You can't be serious about Walbro making a good carb, considered the
worst in the business.( That from my 30 some odd years working int he
bussiness.)

I don't know if they were made by Walbro or someone else, the ones I'm
referring to are the aluminum Pulse-Jet carbs, only one needle valve to
adjust, I've just never come across one that was much trouble.


Briggs is also famous for having some of the worst electronics in the
ignition system. Coils that can fry out after just a few hours.(I
NEVER replace them with oem on any of my customers machines.
I've had better luck with Stens aftermarket than original Briggs.)
B&S, as I'd mentioned is bad about varying the size and values on
their coils as well. It can be a real guessing game as to what size
coil any particular model of a Briggs might take.(IMO this is
completely uneccessary, they could easily make one size and value coil
for all their single cylinder engines instead of the dozen or so they
do.)

I guess things must have changed, I've never run into that problem, I
particularly like the Magnetron electronic ignition, have that on a couple
motors (one of which replaced a Tecumseh that threw a rod on a tiller) and
it runs MUCH better than the old motor ever did, granted the old one was
from the 70s.


Even the OHV's they make for use on pressure washers are shabby.
I have the service contract for a local rental companies fleet of
pressure washers. Virtually all the one's with Briggs engines have had
catastrophic engine failures(exploding engines usually from thrown
rods and spun cranks.)
We wound up replacing them with either Honda or Toyo engines, which
sadly enough cost LESS than the cruder, simpler designed and built B&S
engines.


Honda also makes a very good engine, though I've found them a little tougher
to work on, but again very good.

In all my years I've never even heard of a Tecumseh engine having any
internal failure, remarkable considering that you'll find them in alot
of off road recreation equipment that get run very hard, even to the
point of abuse.

I had the one with the thrown rod around for a while because I fixed it by
epoxing up the hole in the crankcase and replacing the rod, but it never did
idle very well, the carb would clog and finally the ignition coil failed so
I junked it.

As for rough idle, you can't be serious?

Yes I'm serious, I'm beginning to think we might live on different planets
though, or perhaps the climate difference accounts for this?

of faulty idle on a Tecumseh carb is if you try and run them with a
rotted primer bulb or dirty gas.(Tecumseh uses a counterbalanced
govenor system that literally makes for a rock steady idle, unlike
Briggs which are famous for up and down idle states.)


Primer bulb always seemed silly to me, I've had a couple of them rot out, as
far as I know they're the only common 4 stroke that needs one.

That said, ask yourself how many hours on a given day you actually run
your briggs engine. If you just cut your own yard at most an hour? And
what one a week tops?
Remember when I told you about the actual ratings that Briggs gives
for expected engine life for their engines? On consumer models at best
50 hours.(pathetic really)


50 hours is pretty bad, I know my mower must have many times more though,
it's at least 20 years old and has had a lot of use, engine still runs
strong though. I change the oil every year though, I doubt most people do
that.

Sounds like perhaps things have changed though, so much has, noticed the
Fluke meter we have at work felt a little lighter than my own and the switch
is a little sloppy and not as solid feeling, flipped it over and it's made
in China! Usually that wouldn't surprise me but this is a *Fluke*! If I
wanted a Chinese multimeter I'd go buy one at Fry's for $25. Fluke is top of
the line and can command the much higher price due to a reputation of top
quality and being US-made.