On Nov 4, 6:15*pm, (dan) wrote:
What's that Lassie? You say that stryped fell down the old
rec.crafts.metalworking mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue
by Tue, 4 Nov 2008 07:20:48 -0800 (PST):

I have an old tiller given to me by my grandfather. It is a 5
horsepower Brigs. The carb is mounted to the gas tank. It would only
run with starting fluid for 10 seconds then shut off. I took the carb
off to clean it but there is a long pencil looking plastic tube from
the carb that goes into the gas tank. It has a screenon the bottom of
it. It broke off.

Do I need to replace it and what could be wrong with it not starting?

If you can see a little can in the gas tank, you may be able to get it
to run. *That little can is where the carb. sucks its gas from. *The
tube that you saw is the pick-up for the fuel pump that keeps the can
full. *If you can't get it running soon, spray some oil into the carb.
intake to coat the cylinder walls. *Starting fluid can wash off oil
layer, allowing rust to form.

--

Dan H.

That pickup tube cracks right at the top where it enters the
carb. Vibration and embrittling of the plastic by the fuel does it. It
will happily suck air through the crack instead of picking up fuel.

Dan