Willing to bet that the float seat has swelled up changing, lowering, the level of fuel in the carb bowl. Simple fix, need to clean and rebuild carb with kit number 631021B. If you need instructions post back with the numbers off the engine and I will tell you how I rebuild these carbs all sommer long. Have already done a half dozen this year and we still have snow on the ground.
I’m at work right now and will post back with the engine numbers.
As for the rebuild kit, can I safely order the one you listed? Are the carbs the same for all Tecumseh mowers?
Would it be worthwhile just replacing the carb?
#4
Fish
Hard to say without knowing what you have. But the carb is likely full of crud, and needs a good cleaning.
Post you engine's numbers. Might be able to just pull off the bowl nut, let some crud dribble out, and clean the orifices in the nut.
And re-assemble...
Actually last spring I dropped the bowl, cleaned it out, and sprayed carb cleaner underneath. I did this because I forgot to drain the fuel for storage.
Anyways it still started but just not on the first pull. It’s been like that for at least 5 years now.
Ok, mower model number is 944.369450 and engine number is 143.996006.
So would I just need the “kit” you suggested?
What about o rings “632547”? I saw a guy replace two of those in some kind of tube that he popped out of a carb. It was from the emulsion tube. They are 4 bucks each.
Your mower has a Tecumseh model TVS120-66018C. Probably has a carb number 632742, which uses the kit I posted. Here is a manual which might help you out or if you need more instructions ask. https://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Te...P-4-CYCLE-L-HEAD-FLAT-HEAD-ENGINES-692509.pdf
Fish has you going in another route, but I’ll bet you will end up rebuilding the carb in the end. You can see by his signature he is much smarter than I am. Just look at the certifications he has, I can’t top that.
If you google “cross reference Craftsman to Tecumseh “ you can get a chart to identify the engine. I wouldn’t worry about the o-rings. Here are detailed instructions on how I rebuild carbs.
[FONT="][FONT="]Needle and seat replacement.[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="][/FONT]
[/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="]Remove the carb, and then remove the float bowl. Check the float bowl jet (which is the bowl screw) and make sure the jets both horizontal and vertical are clean and open. Tip the carb upside down and remove the float pin and float with needle attached. Look in the float needle passage and you should see the red float seat at the bottom of the passage. This is where a #5 crotchet hook would come in handy as you need to remove this seat. If you have no hook, but compressed air, you can blow through the fuel inlet and try to pop the seat out. Put your thumb over the passage to prevent the seat from flying who knows where. No air or hook try bending a stiff paper clip to dig the seat out.[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="][/FONT]
[/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="]I would either give the carb a good 24 hour soaking or have it ultrasonically cleaned at this time.[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="][/FONT]
[/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="]With the seat out clean the passage way with carb cleaner. Now you must find a drill bit slightly smaller than the passage way, to be used to press in the new seat. Apply a very, very small amount of a very light lube to the new seat. 3-1 oil or lighter, to help seat it better. Carefully insert the new seat in the passage way with the rings on the seat down toward the carb body. Slowly and carefully force the seat down with the back end of the drill bit. Once it is seated, check to see that it did not flip and the rings are up. Next check to make sure that the float does not have any liquid in it. If it does, replace. If everything looks correct, attach the new needle to the float and install with the float pin centered. It everything is correct, the float should seat level to the carb body, when looking at it upside down. If everything looks good reattach the float bowl, making sure that both the bowl gasket and the nut gasket seal properly. Reinstall on the engine and test unit. Remember to have patience and take your time. Good luck, but I don't think you'll need it.[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="][/FONT]
[/FONT] [FONT="][FONT="]PS: On the side of some Tecumseh carbs you will find a plastic cover. Under this cover will be an idle jet. Remove it and check to see that the jet is open both horizontally and vertically. You should be able to push the old float needle wire through the vertical opening.[/FONT][/FONT]
Thanks for the info!
I actually have the Tecumseh carb tool. I’ll use that for the procedure.
As for the emulsion tube, the mower is about 20 years old. Other than oil changes and a quick carb clean, and new air filters everything is original. I just figured if I have it all part I would just replace the tube and o rings.
Can’t really remember the last time I replaced the O-rings or tube. If you feel it might help, go ahead, but make sure they get up in square and tight. The tube is the main jet.
Got my carb kit today. I went with 632760b which has the orings, Welch plugs, etc. gonna do the whole thing, if not just for the learning.
You mention ultrasonic cleaning. I’m gonna buy a small cleaner. After the disassembly can I submerge the carb with the primer bulb still attached? I just replaced it last year and don’t want to replace it.
Just don’t want to damage anything via ultrasonic.
For your info, the parts guy said,the same thing you did (float seat swelling) as the most likely culprit.
Well that is because the seat swelling is the most common cause of those carbs flooding.
Ultra sound will not damage the primer unless it is perished.
What will make a difference is the solution you use,
A gentle solution like dishwasher detergent should be fine
Liquid laundry detergent works better but you need to rinse with a slightly acid solution ( a little bit of vinegar ) to prevent staining.
It must be done cold, because hot water will cause the primer to come loose and then you have to dry it properly, good luck on that one.
Never had a problem putting a carb with a primer in the cleaner, just make sure the temp is medium. I like to put all metal parts in, bowl, jets, bowl jet, even mounting bolts. I use simple green as my cleaning agent.
I used ABOUT a 1/10 ratio, although to be honest I’ve never really measured it. Only problem that I’ve seen is when I use a very hot solution and too long of a bath, aluminum carbs turn black. Not a big deal unless you are a looks guy.
FWIW I use a substantially weaker solution but it is really trial & error.
My parts wholesalers both do ultrasonic cleaning solutions however both are too corrosive for my liking.
If I dont rip them out the instant the machine stopped aluminium & zinc parts get a dark hydroxil coating which is difficult to remove and looks bad.
It forms an all expose surfaces including all the internal passageways which is a bugger on cube carbs.
I have an attention span slightly longer than a goldfish in a bowl so generally will have a dozen things happening at once.
So the experiment with the cleaner started till I found some thing that suits me & the way I work.
We are about to convert a laundry tub into an ultrasonic tank that will run with kerrosene for really greasy parts.
For small parts I found a tea infuser was the bee knees so I have several in different sizes
As I said in my procedure your can give a good 24 hour soak or ultrasonic cleaner. Either will work. If you have new welch plugs, I would remove old ones, clean carb and install the new ones. The service manual should show you how to do this.
Definitely pull the welch plugs and clean the passages behind them! It's far too trivial a process not to . . . And for Ultrasonic, I'd break the carb down as far as possible before running it.
Any thoughts of just buying an Oregon carb off amazon for 37 bucks? Add up 12 for the carb kit, and 30 for a carb soak, or 80 for an ultrasonic cleaner AST cheaper to just put a new carb.
But, more satisfaction fix g it yourself.
I’ve watched a lot of donnyboy’s (small engine repair guy) you tube videos. He has one on replacing Welch plugs it looks pretty easy.
I just figure I have them so why not? Same with the emulsion o rings idle screw o ring.
In 40+ years, I have not found a single carb on which a kit and a can of $5.99 cleaner and a few wire scraps to run orifices was not enough. Myself, unless it has been smashed with a hammer, I feel the original will always be the best option . . .
Ok so..... snowblower and mower carbs were stripped down, soaked in berrymans cleaner, and ultrasonic cleaned.
Blower was rebuilt with a carb kit and I’m happy to report it’s as good as new.
However..... the when reassembling the mower carb, I snapped the emulsion tube. While awaiting Tecumseh parts I ordered a cheapo amazon carb.
It arrived to day and I installed it. The mower now starts, BUT it now runs for about 10 seconds and quits.
Pretty disappointed as I traded one problem for another.
Just wondering what the problem could be? Bad carb from eBay?
I’d also like to point out during disassembly I discovered the intake pipe was broken and just being held on by screws. A new one is on order but I figured I’d try to piece it together.
Could the cracked intake pipe be the culprit now?
I’m almost 6 hours into this now, plus parts and I’m very close to just buying a New mower and just use trufuel or aspen fuel to prevent future problems.
Any hole that air can get in after the main jet has atomised the correct amount of air for the air that has passed over it will of course make the engine run lean.
At start up the mix is very often very rich to aid easy starting so for a minute or so it will be normal then the leaking air will lean out the engine and it will run bad or not at all.
If it is cracked it is not sealed.
Not familiar with that engine but the alloy or plastic Briggs ones can be welded or gooed ( JB weld etc ) with some success although an form of goop will only be temporary.
The B & S ones crack all the time, plus come loose at the engine end strip the threads etc and suck air.
Some engines had obviously been doing it for years by the state of the intake.
Alright, just to update this for all those who helped, and also future people with similar issues....
Today I received the new intake pipe. 10 bucks from eBay and it’s oem. I’m happy to report that the mower starts up just fine and keeps on going!
So in the end it was basically a carb clean/rebuild, and new intake pipe that I didn’t know was cracked.
But, I noticed that when I tip the mower on its side (to instal the carb) that oil seeps from where the filler tube enters the engine. I took the shroud, etc all apart and gave everything a good cleaning. The filler tube are off with the shroud. Did I maybe lose a gasket or something, or will oil leak from this area when tipped on its side?
I’ve drained oil in the past and dont remember oil seepage.
Without checking the parts diagram.
There is generally an O ring on the tube or a gasket at the face.
The O ring is a service replacement part
The asket require the tube to be pushed down when tightening the retaining bolt .Usually there is a slot in there for adjustment.
Just checked the manual. There is in fact an o ring. I don’t recall one popping out but I know for a fact I did not “push down “ on the assembly while reinstalling. I’ll loosen the bolts and push down before tightening. Hopefully the tube is simply not seated deep enough into the o ring.
Problem solved. When I took the shroud thing off I assumed that the dip stick tube was attached with it. I didn’t realize there was a separate bolt, (and adjustment slot) for the tip tube.
I guess when I reinstalled the assembly I pushed the o ring (kinda weird flat o ring ) off kilter and it was on a diagonal.
I reseated everything, and put some weight on the tube for the tightening.
No oil seepage. Mower starts, and runs as fine as she did 21 years ago!
This site is awesome. Thanks for all the help!
Now I don’t need to buy a brand new beautiful recycler, lol
.. :laughing:..:laughing: