Won't Run-1998 craftsman model 917.272761 with a Tecumseh twin cylinder OV691EA-600826C engine.

[jag66]

1998 craftsman model 917.272761 with a Tecumseh twin cylinder OV691EA-600826C engine. carbs have plastic bowl on them.
been sitting outside for a few years. neighbor and I trying to get it running. Starts with a squirt of starter fluid but won't run after that.
Pulled the bowls off, there was some gas in them but cannt say they were full. Pulled the anti kickback solenoids off and confirmed pins retracted when power applied. Confirmed o-rings inside solenoid seat ok. Removed fuel lines from both carbs and cranked engine, quit a bit of fuel pumped out.
Exception to above running note, a few times neighbor put his palms over carb throats when I turned the key(starting fluid used) and he was able to "feather" his palms and keep the engine running for @ 20 secs. Then oil/fuel mixture came out of the breather tube and gas tank was empty(fresh fuel). refilled gas tank after that, could not repeat the starting with hands over carb throats. Took a break and found gas tank empty when we came back after 15+ minutes.

 

[bertsmobile1]

So the float valves are not shutting off the fuel
Check the oil level you will then know where all that fuel went
Either clean & rebuild the original carbs or replace them .
Instructions are here outdoor power info

 

[jag66]

We know the fuel went into the sump, we checked that right away, you could smell fuel on the dipstick. Oil was changed.
Why doesn't the engine run after burning the starter fluid we spray, into the carbs? I thought maybe the anti kickback pins were not retracting once installed back in the float bowls, they were plugged back into their wires in the wiring harness. I forgot to say that when the engine ran for a few seconds due to starter fluid being used, that fuel squirted out of a (pressure relief?) hole in the fuel pump. So my neighbor suggested putting a small machine screw in the hole to prevent that from happening. Could this cause the diaphragm in the pump to blow out so fuel goes into the sump that way without the engine even running?
Can the anti kickback pins be clipped with wire cutters in order to "disable" the anti kickback feature and just install a fuel cutoff switch?
Thanks for the carb rebuild link.

 

[Rivets]

These plastic carbs are not as easy to clean and rebuild as the metal carbs. Reassembling them properly can be a real chore. Second if you rebuild the carb, with a new nozzle and gasket, You must make sure you get the correct one. There are two available and look the same, except for the color of the nozzle. Reseating the nozzle can get tricky, I add a drop of light lube to the O-ring, make sure it’s seated properly. Here is the repair manual Bert was talking about. https://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Te...RVICE--REPAIR-MANUAL-V-TWIN-ENGINE-696325.pdf