Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

remove sparkplug, put in a little fresg gas, reinstall plug, and try
starting.

did you leave old gas in it?

Possibly it has water in the tank (from dew/condensation). Perhaps
empty the tank and put in fresh gas.

Richard wrote:
Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

Richard wrote:
Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

More than likely varnish has formed over the fuel pickup screen.
Remove the carb and blow everything out with aerosol carb cleaner.

Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

You could get an electric, learn to do the "cord dance," and never worry
about starting the mower again. With an electric, you just turn it on. If
it doesn't start, buy a new one, they're only $150 or so. End of problem.

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...
Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!


I can't even see my lawn. It's snowing. You think YOU have problems?

"Richard" wrote in message oups.com...
Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

You could try draining any old gas. Re-fill with fresh gas. Remove the air cleaner
and squirt 1/4 tsp or so of gas into the carb. Does it fire up now? If so, but it then
dies, repeat the priming with gas a few time. It may clear itself out, and run.

Bob

On Mon, 06 Feb 2006 20:20:10 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Richard" wrote in message
roups.com...
Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!


I can't even see my lawn. It's snowing. You think YOU have problems?

I think he has one of those new models that blow away the snow and cut
the grass at the same time. They're used by people who are running
late.



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

On 6 Feb 2006 10:50:55 -0800, "Richard" wrote:

Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

Doesn't anyone suggest small parts cleaner anymore, or whatever it is
called. It comes in a can a little bigger than a can of Giardelli
cocoa, or a pound of whipped butter, but with the walls vertical, and
one is supposed to disassemble the whole carb and soak every part that
does not contain plastic in it. They usually have a basket inside
the can so you can pull out the basket and let most of the solvent
drain off, then wash the parts in water while still in the basket. A
lot stronger than spray or liquid gumout, at least it was 40 years
ago. I bought another can about 15 years ago, at an autoparts store,
by a major maker, like gumout, but I don't know if it was as strong as
the prior stuff.

Or is it that there are too many rubber or plastic parts firmly
affixed to the metal ones?

Do you guys know about this stuff, and if so, do you use it?

At any rate, if this or the other suggestions don't work, there are
one or two parts that can be replaced where the clog is. I was in a
hurry and the repair guy talked me into 4 or 5, for maybe 20 or 25
dollars, but if money is tight, you could do them one at a time. B&S
engines have exploded views, part numbers, and a list of dealers on
line, although Ithink the place I went to was not on their list, even
though it had everything. It was closer to my home.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

In article .com,
" wrote:

remove sparkplug, put in a little fresg gas, reinstall plug, and try
starting.


and always replace the spark plug.

--
Impeach Bush ! a noble cause
And visit.. alt.impeach.bush

Well, folks, an update on the lawnmower. It is actually a Craftsman
edger, the one with the blade that has 3 edges (triangular shaped
blade). I cleaned it up, sandblasted the spark plug(and determined
that it is getting good fire)re-gapped it, then took off the gas tank,
took the carburetor off, sprayed it inside and out with carburetor
cleaner, put it back together, and NOTHING! I put on a spark detector
gizmo that lights up when I pull the cord, so I'm sure it is getting
spark.
The carburetor doesn't look too complicated, it is only ~3" long. It
has a butterfly valve on each end, and I sprayed through the valve, and
through the nozzle that hooks up to the gas tank. On the bottom of the
carburetor it has something that looks like a little plate, that is
attached with 4-6 little allen head bolts. I hesitate to take it off,
as I'm not sure what will pop out of there.

Any other advice as to what I can do to fire it up? I have left fresh
gas in the tank this evening, with the hopes that it might dissolve
whatever is preventing it from getting a good stream of fuel. Thanks
again, Richard

"Bert Byfield" wrote in message
7...
Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

You could get an electric, learn to do the "cord dance," and never worry
about starting the mower again. With an electric, you just turn it on. If
it doesn't start, buy a new one, they're only $150 or so. End of problem.


Until you mow over the cord. They do have cordless electric mowers, though.

I would never give up my gas mowers, though. Mowing the lawn is a boring,
annoying chore and the only fun I get out of it is getting out the ear
protection,
and firing up the old gasoline engine and ****ing off all the environmental
greenies
that live on my street and mow their lawns with manual push mowers. (or
electrics)

A 3.5HP Briggs and Stratton
vertical drive with a 20 year old rusted out pancake muffler announces to
the
world in no uncertain terms that a Real Man is doing his Saturday civic duty
to beautify the neighborhood.

Ted

I think the ideas that were floating around here werent to rebuild the
entire carb. Just blow it out with a little carb cleaner will usually
do the
trick.

What you describe is basically boiling out the carb with chemicals.
(dangerous **** too, lots of cancer in that stuff) Handle with care
and dont gargle with it.

If I had carbs that had plastic attached to it and I wanted to
clean out, I would take an old heating pot (the ones you just
add water, plug in and wait to boil) add some wisk, heat it
up and put the carb into that. The hot water with a detergent
would make it look like new. I would ONLY do this to aluminum
carbs with minimal steel on them. In any case I would
boil them and then spray them down with a light coat of
wd40. Clean as a wistle and works great!

Anyway, with those little edgers, I would make sure that you are
getting gas from the gas tank (pull the hose that attaches to the
carb) If gas is flowing, great! Next on those carbs they has a
primer
on them. When you prime it do you see a little squirt of gas inside
the carb right past the choke plate?

Just out of curiousity to make sure its a carb problem and not a
compression problem did you use some starter fluid to get this
thing running at all?

Thanks so much for your help. To answer your question, this carburetor
doesn't have a primer, that I know of. My lawnmowers have a little
bulb that you squirt to prime the carburetor, but there is no bulb on
this edger. I haven't tried any starter fluid, but I'm sure that I'm
getting a good spark. I don't think that compression is the issue,
because it ran fine before I put it away, and unfortunately, I had left
it with gasoline in the tank for a couple of years before pulling it
out last week and discovering that not only did I not empty the gas
tank before putting it away, but I also had not added any additive to
prevent it from gumming up the carburetor.
I'll pick up some starter fluid today and squirt it in the spark plug
hole, to see if it will run with it.

"Richard" wrote in message oups.com...
Thanks so much for your help. To answer your question, this carburetor
doesn't have a primer, that I know of. My lawnmowers have a little
bulb that you squirt to prime the carburetor, but there is no bulb on
this edger. I haven't tried any starter fluid, but I'm sure that I'm
getting a good spark. I don't think that compression is the issue,
because it ran fine before I put it away, and unfortunately, I had left
it with gasoline in the tank for a couple of years before pulling it
out last week and discovering that not only did I not empty the gas
tank before putting it away, but I also had not added any additive to
prevent it from gumming up the carburetor.
I'll pick up some starter fluid today and squirt it in the spark plug
hole, to see if it will run with it.

Just squirt a little gas into the carb intake. That always does it for me.

Bob

Just spray some starterspray in the air-intake and crank it. Just curious, when you tried to start the engine, and it won't run, is the sparkplug wet afterwards? Yes? Old fuel or so. No? No gas....

Well, folks, the saga continues.The first thing I did tonight when I
got home was to squirt a little bit of gasoline in the carburetor(where
the air filter connects). After many cranks, nothing. So, I removed
the spark plug, and dribbled a little bit of gasoline in the spark plug
hole. Put the spark plug back in, and VOILA! It fired up, for around
5-110 seconds. Ran like a top, so I knew there was no problem with the
spark, timing, or compression. So, once more I took the carburetor
off. I removed the adjustment screws, being careful to count the
turns, so that I could get them back in the same place. I then blew
carburetor cleaner through the holes, then replaced both screws
(counting the turns so that I could get them back in the right place).
I then turned the carburetor over, and removed the little plate that
was on the bottom of the carburetor (held on with 4 allen screws).
Inside I found what looked like a tiny black mesh screen, which I
gently partially removed, then blew carburetor cleaner in there and
made sure that the whole area was clean. I then put the screen back
on, put the bottom piece on (with the 4 little allen screws).
Reattached the linkage and bolted it back onto the edger.
I cranked it up, and again, nothing. I once more removed the spark
plug, and poured a little gas into the spark plug hole, and once more
it fired up, for a few seconds.
I'm kind of at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestion of
something else to try? Clearly there is an issue with the carburetor,
but I have had it all apart, and it looks clean to me. Thanks in
advance for your help, Richard

On 6 Feb 2006 10:50:55 -0800, "Richard" wrote:

Folks, I have an older Craftsman lawn mower that I can't get to start.
I do get a good spark, so I'm assuming that it means a clogged
carburetor. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank and allow
to sit there that might help dissolve any old varnish? Thanks in
advance for your suggestions!

Hit it with a little starting fluid and see if she fires.
If she doesn't, then that rules out bad gas / gummed up carb.

Timing could be off (sheared soft key) or plug could be fouled.


Small engines are relatively cheap. You might be better off buying
new model...


--
-john
wide-open at throttle dot info

In article . com,
"Richard" wrote:

Well, folks, an update on the lawnmower. It is actually a Craftsman
edger, the one with the blade that has 3 edges (triangular shaped
blade). I cleaned it up, sandblasted the spark plug(and determined
that it is getting good fire)re-gapped it, then took off the gas tank,
took the carburetor off, sprayed it inside and out with carburetor
cleaner, put it back together, and NOTHING! I put on a spark detector
gizmo that lights up when I pull the cord, so I'm sure it is getting
spark.
The carburetor doesn't look too complicated, it is only ~3" long. It
has a butterfly valve on each end, and I sprayed through the valve, and
through the nozzle that hooks up to the gas tank. On the bottom of the
carburetor it has something that looks like a little plate, that is
attached with 4-6 little allen head bolts. I hesitate to take it off,
as I'm not sure what will pop out of there.

Any other advice as to what I can do to fire it up? I have left fresh
gas in the tank this evening, with the hopes that it might dissolve
whatever is preventing it from getting a good stream of fuel. Thanks
again, Richard


You need to move some fresh fuel thru the carb; if you run the engine
for a few minutes it might flush some of the goo out. If it were 4
cycle I would idle it with an unlit propane torch in the inlet, but
2-cycle needs lubrication. Maybe start it with gas in the plug hole and
spray a mist or fine stream in the intake to keep it running for a
minute.

A better idea is to take the carb COMPLETELY apart and clean it.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

You have a small diaphram on the buttom of that carb.

There could be a pinhole leak in it. I would say
take that carb completely apart and rebuilt it
with a rebuilt kit (I think you said it was a sears unit so
its actually pretty easy to get)

While its apart, I would use gumout and spray it in all the
passages. Make sure it comes out of everywhere. Use thin wire
to clean everything out.

Tom

"Richard" wrote in message ups.com...
Well, folks, the saga continues.The first thing I did tonight when I
got home was to squirt a little bit of gasoline in the carburetor(where
the air filter connects). After many cranks, nothing. So, I removed
the spark plug, and dribbled a little bit of gasoline in the spark plug
hole. Put the spark plug back in, and VOILA! It fired up, for around
5-110 seconds. Ran like a top, so I knew there was no problem with the
spark, timing, or compression. So, once more I took the carburetor
off. I removed the adjustment screws, being careful to count the
turns, so that I could get them back in the same place. I then blew
carburetor cleaner through the holes, then replaced both screws
(counting the turns so that I could get them back in the right place).
I then turned the carburetor over, and removed the little plate that
was on the bottom of the carburetor (held on with 4 allen screws).
Inside I found what looked like a tiny black mesh screen, which I
gently partially removed, then blew carburetor cleaner in there and
made sure that the whole area was clean. I then put the screen back
on, put the bottom piece on (with the 4 little allen screws).
Reattached the linkage and bolted it back onto the edger.
I cranked it up, and again, nothing. I once more removed the spark
plug, and poured a little gas into the spark plug hole, and once more
it fired up, for a few seconds.
I'm kind of at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestion of
something else to try? Clearly there is an issue with the carburetor,
but I have had it all apart, and it looks clean to me. Thanks in
advance for your help, Richard

Check the specs to make sure the carb adjustments are in the correct range.
Is there a choke? Does it close completely? If you have a way to squirt gas
into the carb, do so, start it, and give it an additional squirt each time it
starts to die. After several seconds, it might operate on its own. It might be
possible to unplug jets with a fine wire and some careful probeing.

Bob

Well, folks, I'm about to give up on the edger, for the time being. I
have taken it completely apart, cleaned with carburetor cleaner and
compressed air (gently), and still it won't run (unless I squirt gas
down the spark plug hole, and then for only 5-10 seconds).
I would like to perhaps buy a carburetor kit, but Sears wants to sell
the entire carburetor for ~$70.00.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a Craftsman to Briggs and Stratton (I
think that is who made this engine, but I'm not sure) cross reference
resource? I have the Craftsman engine serial number, and if I could
contact a B&S retailer, perhaps they have a carburetor kit that might
work for this carb.
Thanks again for everyone's advice and suggestions, Richard

I worked on an edger one time, the gasket was missing in between the carb
and the engine. If that gasket is missing, it draws air instead of gas/ air
mix from the carb.



--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Richard" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, folks, an update on the lawnmower. It is actually a Craftsman
edger, the one with the blade that has 3 edges (triangular shaped
blade). I cleaned it up, sandblasted the spark plug(and determined
that it is getting good fire)re-gapped it, then took off the gas tank,
took the carburetor off, sprayed it inside and out with carburetor
cleaner, put it back together, and NOTHING! I put on a spark detector
gizmo that lights up when I pull the cord, so I'm sure it is getting
spark.
The carburetor doesn't look too complicated, it is only ~3" long. It
has a butterfly valve on each end, and I sprayed through the valve, and
through the nozzle that hooks up to the gas tank. On the bottom of the
carburetor it has something that looks like a little plate, that is
attached with 4-6 little allen head bolts. I hesitate to take it off,
as I'm not sure what will pop out of there.

Any other advice as to what I can do to fire it up? I have left fresh
gas in the tank this evening, with the hopes that it might dissolve
whatever is preventing it from getting a good stream of fuel. Thanks
again, Richard

WAIT!!!!!

Spraying ether in the spark hole can dry out the cylinder wall and kill the
thing. A "helpful" neighbor killed my Dad's $500 Coleman generator that way.
Threw a piston rod through the side of the motor.

Spray the ether into the air intake, or onto the foam or paper filter.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks so much for your help. To answer your question, this carburetor
doesn't have a primer, that I know of. My lawnmowers have a little
bulb that you squirt to prime the carburetor, but there is no bulb on
this edger. I haven't tried any starter fluid, but I'm sure that I'm
getting a good spark. I don't think that compression is the issue,
because it ran fine before I put it away, and unfortunately, I had left
it with gasoline in the tank for a couple of years before pulling it
out last week and discovering that not only did I not empty the gas
tank before putting it away, but I also had not added any additive to
prevent it from gumming up the carburetor.
I'll pick up some starter fluid today and squirt it in the spark plug
hole, to see if it will run with it.

Flat gasket between carb and motor.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Richard" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, folks, the saga continues.The first thing I did tonight when I
got home was to squirt a little bit of gasoline in the carburetor(where
the air filter connects). After many cranks, nothing. So, I removed
the spark plug, and dribbled a little bit of gasoline in the spark plug
hole. Put the spark plug back in, and VOILA! It fired up, for around
5-110 seconds. Ran like a top, so I knew there was no problem with the
spark, timing, or compression. So, once more I took the carburetor
off. I removed the adjustment screws, being careful to count the
turns, so that I could get them back in the same place. I then blew
carburetor cleaner through the holes, then replaced both screws
(counting the turns so that I could get them back in the right place).
I then turned the carburetor over, and removed the little plate that
was on the bottom of the carburetor (held on with 4 allen screws).
Inside I found what looked like a tiny black mesh screen, which I
gently partially removed, then blew carburetor cleaner in there and
made sure that the whole area was clean. I then put the screen back
on, put the bottom piece on (with the 4 little allen screws).
Reattached the linkage and bolted it back onto the edger.
I cranked it up, and again, nothing. I once more removed the spark
plug, and poured a little gas into the spark plug hole, and once more
it fired up, for a few seconds.
I'm kind of at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestion of
something else to try? Clearly there is an issue with the carburetor,
but I have had it all apart, and it looks clean to me. Thanks in
advance for your help, Richard

I had a similar problem with a Mac weedeater; Good spark, good, clean
fuel, etc. After about a year of hair pulling, I found the exhaust
muffler was clogged. Cleaned it out and it runs like a top.
Maybe......

On 9 Feb 2006 19:43:06 -0800, "Richard" wrote:

Well, folks, I'm about to give up on the edger, for the time being. I
have taken it completely apart, cleaned with carburetor cleaner and
compressed air (gently), and still it won't run (unless I squirt gas
down the spark plug hole, and then for only 5-10 seconds).
I would like to perhaps buy a carburetor kit, but Sears wants to sell
the entire carburetor for ~$70.00.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a Craftsman to Briggs and Stratton (I
think that is who made this engine, but I'm not sure) cross reference
resource? I have the Craftsman engine serial number, and if I could
contact a B&S retailer, perhaps they have a carburetor kit that might
work for this carb.
Thanks again for everyone's advice and suggestions, Richard