B&S 18hp 422707 won't run - details inside

10 years ago

Hi everyone,

My riding mower wouldn't run unless the choke was pulled all the way out.

So I pulled the carb apart, sprayed it all out with carb cleaner, got a lot of chunks out of the bowl by the main jet, and put it all back together.

Engine fired right up and would run without the choke.

Off I drove to mow, and after about 15 minutes the engine died. Wouldn't restart.

I tried a couple hours later and it fired up and ran for a few seconds. Same thing the next day. It won't stay running even when playing with the choke and throttle.

Any ideas?

Tonight I will try pulling the top of the carb off to test the fuel pump and see if any fuel is getting to the bowl. That's the only thing I can think of.

Oh, the plugs are new too.

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Comments (4)

bill_kapaun
10 years ago
Did you flush the fuel line before reconnecting it?
You might have a "chunk" of something restricting fuel flow.
Ditto on the fuel filter. They are too cheap to NOT change.
mownie
10 years ago
I concur with Bill, but I might suggest that with finding "chunks" in the jet well of the carb, at least replace the fuel hose from the filter to the carb.
It is also possible that those chunks you saw are fragments of the fuel pump diaphragm or the check valve flappers from the fuel pump.
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Original Author
10 years ago
You're right, I should replace the fuel line as well, probably flush the tank etc.

The chunks looked more like mineral deposits that you'd typically find in water plumbing, so not chunks of flapper valve.

Thanks for the tips!
mownie
10 years ago
OK, the chunks may be the result of moisture etching material out of the casting surfaces of the carb/fuel pump.
I know I have seen black junk in the jet well of these carbs and thought that stuff may have sloughed off the inner liner of the fuel hose. I have also heard of some types of "fuel eating algae" that can cause a black slime to appear.
Strange world indeed!