# Briggs and Stratton question



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Not a snowblower engine, but I'm hoping somebody can give me some direction here.

I just picked up an older Jari sickle mower yesterday that has a Briggs and Stratton 5hp horizontal shaft engine on it. Since I just got it, I haven't really had the chance to look at the engine hard other than to get the numbers off of it and get a manual online from B&S. Numbers are Model 130202 Type 4015 01 Code 89111327 

It's been sitting with gas in it for gosh only knows how long, stinks to the high heavens, and there is rust in the tank that needs to be treated, if possible. But this thing has foam in the gas tank and looking at the manual I got online from Briggs and Stratton, it says not to remove the foam from the tank

Can somebody tell me what that foam is for, and what happens to it if you take it out? Can it be put back in or does it blow up bigger than a house if you remove it? I've never seen this sort of thing in the gas tank of any of the small engines I've worked on.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

Had foam in a Briggs tank. I believe it acts as a baffle to prevent fuel from sloshing around. I removed it with a pair of pliers. Tore it a bit coming out and never put it back in. Have not had a yproblems with the engine.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Thanks. I wanted to check with folks who have seen this stuff before I went doing something I ought not do.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

it is the same size as the tank, if you can get it out in one piece you should be able to reuse it if you want


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I have never had an engine with it in there, but I have read about a lot of people having it. Most just yank it out and dispose of it. I have heard complaints that as it ages it starts to rot and break down and then you get little pieces of sponge clogging your carb up.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Yes, that's exactly what I found in the bottom of the tank this afternoon. Working on this thing has made me realize again that even though Briggs and Stratton makes good engines, I really don't like working on them. I think the fact that it's not easy to drain gas out of these big metal tanks is the primary reason that so many of them I've seen have bad gas in them.

After getting past those phillips screws that hold the carb to the tank, which always seem to resist being removed, especially the hardest of the bunch to get at.

The PO had left at least half a tank of gas in this thing, and it was ripe. As I poured it out, chunks of various sizes of what had been the bottom half of that foam started coming out of the tank. The rust isn't necessarily that bad, so I'm going to give it a shot of CLR to see how it cleans up. Since I don't really want to invest a lot on this engine, CLR will be an easy way to start.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

its harsh on the nose and skin but I have had a good deal of success using muriatic acid on the inside of tanks. it eats through rust. let it sit for a day or 2 rinse it well with water afterwards.

ps very very harsh. a good nose full and you will burn airways and prob pass out. be careful


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Yep, I've used that too. Not the sort of thing you want to do often.

I've used the product Kreem on motorcycle tanks, and on one Briggs and Stratton before. Expensive stuff, and I don't think this one is worth the cost.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

I have heard about it as well. it seals it afterwards right? what does it run?


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

It comes in a kit that includes the three steps to apply. There's a bottle of the stuff to clean and etch the tank, then a neutralizer to stop the etching process, and finally the liner. The kits run right at $50.00 around here.


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