Doug Miller wrote:
In article , "HeyBub"
wrote:
.... from Craigslist ad*. It's a 3HP Craftsman and the seller said
it didn't run.

First I pressure-washed the device, to remove the gunk and grass.
Next, I replaced the carb's diaphragm and carb's needle-valve and
hosed the dude down with carb cleaner.

The machine will now run, BUT

If other than full choke, the engine dies.

This is significant. It indicates that the ratio of air to fuel in
the mix is
too high; this can be caused by too much air, or too little fuel.

One possibility is that there's a major air leak somewhe at
anything less
than full choke, there's too much air in the mixture to support
combustion.

The very first thing I'd check is the bolts or screws that hold the
carburetor
to the engine; I'll bet they're loose.

If that's not the case, then there's probably a small bit of gunk
lodged in
a passage in the carburetor, or in the jet, and the next thing to do
is to
remove and dismantle the carburetor, and do what you should have done
the
first time you had it apart: blow everything clean with compressed
air.


The bolts are tight - I've removed the carb several times, but I'll bet the
gasket between the carb and the engine is kerplunked allowing air
infiltration. I have some gasket material from which I'll make a new one and
give it a try. On a similar quest, this Tecumseh engine has two adjustable
needle valves. I adjusted these both to 1-1/2 turns from fully closed. Is
that right.

Thanks for the tip.

At the garage sale, I bought a B&D electric edger for $15 and the owner
threw in the gas one for another ten.

Even at reduced power - with the choke fully on - this sucker edges like a
sumbitch!