# Snow blower carb problems



## Tictac (Oct 23, 2013)

I am trying to get an old "Snow Charger" snow blower running. I believe it was built by Gilson and has an 8HP Briggs & Stratton. The following is what I've done so far:

-Soaked the carb and blew it out
-Cleaned gas tank
-New gas
-New fuel lines, filter and tap
-New plug

*The Problem: *It usually starts OK, but won't keep running any longer than 10-15 seconds. When it starts, it will rev up as I open the choke gradually; then it starts to cough as the choke is about half-way open. If I close it again it may run for an extra few seconds. I can't seem to find a choke position that will keep it running any longer. It won't run long enough to try any carb adjustments.

After it stops, the plug is very sooty, indicating richness. I've tried turning IN both mixture and main jets to prevent the rich running. That didn't seem to help. I've also left the gas cap off to make sure it was getting air. Does anyone have any other suggestions?


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## Ray 1962 10ML60 (Oct 14, 2011)

You may need to do more than just soak and blow out the carb. You may need to really get in there break it down, clear all the passages out with fine wire to make sure they are truly clear and rebuild it with a carb kit...new needle, seat, gaskets, etc.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

off the cuff....(dont know what engine you have) did you pry out the welch plugs in the carb? especially the one on the side of the carb? if you soaked it did you remove the rubber seat the float needle valve sits on inside the carb body, that would swell up like a tick with solvent. needles valves smooth and not bent, no grooves worn in? carb to manifold and manifold to block gaskets sealed well?


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

A simple test, loosen or remove the nut on the bottom of the carb and turn the fuel on and see if you get enough flow.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

may have a bad float or needle /seat causing the engine to flood. check to make sure the float doesn't have gas in it.


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## flybooey (Nov 11, 2013)

CarlB said:


> may have a bad float or needle /seat causing the engine to flood. check to make sure the float doesn't have gas in it.


This occurred on my old two stroke dirt bikes. They just started to degrade and seemed to either have leaks at the seam or almost became porous.


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## Tictac (Oct 23, 2013)

I had to take off a layer of thick paint to read the engine numbers and they are MODEL 190401, TYPE 1001-01, CODE 7905251. There was adequate gas flow into the carb and the manifold gasket was fine. The float was also OK. To cover the other possibilities, I will get a carb kit this week and I'll post back the results. Thanks for all the help so far.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

That carb is relatively easy to rebuild howerver in the below link, your carb should be similar, number 113--- MUST--- be taken out before separating the upper and lower carb bodies otherwise the brass 113 will be destroyed. possible damage to carb body as well.

https://www.partstree.com/parts/?lc=briggs_and_stratton&mn=190401-1004-99&dn=58480003G


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

td5771 said:


> That carb is relatively easy to rebuild howerver in the below link, your carb should be similar, number 113--- MUST--- be taken out before separating the upper and lower carb bodies otherwise the brass 113 will be destroyed. possible damage to carb body as well.
> 
> https://www.partstree.com/parts/?lc=briggs_and_stratton&mn=190401-1004-99&dn=58480003G


Briggs Flo-jet 2 piece carburetors are somewhat prone to leaking fuel and this can cause the engine to run real rich. The 1st and most common point is the float valve and the second area is the base of the emulsion tube where it goes into the center of the carburetor. You can buy a small teflon washer used to seal threaded compression gas fittings on briggs and Stratton engines. Place the teflon washer at the base of the emulsion jet and place up into the carburetor making sure to thread it in so it snugly seals. Another thing you can do is get some yellow teflon gas tape and place a tiny amount down right above and at the base of the emulsion tube where it enters the carburetor.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

That teflon washer is a great tip. I will have to remember that one. Especially on some of the older Carbs that have some corrosion.


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## Piedmont (Nov 13, 2013)

I had a similar situation. I don't know if your engine has the same thing, but it ended up being a plugged up tiny hole at the tip of a piece in my carb and I had to take a tiny wire and clean it out. Happened with 2 of my snow blowers. You can watch which part I had to clean by watching this video from donyboy73. Blowing, soaking, etc. isn't going to clean that little hole if it's gunked. After doing what he did what a world of difference afterward ran like brand new. 

That little hole typically gets clogged/gummed when leaving gas over the summer in the machine. Here's the video, your carb if not the one shown likely has something very similar somewhere. Video below.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Piedmont said:


> I had a similar situation. I don't know if your engine has the same thing, but it ended up being a plugged up tiny hole at the tip of a piece in my carb and I had to take a tiny wire and clean it out. Happened with 2 of my snow blowers. You can watch which part I had to clean by watching this video from donyboy73. Blowing, soaking, etc. isn't going to clean that little hole if it's gunked. After doing what he did what a world of difference afterward ran like brand new.
> 
> That little hole typically gets clogged/gummed when leaving gas over the summer in the machine. Here's the video, your carb if not the one shown likely has something very similar somewhere. Video below.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT0STIPg4I8


 His video's are very good and he shows everything step by step. I watched several of his video's over the past couple years


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## Tictac (Oct 23, 2013)

I received the wrong carb kit (394698 instead of 394693). So I'll exchange it next week and try again.

About using a bit of teflon tape on the emulsion tube... I'm assuming this is the long tube that goes up into the carb on an angle. It has a short threaded section, another short section that is thicker, and a long thin section. It seems to bottom out where the long thin section starts. Is that where the teflon tape or washer should go?


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## Tictac (Oct 23, 2013)

Wouldn't you know it... just got 18" of snow last night and I can't get out of the driveway to pick up the snowblower carb parts in order to fix the snowblower so I can get out the driveway, etc, etc.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Tictac said:


> I received the wrong carb kit (394698 instead of 394693). So I'll exchange it next week and try again.
> 
> About using a bit of teflon tape on the emulsion tube... I'm assuming this is the long tube that goes up into the carb on an angle. It has a short threaded section, another short section that is thicker, and a long thin section. It seems to bottom out where the long thin section starts. Is that where the teflon tape or washer should go?


You place a small thin layer of teflon tape right over the beveled area on the emulsion tube just up the thin part slightly which goes into the throat of the carb. When putting in the emulsion tube you will see just a small amount of the teflon tape showing right were it comes out into the carburetor throat. Make sure not to cover any small holes that are in the emulsion tube. This way the teflon tape compresses and stops any gasoline from leaking by un metered into the intake of the engine.


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## Tictac (Oct 23, 2013)

OK, I got the carb kit installed and teflon on the tube. After adjusting the carb a bit, it runs fine now.

I have 2 remaining problems with the snowblower. The auger turns too slow and reverse gear won't engage. I will look under neath later this week and start a new thread if I can't resolve those issues.

Thank you for the helpful suggestions on getting the engine going.


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## Tictac (Oct 23, 2013)

This machine uses a friction plate for traction. The rubber tire that moves laterally on the friction plate did not move freely. I lubed the shafts that it slides on, and now all the gears work perfectly. For the auger spinning slowly, I replaced the belt and tightened up the idler spring (which was stretched).

When I went to check out my repairs I cannot get it started at all. When cranking, it won't fire and no gas gets to the plug. It won't even fire with starting fluid. With the choke closed, gas dribbles out of the air intake. I'm wondering if tipping it up on its front end could have affected anything.

Before the above repairs it started and ran fine, but the plug was a bit sooty. Any thoughts???


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Tictac said:


> OK, I got the carb kit installed and teflon on the tube. After adjusting the carb a bit, it runs fine now.
> 
> I have 2 remaining problems with the snowblower. The auger turns too slow and reverse gear won't engage. I will look under neath later this week and start a new thread if I can't resolve those issues.
> 
> Thank you for the helpful suggestions on getting the engine going.


No problem. I learned this trick a long time ago when I help with maintanence for a lawn cutting and landscaping service. the 2 piece Briggs updraft carburetors have a tendency to leak at the base of the emulsion tube and this is a nice inexpensive way to fix a leaky carburetor. Good to hear that it is working. I wish my 8hp briggs on my 1973 Montgomery Ward 8/26 wasn't in need of new valve guides and maybe new rings. I wanted a classic machine and the reason it wasn't being used was that the engine was simply worn out and the gas tank rusted out on it. 
As to the auger check the belt ensioner and the reverse check out the friction wheel and the adjustments either the wheel may be worn out rubber cracked or broken off or not making good enough contact with the drive platter and slipping. Sometime cleaning it off real good with Brake cleaner can help because grease or oil can get on the drive plate and cause it to slip.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Tictac said:


> This machine uses a friction plate for traction. The rubber tire that moves laterally on the friction plate did not move freely. I lubed the shafts that it slides on, and now all the gears work perfectly. For the auger spinning slowly, I replaced the belt and tightened up the idler spring (which was stretched).
> 
> When I went to check out my repairs I cannot get it started at all. When cranking, it won't fire and no gas gets to the plug. It won't even fire with starting fluid. With the choke closed, gas dribbles out of the air intake. I'm wondering if tipping it up on its front end could have affected anything.
> 
> Before the above repairs it started and ran fine, but the plug was a bit sooty. Any thoughts???


Usually if the carburetor is leaking when you are not running the engine is that the float needle valve is not shutting off the fuel. The float bowel overfills and the excess gasoline runs down the small opening from the front of the carburetor to the opening right by the choke plate. Clean the needle seat with a small amount of brasso on a q-tip and check the rubber tip on the float needle. If the rubber tip is bad you will need a new float needle and usually they sell the float needle and seat togather how ever in carburetor kits they often have just the float needle. Ajust the level of the float so that it is horizontal to the top of the carburetor when hel upside down. Reasemble and check to see if the leak has stopped. good luck I needed to put a new float seat in mine since I could not stop the leak with adjusting it.


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