Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

On Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:24:59 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

Clogged fuel filter, dirty air filter? Did you adjust the mixture
screws correctly?

On Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:38:42 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:24:59 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

Clogged fuel filter, dirty air filter? Did you adjust the mixture
screws correctly?

What do you mean by "on it's own"? Does it run with human assistance?
If so, what kind of assistance. Seems to me to be a governor problem.
Spring broke, etc. Might be a stuck valve. If a bulb primer, could
have a pin hole in it. To narrow it down, knowing if it runs at all
would help.
**
Lonesome Dove

The couple of "starts only if snort of ether" lawn
mowers I've serviced, the problem has been leaky or
missing gasket between the carb and the side of the
engine body.

Please install said gasket if missing. If gasket is
there, don your surgical scrubs and disposable gloves
and seal the gasket on both sides with Permatex IIb
non hardening gasket sealer. The stuff takes days to
wear off your hands. (Alcohol drygas removes the
stuff.)

..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 8/12/2013 1:24 PM, wrote:
Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that
wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled
the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent
then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner.
All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear
including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got
fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I
pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help
would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

Sucking air downstream from the carb, choke is
ineffective.

..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 8/12/2013 1:38 PM, Oren wrote:

Clogged fuel filter, dirty air filter? Did you adjust the mixture
screws correctly?

I may have sent the wrong information. Looking
again. After the squirt of ether, does it start
and run, does it start and die?

Apologies if I read your post correctly.

..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 8/12/2013 1:24 PM, wrote:
Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260
that wont run on its own. Ive completely
disassembled the carburetor and soaked it
overnight in solvent then sprayed it
aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All
parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear
including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got
fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because
I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help
would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

On Monday, August 12, 2013 6:08:05 PM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I may have sent the wrong information. Looking

again. After the squirt of ether, does it start

and run, does it start and die?



Apologies if I read your post correctly.



.

Christopher A. Young

Learn about Jesus

www.lds.org

.



On 8/12/2013 1:24 PM, wrote:

Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260

that wont run on its own. Ive completely

disassembled the carburetor and soaked it

overnight in solvent then sprayed it

aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All

parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear

including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got

fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because

I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help

would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

I would not recommend using ether, it burns quite hot and may burn a valve.

Andy

On Mon, 12 Aug 2013 16:46:49 -0700 (PDT), Andy
wrote:

On Monday, August 12, 2013 6:08:05 PM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I may have sent the wrong information. Looking

again. After the squirt of ether, does it start

and run, does it start and die?



Apologies if I read your post correctly.



.

Christopher A. Young

Learn about Jesus

www.lds.org

.



On 8/12/2013 1:24 PM, wrote:

Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260

that wont run on its own. Ive completely

disassembled the carburetor and soaked it

overnight in solvent then sprayed it

aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All

parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear

including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got

fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because

I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help

would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

I would not recommend using ether, it burns quite hot and may burn a valve.

Andy
Actually, the danger is the fast pressure build of ether combustion
which can damage the cyl head - blow the head gasket, or pull the
studs..

Used carefully it can be safe.

wrote:
On 8/12/2013 1:24 PM, wrote:

Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260

that wont run on its own. Ive completely

disassembled the carburetor and soaked it

overnight in solvent then sprayed it

aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All

parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear

including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got

fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because

I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help

would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

I would not recommend using ether, it burns quite hot and may burn a
valve.

Andy
Actually, the danger is the fast pressure build of ether combustion
which can damage the cyl head - blow the head gasket, or pull the
studs..

Used carefully it can be safe.

But then again, a squirt of cas into the carb usually does the job equally well.

On Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:54:35 -0700, "Bob F"
wrote:

wrote:
On 8/12/2013 1:24 PM, wrote:

Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260

that wont run on its own. Ive completely

disassembled the carburetor and soaked it

overnight in solvent then sprayed it

aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All

parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear

including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got

fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because

I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help

would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

I would not recommend using ether, it burns quite hot and may burn a
valve.

Andy
Actually, the danger is the fast pressure build of ether combustion
which can damage the cyl head - blow the head gasket, or pull the
studs..

Used carefully it can be safe.

But then again, a squirt of cas into the carb usually does the job equally well.

Unless the engine is partly flooded or the spark is weak - in which
case ether lights a LOT easier than gasoline.

That said,

My first teaching experience came because the regular teacher stupidly
poured gas down the carb of a 6 cyl chevy while cranking it, trying to
get it to start. It backfired and lit the gas in the small container
he was pouring from, and he pulled back, splashing the now burning gas
all over his arm and chest --------. If he had been using ether it
would have been a flash, and that would have been it. He may have lost
some hair and got a "sun-burn". This way he was off work for 7 months.

wrote:
But then again, a squirt of gas into the carb usually does the job
equally well.

Unless the engine is partly flooded or the spark is weak - in which
case ether lights a LOT easier than gasoline.

That said,

My first teaching experience came because the regular teacher stupidly
poured gas down the carb of a 6 cyl chevy while cranking it, trying to
get it to start. It backfired and lit the gas in the small container
he was pouring from, and he pulled back, splashing the now burning gas
all over his arm and chest --------. If he had been using ether it
would have been a flash, and that would have been it. He may have lost
some hair and got a "sun-burn". This way he was off work for 7 months.

A squirt of gas before you pull the rope is hardly going to have such a result.
It is also a whole lot cheaper and more available.

On Monday, August 12, 2013 1:24:59 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

Craftsman sucks

Get a goat!

My little ETQ generator, won't start on the
recently purchased gasohol. Not after choke on,
choke off, and more than a dozen pulls. Will
start on ether. I'm going to pour the recent
gas oil mix in the truck, and buy some new
ethanol free gasoline, and see if that works
better.

My ethanol free lawn mower starts on the second
pull. Why not my generator?

That said, a squirt of bad gas won't help start
an engine, if it won't start on bad gas.

..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 8/13/2013 7:50 PM, Bob F wrote:

A squirt of gas before you pull the rope is
hardly going to have such a result.
It is also a whole lot cheaper and more
available.

On 8/13/2013 7:50 PM, Bob F wrote:

A squirt of gas before you pull the rope is
hardly going to have such a result.
It is also a whole lot cheaper and more available.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
My little ETQ generator, won't start on the
recently purchased gasohol. Not after choke on,
choke off, and more than a dozen pulls. Will
start on ether. I'm going to pour the recent
gas oil mix in the truck, and buy some new
ethanol free gasoline, and see if that works
better.

My ethanol free lawn mower starts on the second
pull. Why not my generator?

That said, a squirt of bad gas won't help start
an engine, if it won't start on bad gas.

Who said anything about a squirt of bad gas? That's just stupid.

Well, if bad gas is the reason the lawn mower won't
start, adding a squirt of "the gas which is available"
won't help. Make any more sense, now?

..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 8/14/2013 11:43 AM, Bob F wrote:
Stormin Mormon wrote:
My little ETQ generator, won't start on the
recently purchased gasohol. Not after choke on,
choke off, and more than a dozen pulls. Will
start on ether. I'm going to pour the recent
gas oil mix in the truck, and buy some new
ethanol free gasoline, and see if that works
better.

My ethanol free lawn mower starts on the second
pull. Why not my generator?

That said, a squirt of bad gas won't help start
an engine, if it won't start on bad gas.

Who said anything about a squirt of bad gas? That's just stupid.

On Monday, August 12, 2013 7:01:15 PM UTC-4, Stormin Mormon wrote:
The couple of "starts only if snort of ether" lawn

mowers I've serviced, the problem has been leaky or

missing gasket between the carb and the side of the

engine body.



I's also wonder if he blew the carb out with compressed air?
Removed any welch plugs that need to be removed to get to ALL
the orifices? I doubt just soaking it in carb cleaner is
enough if it's been gummed up.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
Well, if bad gas is the reason the lawn mower won't
start, adding a squirt of "the gas which is available"
won't help. Make any more sense, now?


Only to the clueless.

On Monday, August 12, 2013 1:24:59 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!



How old is the engine?

On Monday, August 12, 2013 at 12:24:59 PM UTC-5, snipezilla69 wrote:
Hi I have a craftsman 4.0 HP 917-388260 that wont run on its own. Ive completely disassembled the carburetor and soaked it overnight in solvent then sprayed it aggressively with carburetor cleaner. All parts are clean and all holes appear to be clear including the jet. But it still wont run! Ive got fresh fuel and it is getting to the carb because I pull the bowl off and there gas in it. Any help would be highly appreciated!! Thanks!

check the flywheel brake, my weedeater lawnmower would disengage the brake properly, if you poured gas into the carb, it'd run fine, but if it turned off, you had to move the brake over and repeat the process. I replaced the braking mechanism, now it runs like a charm