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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

O.T. small engine troubleshooting

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Roger R

11-17-2004 06:45:25




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Hi Guys;
This is O.T.
Does anyone know of a good small engine forum or repair/troubleshooting site?
I've got a 10hp Tecumseh on a genarator and I can get the thing to stop surging. I've replaced the spark plug, fuel filter, fresh gas, cleaned the carb including the bowl nut orifices, ispected the carb gasket and checked all bolts for tighteness. No improvement. Hoever, if I choke it slightly while it's running, the surging nearly goes away, but then intermittent backfiring occurs. Any thoughts on a solution or online resources?
Thanks,
RogeR

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Russ Anglin

01-24-2005 09:06:53




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
can anyone help me locate the bowl nut on my electric start Toro walk-behind Tillar?



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Redmud

11-17-2004 12:55:53




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
With the engine at full throttle, turn the high speed jet counter clockwise untill it levels out.



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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:40:32




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Redmud, 11-17-2004 12:55:53  
Hi Redmud;
Thanks for the suggestion, however I didn't see mixture adjusting screw though it was one of the first things I looked for.
RogeR



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Vern-MI

11-17-2004 12:05:44




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
I have a Homelite generator with an 8 HP Briggs industrial engine which had the same problem. When I first started it I had to keep a little bit of choke until it was fully warmed up. After a while I had to add more and more choke for longer periods of time in order to get it to run smoothly. Finally it would not run smooth at all.

Like you I checked the plug, found it to be all sooty and so I replaced it with one heat range hotter plug. I think it was a Champion 77 which I changed to an 82.

Also I did what JT suggested and used a welding tip cleaner to clean the fixed main jet which is located behind a screw plug on the side of the carburetor.

I also added some Chemtrol B-12 from Wallmart to the gas in an effort to get the passages in the carb clean and keep them clean.

It has run many hours since and I have not had any more surging from the govenor. I'm not sure which repair fixed the problem but cleaning solvent in the gas, new hotter spark plug, and mechanically cleaning the fixed main jet seemed to do the trick.

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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:37:15




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Vern-MI, 11-17-2004 12:05:44  
H Vern;
Thanks for the info.
The first thing I did was replace the spark plug, though it looked fine. I suspect yours may have been 'sooty' from too much choke? After running with fresh gas for about 15 mins. I added a bottle of Heet (water remover). Didn't help. I'll have a closer look at the bowl nut/main jet.
RogeR



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JT

11-17-2004 11:20:05




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
Roger,
The engine you have has a fixed high speed jet in the bottom of the bowl. The best way to fix it is to take a Axy/accetaline torch tip cleaner and clean the little hole in the high speed jet in the carb. These little orifice gets a little bit of shellac in it and then it will surge from lack of fuel. Try this with the tip lceaner and if that does not work, let me know, I will help you get through this.

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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:29:25




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to JT, 11-17-2004 11:20:05  
Hi JT;
Thanks for the feedback. I did try to clean the bowl nut orifices, it that's what you're referring to. I had it on the bench and it looked pretty clean but I did blow though it. I think there were about three holes. I'll try the tip cleaner as you suggest and, get back to you.
RogeR



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Hermit

11-17-2004 11:10:27




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
If you have a fuel pump on the engine, check the crankcase breather. If it's dirty or gummy and not working properly, the crankcase vacuum/pressure modulation is reduced, decreasing fuel flow to the carb (lean mixture).



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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:24:07




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Hermit, 11-17-2004 11:10:27  
Hi Hermit;
Thanks for the suggestion. It's a gravity fed system, but I'll check the condition of the cc breather. I remember replacing the hose from the breather to the carb a couple of years ago.

BTW- I sorta knew a hermit when I was kid hiking through the woods back in Maine. He seemed like a nice person and I always thought it might be enjoyable to live that secluded. Now, forty-some years later, I've got a place that's pretty darn close (seclusion-wise). But, he didn't have electricity, much less a computer! How did you come by your handle?
RogeR

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John *.?-!.* cub owner

11-17-2004 10:06:45




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
Many of them surge with no load, but stabilize once a load is applied.



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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:11:16




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to John *.?-!.* cub owner, 11-17-2004 10:06:45  
Hi John;
Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try this weekend.
RogeR



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Bob

11-17-2004 09:45:06




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
If it is a modern, emissions compliant engine, it's jetted (non-adjustable) so lean it's having trouble running between the range of the idle and load circuits in the carburetor. When you put a load to it, and the carburetor opens up and runs fully on the load circuit, does it settle down?



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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:09:57




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Bob, 11-17-2004 09:45:06  
Hi Bob;
Thanks for the feedback.
The unit is about 6 years old and it's used very little. It ran fine when I last used it, say, 4 to 6 months ago. I haven't tried to run it under load since it's been surging, but I will this weekend and see how it behaves.
RogeR



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TimV

11-17-2004 08:05:51




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
Roger: Is this on a Coleman generator? I have the same setup, and mine also surged. I had to lube up the governor linkage, and the surging went away.



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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:55:56




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to TimV, 11-17-2004 08:05:51  
Hi Tim;
Thanks for the info. The governor linkage looked clean and moved freely by hand. I'll have a closer look, though.
RogeR



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T_Bone

11-17-2004 06:56:27




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-17-2004 06:45:25  
Hi Roger,

You have a suction air leak on the cylinder intake side. Try using just a dab of some Red or Copper RTV sealant, good for immersion in gas, on the gaskets.

T_Bone



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Roger R

11-18-2004 06:51:19




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to T_Bone, 11-17-2004 06:56:27  
Hi T_Bone;
Thanks for the suggestion. The carb to manifold gasket looked fine, but I suppose it may have a defect I didn't see. I didn't diassemble the manifold from the engine, so I didn't inspect that gasket, just made sure the bolts were tight. I plan on retracing my steps again and I'll reassemble using your input.
RogeR



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cootbruce

11-18-2004 07:38:33




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to Roger R, 11-18-2004 06:51:19  
If you take the float bowl off, and look very closly on the casting that the float bowl screw goes into, on the side of the casting will be a VERY SMALL HOLE That is the hole that you need to run the torch tip cleaner through. That hole clogging with dirt or old gas is 90% of small engine problems. This is a VERY small hole, so look hard...my smallest tip cleaner just barly goes into this hole, you may need to use a very small wire. Don't enlarge the hole, just clean it..this ought to solve the problem.

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Roger R

11-18-2004 14:13:28




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 Re: O.T. small engine troubleshooting in reply to cootbruce, 11-18-2004 07:38:33  
Hi cootbruce;
Oh, THAT hole! Thanks for pointing that out. It's amazing how much knowledge can surface from one question! I"ll be sure to check & clean that one.
RogeR



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