Craftsman Rider with 20hp Briggs

Hello All & CHEESE! I've been a bit under the weather but good to be back. I have a Craftsman LT 917.271910 and the Briggs is 407777 0167-E1 020613YG I have a carburetor problem...I believe? I can spray cleaner into the intake and it will crank & run fine but then dies! While removing the carb I discovered a small amount of water. Very small. I turned the engine over and caught the gas out of the pump and it contains NO water, so my fuel supply looks OK. I also found a small amount of whitish, somewhat gritty & kinda oily material from where the carb meets the cylinders down to the valves? I blew the carb out through the top ports as best I could before removing it to no avail. I've never seen one of these carbs so I need to know what to do next? There are no external needles so If I crack the carb & clean it out carefully are my chances any good or Do I just need to order an Overhaul kit or a Gasket kit? If so could you give me the correct part number as my Disc differs from the fiche??? It has a float & bowl but my favorite screw on the bottom of the bowl that I normally clean our & it cranks up has been replaced with the anti-afterfire device? LAST QUESTION: The anti-afterfire device remained very HOT for several minutes after I removed the Carb (I was only trying to crankup & it only ran a few seconds). Is this normal or do I have a problem there also? As always thanks for all the help, Ron

 

Hello Ron!

Good to hear you're better!

You've got a V twin cylinder Intek engine. Oddly enough, I haven't had to work on many of these. Haven't even seen that many around here. From the sounds of it, I think I'd check to be sure the carb solenoid is working. It may be internally shorted causing the heat you describe. You'll probably be able to remove this carb and service it without worrying about the gaskets.

It has a non-adjustable carb, so any restriction can affect the operation.

I bet you're busy with all this rain we've had in the area!

 

Cheese, These are nice carbs. I pulled it apart with NO problems and, as you said, didn't need any gaskets! The Solinoid was full of gas & some type of oily-watery substance. The piece that the carb screws into which is inside the bowl was completely corrorded and the bottom was the bowl was total 'RUST'!. I cleaned it all up, blew it all out and she worked like a charm. THE PROBLEM WAS the owner had used 'Gum Out' several months ago as a preventative measure. Well the stuff hung up in the paper filter and started pulling every tiny bit of moisture to it. The filter was full of the stuff! Cheese, who makes these carbs, if you know? Don't spend any time looking it up. It said Niki or something like that so I guess it's a new or old foriegn manufacturer? The Owner was expecting a minimum bill of $100 for parts and $100 for labor. So when he found out I don't charge for the work and I needed no parts so he owed nothing he couldn't believe it. He thanked me and left. About two hours later he showed back up with several boxes of Tools, Stools and Stuff for the shop. Then I couldn't believe it as it was all stuff I've been needing! Where do you want me to send your share? Thx, Ron

 

Hehe...my share?? I'll donate it to your cause .

Nikki has been around for a looong time, making carbs for small engines, mostly on asian engines until recently. Glad you got it fixed! I really don't like those addatives people like to pour in their gas tanks. They just seem to cause more problems than they prevent, if they actually prevent anything at all. Part of the problem (I think) is that people overdose the fuel with the additive. 1 can usually treats several gallons, maybe even a full vehicle tank. But for some reason, some people will pour the entire contents into a tiny 1 1/2 gallon tank on a riding mower and swell the rubber in the fuel lines, eat up the inlet needle, bowl gasket, and then it runs out of the carb onto the mower frame and eats the paint off of it too. I recently repaired one fitting that description.

Congrats on the shop supplies! Sometimes you get more when you charge nothing than you would if you presented a bill!

 

Nikki carbs have been used on Japanese makes of motorcycles for as long as I know..

 

That whiteish, chalky substance is as a result of a chemical reaction between gasoline (C8H18), water (H2O) and aluminum which results in the aluminum flaking off and after prolonged exposure will greatly pit the aluminum. The water in contact with the metal components of the fuel solenoid likely has rendered it useless and most likely interferring with proper fuel flow at the main jet. Depending on the severity of the water damage, you may need to replace the carburetor. Also, be aware of possible damage to the fuel pump. In any case, I strongly recommend removing the gas tank and remove any water present by way of compressed air and holding the tank upside-down.