if the needle valve is sitting right? The float is moving fine and needle valve looks clear, but I'm not sure what else to check on the needle valve?

 

[shiftsuper175607]

I would have checked the fuel line, filter and all connections to the carb first.

Anyone of those could be cracked and leaking.

Did you actually look and see if you could tell where the gas was coming from?

 

[craftsmannc]

I saw the air filter was wet on one side and presumed from that it wouldn't be a fuel line problem, but I was probably too quick to take everything off. As you look at the engine from the front the left side definitely has more fuel spillage, but it has covered a big area so hard to tell exactly where. I just took off this gas line (there was no clamp on the end of it) and it's showing a few small cracks. Could this degradation cause a lot of fuel to fly out?

 

[EngineMan]

Yes but not out of the air filter, replace it and see.