Tractor won't start

[bertsmobile1]

Cleaned all the orifices in the old carb with wire and carb cleaner. Sprayed dry and installed back on the tractor. Tractor won't even turn over.

I bought the new carb at a stand alone mower shop.

Mowing with a small hand mower reeks!

Again, I appreciate all your help.

If by "turning over" you mean rotate, that had nothing to do with the carb.
Try popping it back on and give the engine a little whiff of starter fluid or a dash of fuel down the carb throat to help it get going without draining the battery.
Because of the auto compression release, a mower that is turning over too slow will not start as all of the fuel escapes during decompression.

 

[Kinker]

I sprayed starting fluid in the carb and it started for about 2 seconds. The fuel filter now looks completely empty. I removed the fuel line coming from the tank & no fuel comes out. Unscrewing the fuel cap changes nothing. I'm thinking might be sediment in the tank that is causing a clog?

 

[bertsmobile1]

me think you think right.
take the cap off then blow back up the pipe
If fuel starts to flow you are not out of the woods, just in a clearing.
The only way to solve the problem is off with the tank and lots of washing.
It is a very common problem.

 

[Kinker]

The fuel line was almost fused together coming out of the fuel tank and replacing the fuel line fixed it. My guess is it was caused by ethanol gas gumming up the line. Thank you so much, bertsmobile1, for taking the time to help me figure this out! :thumbsup: I've attached some pictures

 

[bertsmobile1]

Thanks for the update.
Get some good quality fuel line fro a mower shop.
There is a lot of trash out there.
Ethanol can cause the lines to soften but mostly it is trash solvents that get added to fuel because modern fuel injected cars can burn anything.

Bad news is you probably have some sticky rubber goo in your carb so you might need to give it another tub.
Carb cleaner will also soften a lot of rubber blends which is why you fully dissasemble a carb before spraying cleaner through them.

Glad to have been of help.
When I am looking for information I find long posts where 1 problem was addressed at a time to be the most helpful.
Now get some tum & go mow.