My pressure washer has a Briggs engine Model Number 150212,
Type 0122 E9, Code 070612 with a float bowl carb. It was running along just fine, when suddenly it just quit with kind of a low pop backfire noise. Hoping the problem was simply I was out of gas, I checked the tank and saw it was almost empty, maybe empty enough to cause it to quit. Filled er up with gas and tried starting it and it would run, but only on choke. Move from choke to run and it immediately cuts out. I pulled the bowl off the carb thinking maybe crud in there, did see very slight trace of fleck, emptied it out wiped it out, put it back together and tried starting again. Same thing. Only runs on choke. What's likely happened to cause this?

 

The bowl nut is the main jet on that carb and may have picked up a little debris, 2 hole near the bottom and one through the center. Have a good one. Geo

 

I took the main jet off and made sure it was clear, I poked a fine tag wire all the way through the holes in it to make sure, then reinstalled and tried again. Exact same result, no change. Further advice needed please.

 

While it is running spray/dribble some carb/brakeparts cleaner behind the carb along the mating surfaces with the block if the engine tempo changes you have an air leak, maybe a failing gasket. Have a good one. Geo

 

Okay I just tried doing what you suggested. Sprayed carb cleaner behind the carb on the mating surface with the block while it was running. No change at all in tempo.

 

Have you checked to be sure you're getting full flow thru the float needle and seat?
Mike

 

No, what's the best way to check that? Seems like when I remove the main jet/bowl nut a good amount of gas empties from the bowl... if that's any indication. Are you suggesting a possible blockage between the carb inlet and the float needle seat?

 

Yes, it would be something to check. If the main jet is clear then it could the float needle partially plugged or an obstruction between there and the tank outlet.
Mike

 

I've disconnected the fuel line from the carb inlet and watched as fuel will pour out into a cup, no sign of restriction there. I've also taken the carb off and blown with my breath through the carb fuel inlet and can feel a good air flow through the needle seat opening when I did that; also no apparent indication of restriction there. Is there some other better way to check for sure whether I'm getting a full flow thru the float needle and seat?

 

The bowl nut is the main jet on that carb and may have picked up a little debris, 2 hole near the bottom and one through the center. Have a good one. Geo
I have to agree with Geo.. If you cleaned the nut,, there is a blockage in the carb... you may have to soak it in a cleaner to fix it... Roger

 

Yep I cleaned the nut, it was the first thing I checked and cleaned after this happened, in fact I checked and cleaned it twice to make sure. Is it very typical that a blockage elsewhere in the carb could happen just all of a sudden like that, right after running just fine as I mentioned? Its not as if gum or varnish formed to clog any passages while the engine sat unused for a long time. It was running, then just quit as I described. Had been using fresh gas all along. If there's nothing else to check, and it seems there isn't (unless someone has another suggestion), then I guess I can soak the carb in cleaner and see if that helps. This carb has one of those "vitron" or whatever material its called rubber-type needle valve seats. Is it necessary to remove it before soaking, will it get ruined by the solvent if I don't? I have some spray carb cleaner too, how about using that? Or is the carb soak the only good way to go here? I already took a tag wire and ran it through any passage I could find on this carb, there doesn't seem like much more that could be cleaned with the cleaner. I just have a feeling the carb soaking isn't gonna be the fix, but I'm willing to try. Comments??

 

You cleaned the holes at the bottom, did you get the one down through the center? Have a good one. Geo

 

Yes I got that one that runs down the center. Watched through the side holes and saw the end of the tag wire poke all the way through. Thanks Geo, nice picture. Any more ideas what could be causing this issue and why what I've tried so far hasn't helped? Must be something I'm missing, it cant be this complex.

 

It's starving for gas obviously. Remove the float and needle, then blow air back thru the inlet from the needle side. I don't see how anything could be stuck in the venturi tube that runs up from the main jet to the carb throat.
Mike

 

Okay Mike I just did what you suggested, removed the float and needle, then blew air back thru the inlet from the needle side. The air seemed to blow through fine. Also I took the fuel line off the tank and examined the entire line from the tank outlet to the line outlet, and all is clear there, no obstruction or restriction. Put things back together and tried again. Same result. Absolutely no change. Runs when carb is choked only. Move to run and it immediately cuts out. What should be the next step, what else is there to check?

 

I've run out of possibilities. With the info you've given us it still sounds like it's starving for gas, but I can't think of anything else to check. Cheese, where are you when we need you or anyone else who can figure this out?
Mike

 

I certainly appreciate all the advice given so far. Really I checked carefully all the things as mentioned and there's no improvement. I'm stuck until there's something else I need know about to check that could have been overlooked. Quite frustrating.

 

sgull.

Did you ever figure out your choke problem? I have the same issue and did the same things as you w/o any success.

bluetickjr

 

It's been quite a while ago since the issue, and I do recall having to finally basically give up and buy a new carb for the dang thing. Worked fine after that, and haven't had such trouble since. So no, really I never did figure out the actual specific cause of the problem after all that grief. I know that's probably an answer that won't help you much. I'm not familiar at all with the Ford 1.6 liter crossflow engine you're having the issue with or how its carb would compare to my carb which is on a Briggs and Stratton engine installed on a pressure washer. Good luck though.

 

What was the float level? Was the needle and seat ever changed? I had one one time where the seat was really swelled up from the ethenol and it would not allow enough gas flow into the carb, changed needle and seat and all worked just fine. It has a rubber seat?

 

Running only when choked indicates too much air into the simple carb, starving for gas. This is similar to when a motor will only run for a few moments after or while pressing the primer bulb.

I have found that routinely the fuel bowl gasket, or gasket membrane between tank & carb is varnished or dryed out, allowing improper air into the carb.

You can mess with the jets, needles and float all day long, but until this issue is resolved the problem will persist.

Carb kits are relatively inexpensive (fuel bowl gasket sets). Make sure to remove varnish from the fuel bowl ring and from the carb where it seats to.

'wet' the gasket or try a little RTV there as a test & see if it fixes the problem.

(oops! my secret is now out in the wild)

R

 

float level was fine. changed needle and seat and that didnt fix it either.