Vanguard carb backorder saga continues.

[StarTech]

Ahhh, the Nikki would usually be the better carburetor. Now I didn't know Nikki made version like this; something new for me to remember.

But Briggs has been switching a lot their replacements to Ruixing carburetors or at the ones I have ordered in the last three years. I think is because is because Briggs now tangled up with the Chinese. I kinda base this on the fact that all the IPLs now have a Chinese version on the Power Portal. Ruixings are Chinese made carbs and the Nikki were usually made in Japan.

Now of course I replace very few carburetors as I repair most of them. I did have a Nikki style replacement carburetor (after market) that I had to modify last year to get the surging out of. A local shop had put it on to replace a surging at idle only Nikki but it surged even worst all the way through full throttle under load.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

The schools that I have gone to have been basically a waste of time for me. I usually ended up learning very little that I didn't know before I went to service schools. Usually because I have already been working on the machine for a couple years or more before going to training class.

Having to stock inventory can bite the repair shops in the backside too as we get stuck with parts that no longer moves as things change in our customer base. I still got a batch of electric starters from 2009. Fast moving items I usually keep extra stock just for the convenience of just placing restocking orders to meet the free ship levels. As for screws the last few years I have been buying them in bulk from supplier outside the equipment OEMs. I just can't justify paying $4 for a $0.50 screw. I just ordered the replacement screws for the MTD 710-0599 1/4-20X1/2 flange head screw that if I ordered them through MTD would be 1.99 ea. but though my source I got 50 for 0.16 ea. and I go through a lot of them. Now of course they probably cost more down under.

Bert this is basically what IL is looking at. I take it they are so poorly made that they had incorporate a kill switch in the fuel shut assembly just make sure the operator shuts the fuel flow off when they are not using the engine.

View attachment 59282

Like the big companies i have gone the "parts on demand" route. I stock my parts at various places around the country like Stens, jack's, E replacement, pro parts direct.
My customers know i don't stock a large inventory and i will need to order most any part they need except for things like filters, spark plugs, deck wheels and head gaskets. The shops with lots of parts are $100/hr and won't look at it for at least a week or 2. Now i have to motivate myself to go out to the shop and rebuild a 18.5 Briggs since the gasket kit came yesterday. Hard to do when it is 13 degrees. Will need to dig out the heater.

 

[ILENGINE]

@StarTech My first experience with Ruixing was on Southland tillers around 2012. And they were so cheap that they used unplated float valves. So the float valve would get a case of the crusty's so bad that you would break the valve trying to pull it out of the seat. after the customer owned the tiller for a couple months and MAT, the company that owned Southland would refuse warranty because they claimed it was a fuel problem.

First time I saw a Ruixing on a Briggs was at my 2012 update seminar when they were showing off a new engine. Which also just happens to be around the same time that Briggs starting using the single point fuel shutoff/kill switch setup.

 

[StarTech]

@StarTech My first experience with Ruixing was on Southland tillers around 2012. And they were so cheap that they used unplated float valves. So the float valve would get a case of the crusty's so bad that you would break the valve trying to pull it out of the seat. after the customer owned the tiller for a couple months and MAT, the company that owned Southland would refuse warranty because they claimed it was a fuel problem.

First time I saw a Ruixing on a Briggs was at my 2012 update seminar when they were showing off a new engine. Which also just happens to be around the same time that Briggs starting using the single point fuel shutoff/kill switch setup.

Honestly I haven't even seen this setup yet in the shop. Nor have I seen non plated float valves (brass ones are the exception) but had a few plated ones to corrode pretty bad and they are nearly impossible to remove so I can see it happening with unplated ones. I have also some of the smaller carburetor to have excess white oxidation in the fuel bowl area. Those I learn to use a little battery strength sulfuric acid to clean them. Many carburetors that corrosion is like a cancer leaving eaten out areas like termites were at work. Just have to remember to remove plastics when do it and soak only the area that need it and only as long as needed. That reminds me I better get another quart on hand.

And that just sounds about right on the warranty denials as I heard of many carburetor problems being blamed on the fuel under warranty. It sorta like everyone wants to blame all fuel related problems on ethanol when it can a storage problem. I even had one customer last season to I can't be having carburetor problem as I only use non ethanol fuel. Well water and trash was in both the tank and the carburetor. I later found he was using an open contain to store the fuel in. Ethanol can be cause but if stored in tightly sealed containers then it not a problem at least not here. I have been using it for years in all my equipment.

Now here lately I have been seeing what appears to be small jelly beans and jelly like substance in some carburetors. Still trying figure out what causing it.

 

[rustycat]

My backordered Vanguard carb from May of last year that had the original ETA of September 2, which then changed to November 25 which promptly changed to November 19 which was then missed and later changed to January 2 of this year, That date has now been missed and new ETA is July 2.
Starting to think I will never get the part to repair this engine on a leaf vacuum for the customer. May have to consider replacing this 3 year old engine with another brand to get it up and running again. Just to let people know that would advise to clean the carb better, be aware that the brass emulsion tube has been broken by the customer when they attempted to remove it for cleaning.

What's the part number? Have you tried Jack's small engines. They have a very large inventory of parts.

 

[ILENGINE]

Everybody wants to blame ethanol for carb problems. Ethanol isn't the issue it is the catalyst for water intrusion and the bacteria, mold particles that is contains. Most likely the jelly beans and jelly like substance is the mold similar to diesel "algae" I run 93 octane ethanol fuel in everything and don't have issues with water for the most part. Have issues with water intrusion in my chainsaws but not my fathers saws and they are stored 10 feet apart. Figure that one out.

 

[ILENGINE]

What's the part number? Have you tried Jack's small engines. They have a very large inventory of parts.

84004885 and Jacks shows in in stock in 2-10 business days. Which means they will be in the same waiting game I am. And Briggs with the single nationwide distributor company kind of eliminated anybody else having it in stock, because they will have to get the part from the same company I have it backordered with.

 

[rgrottk]

I had the same problem with a flywheeel B&S part but my part came last week now that B&S came off strike.

 

[StarTech]

Looks like Briggs is still in a lot hurt. Now Husqvarna is suing them. This might be old news to many us but it is something new for me to read about.

https://www.lawnandlandscape.com/article/husqvarna-sues-briggs-and-stratton/

Supposedly they came to an agreement.

https://news.cision.com/husqvarna-a...ent-to-resolve-engine-supply-in-2022,c3452036

 

[mechanic mark]

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/briggs-stratton/799722