Vintage Horticultural and Garden Machinery Club

Hello Kevin,
There are a few things that could cause your problem, it would be helpful if you could post the Model, Type and Code numbers for the engine then we can look up the correct manual for your engine and can hopefully give you better advice.

Ray.

Hi Robert,
It looks like you’ve got the briggs flo-jet carb on there.
I had very similar problems with my briggs engined Trusty.
The flo-jet is a good carb when it is all new and shiny, but they become very temperamental when they are a bit worn.
I suggest you strip the carb, check the float height, it should sit parallel with the top, and then treat it to new needles etc. The kits are available from the US on a certain auction site for not too much money.
Also, check the fuel flow to the carb, may be a bit of a blockage somewhere.

Hope this helps,

Joe

That carb is officially known as the Two Piece Flow Jet and came in three sizes.
Even when new and unmolested they could be a B****** and fuel pooling in the throat is quite common.
On my Landmaster cultivator more than one pull on choke is asking for trouble!
If you Google Briggs Two Piece ….etc there’s a lot of useful stuff but beware of uninformed diy Youtube stuff!!

These could be useful
http://outdoorpowerinfo.com/repairs/briggs_medium_two_piece.asp

On older carbs two things to watch out for are – warped flanges between top and bottom halves – often the result of over tightened screws – allowing air leaks.
Internal leaks where the emulsion tube or nozzle screws into the carb , again possibly due to over tightening or corrosion between the brass nozzle and alloy body. The fixes for this include using a modified spare nozzle to carefully lap the seat or using the teflon washer from a Vacu or Pulsa Jet repair kit on the tip of the nozzle to seal it.(Pt No 391413)

This link to the now defunct PER forum explains the repair process
http://www.perr.com/tip9.html
Just glad that I don’t see the small, medium and large Two Piece Flo Jets much now!!!

The U/S tank is certainly a useful addition to the carb cleaning armoury. When I had the business we were an early adopter of U/S cleaning and I believe can take the credit for introducing it to Briggs UK.
If anyone is considering buying one I would advise going for one with a heater and if using a basket for the parts a stainless steel mesh one absorbs less (8%)ultrasonic energy than the plastic equivalent (30%). That info came in the instruction book for my present 3ltr domestic tank which came with a plastic basket but when I enquired about a stainless one the suppliers said none available! Struck me as a bit odd. Anyway I found a suitable ss one in a cookware shop!
A useful tip that I was given is that when cleaning carbs, split the cleaning time into two or three and alter the orientation of the carb in the tank between sessions – helps shake the loosened crud out of any blind drillings etc.
When I was learning the trade “way back when” we were always told not to poke bits of wire etc through blocked jets and you can still see this repeated in older workshop manuals. However, four or five years ago when Honda were having horendous carb issues with the Vee twins fitted to Coutaxes and Westwoods etc they came up with a “Dr Carb” cleaning procedure and together with the detailed instructions came a pack of wire probes!

Some people just use a couple of drops of washing up liquid, on American sites there is quite a following for Seaclean which I believe is available over here . We used to use Ultrawave, Ultraclean SA in the tank at work and I have continued to use it.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/jpl-seaclean-2-double-strength-concentrate-05l-a76lg

I use the the Seaclean product available from either the company in the above link or via the internet in my U/S cleaner and it works fine. The issue of cost over capacity is a major deciding factor with these machines, I settled on the 2.5Ltr heated machine from Maplin and have been pleased with it so far.

Angus, were you thinking of this product
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/sea-foamreg%3B-motor-treatment-for-gas-and-diesel-engines-16-oz.
It seems to be used as a cure all for most problems over here, but the last time I looked it was quite dear in the UK if you can find it!